The Politics of Implementation: A Qualitative Analysis of Elite Bargaining and Local Resistance in South Sudan's Revitalised Peace Agreement

This qualitative study investigates the complex dynamics of peace implementation in South Sudan, focusing on the period following the 2018 Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS). It argues that the formal peace process has been consistently undermined by a persistent logic of elite bargaining, which prioritises power-sharing among political-military leaders over substantive institutional reform and public accountability. Through an analysis of elite negotiations, subnational governance practices, and community-level responses, the article demonstrates how this bargaining framework fuels local resistance and perpetuates cycles of violence, despite the nominal cessation of major conflict. The findings contribute to broader debates on hybrid political orders and the limitations of internationally brokered peace accords in post-colonial African states.