The Public International Law & Policy Group (PILPG), a 2005 Nobel Peace Prize nominee, operates as a non-profit, global pro bono law firm with a proven record of providing expert guidance to parties engaged in peace processes. In recent years, PILPG has experienced an increase in clients operating as a coalition and/or seeking to build coalition efforts.

PILPG seeks the assistance of Harvard’s Dispute Systems Design Clinic to create a portfolio of coalition-building materials that would allow PILPG to rapidly provide relevant and targeted support to clients building, strengthening, and operating as a coalition during peace and political processes. The portfolio of materials will assist PILPG in advising clients on (1) identifying potential partnerships and building coalitions; (2) designing the internal structures, decision-making mechanisms, and dispute resolution mechanisms within the coalition; (3) negotiating and advocating as a coalition.

Activities & Deliverables

• Interviews and discussions with PILPG staff, Senior Peace Fellows, and external experts in peace and political processes and coalition-building;
• Research into case studies of coalitions in peace and political processes, relevant PILPG portfolio materials on other topics, PILPG’s current materials on coalition-building, coalition-building materials used in other contexts, and potential live-advising tools, such as decision-trees and template structure and decision-making designs; and
• Creation of a portfolio of coalition-building materials, relevant to multiple PILPG client contexts. Materials may include:
  • An advising guide or handbook;
  • Presentation materials;
  • Decision-trees and template structure and decision-making designs;
  • Exercises and/or a simulation.