The Intersection of Tradition and Modernity in Peacebuilding Mechanisms: A Cameroonian Perspective

This chapter examines the impact of modernism on peace mechanisms in Cameroon, exploring how modernisation processes have shaped the country’s peace landscape. Using a historical research approach with the consortium of primary and secondary sources, including archival documents, oral histories, and scholarly literature, the study analyses the evolution of peace mechanisms in Cameroon from the pre-colonial period to the present day. The research reveals that modernism has had a profound impact on traditional peacebuilding mechanisms, often undermining their effectiveness and creating new conflicts. The study also highlights the challenges and limitations of modern peacebuilding mechanisms in Cameroon, including the failure to address underlying causes of conflict and the neglect of traditional peacebuilding practices. This chapter thus concludes by recommending a balanced approach to peacebuilding in Cameroon, one that combines the strengths of traditional and modern peacebuilding mechanisms.