In a new volume, “Customary Justice and the Rule of Law in War-Torn Societies” from the United States Institute of Peace, editor Deborah Isser argues that measuring customary justice systems against Western rule-of-law templates leads to strategies that fail to address the concerns of the population and impedes access to justice.

(Washington) –  In a new study, “Negotiating Peace and Confronting Corruption” from the United States Institute of Peace, author Bertram I. Spector argues that peace and economic recovery in countries emerging from violent conflict are more likely and more durable when good governance reforms and corruption controls are included in negotiations ending the conflict.

For Immediate Release, July 19, 2011 Contact: Allison Sturma, 202-429-4725 (Washington) - The Ottawa Dialogue, a collaboration of the United States Institute of Peace, the University of Ottawa, and several other partners recently produced a series of recommendations for reducing the threat of nuclear conflict between Pakistan and India. The "confidence building measures" (CBMs) were adopted at a meeting of the Ottawa Dialogue held at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution in Palo Alto, C...

For Immediate Release, July 12, 2011 Contact: Allison Sturma, 202-429-4725 (Washington) – The U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) is pleased to announce that Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson will present the keynote address at "The Birth of the Republic of South Sudan," an event hosted by the USIP on Thursday, July 14, to mark the new nation’s independence. 

For Immediate Release, July 6, 2011 Contact: Allison Sturma, 202-429-4725 (Washington) – Experts from the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) are available for comment and analysis as the independence of South Sudan approaches this Saturday, July 9. Since 2005, USIP experts have focused on helping to build peace and stability in Sudan, working through partnerships with the U.S. Department of State, nongovernmental organizations in Sudan, and key stakeholders. USIP’s programs focus on resolving ...

For Immediate Release: June 27, 2011 Contact: Allison Sturma, 202-429-4725 (Washington) -The U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) is pleased to announce the winners of the 24th Annual National Peace Essay Contest. Kathryn Botto of Texas, Lily Zhang of Pennsylvania, and Meredith Pochily of New York have earned $10,000, $5,000 and $2,500 scholarships as the national first, second, and third place finishers, respectively. Each year, the National Peace Essay Contest challenges American high school s...

Education & Training

For Immediate Release, June 21, 2011 Contact: Allison Sturma, asturma@usip.org (Washington) – Experts from the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) are available for comment in advance of President Obama's Afghanistan policy speech. In Afghanistan, USIP works on reconciliation, rule of law, and cross-border dialogues with Pakistan. USIP's permanent Kabul office provides the latest on-the-ground information on Afghanistan and supports USIP programs in country. USIP experts available for comment a...

June 14, 2011 The U.S. Institute of Peace was deeply saddened to learn of the death of Jacob Bercovitch on Friday, June 10, 2011, after a long and brave struggle with cancer. Bercovitch was a professor of International Relations at the University in Canterbury, New Zealand and author and editor of more than 10 books on international relations and conflict mediation. In 2002, Bercovitch was a Jennings Randolph senior fellow at USIP.  Current Jennings Randolph Senior Fellow Valerie Rosoux ...