Publications
Articles, publications, books, tools and multimedia features from the U.S. Institute of Peace provide the latest news, analysis, research findings, practitioner guides and reports, all related to the conflict zones and issues that are at the center of the Institute’s work to prevent and reduce violent conflict.
Governance Challenges in Raqqa after the Islamic State
The fall of the Syrian city of Raqqa—the capital of the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS)’s caliphate—will be a critical defeat for IS. Yet the success of the counter-campaign will ultimately...
Nancy Lindborg on Negotiations with North Korea
USIP President Nancy Lindborg tells us about the challenges presented by North Korea’s nuclear capabilities, and discusses her own experiences travelling to North Korea.
Nonformal Dialogues in National Peacemaking
Nonformal dialogues offer complementary approaches to formal dialogues in national peacemaking efforts in contexts of conflict. As exemplified by the nonformal dialogues in Myanmar, Lebanon, and Nepal examined in this report, nonformal dialogues are able to...
Rethinking Conflict: Its Role in Building Peace
When you hear the word “conflict,” what immediately comes to mind? This is an exercise we often use with students at middle school and high school levels. Off the tops of their heads, their answers...
Jonas Claes on Liberia and Kenya’s Elections
Jonas Claes joins us to talk about Liberia’s election and the significance of the country's first peaceful transfer of power since 1944. Claes also lays out the challenges for the Kenyan election
Nigerian Civic Leaders Assert a Role Against Violence
As Nigeria struggles to calm violent conflicts nationwide, including the Boko Haram insurgency, 11 eminent civil society leaders are summoning government officials to seek an unprecedented degree of citizen input on policy. Prominent religious, military, academic...
Taliban Hostages Freed: Can It Ease U.S.-Pakistan Ties?
Today’s announcement that Pakistani troops rescued a U.S.-Canadian family held hostage by a Taliban faction comes as the U.S. and Pakistani governments labor to avert a break in their strained relations. It’s unclear whether the rescue can be parlayed into a broader improvement in their ties.
Evolving Sino-Russian Cooperation in Syria
Sino-Russian alignment in support of the Assad government in Syria is driven primarily by the mutual goal of preventing regime change and halting the spread of Islamic extremism. However, because Chinese strategic priorities lie elsewhere and Russia’s tactic of protracting military conflict in Syria contradicts Beijing’s long-term strategic interests, the prospect of future Sino-Russian cooperation in Syria is limited. This Peace Brief examines the forces driving this cooperation as well as its limits.
China’s Approach to International Terrorism
As China’s role in global political and economic affairs has expanded, so has its exposure to international and domestic terrorism. At the same time, it is constrained in its response by two long-held principles—nonintervention and noninterference. This Peace Brief discusses the threats to China, its response, and how these might affect its participation in global counterterrorism efforts.
Burma’s Northern Shan State and Prospects for Peace
This Brief focuses on conflict dynamics to provide an overview of resurgent conflict patterns in northern Shan State over the past two years, outlines the armed groups involved, their competing interests, the human rights effects on the civilians in the area, and how the fighting has affected the nationwide ceasefire.