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.
Engineering Peace: The Military Role in Post-Conflict Reconstruction
A former Institute Senior Fellow speaks before a Capitol Hill study group about the post-conflict reconstruction gap in three different case studies.
Promoting Middle East Democracy II: Arab Initiatives (Arabic Edition)
Summary The 9/11 attacks shattered the conventional wisdom that the Middle East’s stability— anchored by the region’s authoritarian governments—could endure indefinitely and would come at little cost to U.S. interests. Energized by external calls for democratic change, numerous elements in the region—nongovernmental, government, and multilateral—have generated reform initiatives.
Who Are the Insurgents? Sunni Arab Rebels in Iraq (Arabic Edition)
Summary Building a profile of a typical anti-coalition Sunni Arab insurgent in Iraq is a daunting task. Demographic information about the insurgents is fragmented, and the rebels themselves are marked more by their heterogeneity than by their homogeneity. Drawing from a wide array of sources, however, we can try to piece together a view of their primary motivations for taking up arms against the U.S.-led occupation.
The Quest for Viable Peace
As the editors of this groundbreaking volume explain, viable peace is achieved when the capacity of domestic institutions to resolve disputes peacefully overtakes the powerful motives and means for continued violent conflict.
Controlling the Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons
This study guide assists teachers in increasing students' understanding of the prevalence and spread of nuclear weapons and familiarizes students with historic and contemporary measures to control nuclear proliferation and stimulates their thinking of potential strategies for doing so in the future.
Militant Recruitment in Pakistan
A program officer in the Muslim World Initiative speaks before a Capitol Hill study group about Islamic militant organizations in Pakistan.
Post-Conflict Stabilization and Reconstruction: What Have We Learned From Iraq and Afghanistan
This USIPeace Briefing examines lessons learned from the complex operations of the post-conflict stabilization and reconstruction missions in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Coalition Provisional Authority's Experience with Economic Reconstruction in Iraq: Lessons Identified
Summary Iraq's economic reconstruction under coalition occupation was notable for both impressive accomplishments and serious shortcomings. Many successful reconstruction initiatives shared essential elements: they were not affected by security disruptions; they were treated as top priorities; their funding was streamlined and their impact was quick; and they built on existing Iraqi capacity. Unsuccessful reconstruction initiatives had very different elements in common. Policy failure o...
The Coalition Provisional Authority's Experience with Public Security in Iraq: Lessons Identified
Summary Important lessons for future U.S. peace and stability operations can be found in the civil upheaval that occurred in Iraq following the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime. These include lessons pertaining to public order, street crime, border control, and police recruitment, training, and combat. Large-scale breakdowns in public order should be anticipated in the aftermath of international interventions, particularly in societies emerging from brutal oppression. However, U.S....
Trauma and Transitional Justice in Divided Societies
In March 2004, the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), with assistance from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), hosted a three-day conference at Airlie House in Warrenton, Virginia, entitled "Trauma and Transitional Justice in Divided Societies." The purpose of the conference was to explore, from different disciplinary perspectives, how divided societies emerging from violent conflict have sought justice and reconciliation through various transitional jus...