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.
Ancestral Domain in Comparative Perspective
Summary Ancestral domain—the territory, economic resources, and governance of minority ethnic groups and indigenous peoples—is the third and final item on the agenda for peace negotiations between the government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. The experiences of other minorities elsewhere in the world can be instructive in formulating a stable and peaceful accommodation that satisfies both parties.
Applying Islamic Principles in the Twenty-first Century: Nigeria, Iran, and Indonesia
This report summarizes the three projects and offers salient points raised by some of the conference participants. It was prepared by David Smock, director of the Religion and Peacemaking program, based on papers by Radwan Masmudi, Asna Husin, and Abdulaziz Sachedina.
The Future of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Critical Trends Affecting Israel
In this report, Yossi Alpher identifies which local, regional, and international trends will have the greatest impact on Israel's relationship with Palestinians in the coming years. Next in the series is Khalil Shikaki's study of long-term trends in Palestinian public opinion and their policy implications for the peace process.
Washington and Damascus: Between Confrontation and Cooperation
Summary Soon after both men came to power in 2000, relations between U.S. president George Bush and Syria's president Bashar al-Asad began to deteriorate significantly. Since the Iraq war of 2003, Washington and Damascus have been on a collision course. Washington has resented the indirect assistance provided by Syria to Saddam's regime and to his loyalists, both before and after the U.S. occupation of Iraq.
Nepal: Rule of Law and Human Rights Challenges
This USIPeace Briefing analyzes the security situation in Nepal and the escalation of human rights abuses.
Provincial Reconstruction Teams: Military Relations with International and Nongovernmental Organizations in Afghanistan
Summary Deployed in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom, Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) combine military personnel and civilian staff from the diplomatic corps and developmental agencies. Their mission is to: extend the authority of the Afghan central government, promote and enhance security, and facilitate humanitarian relief and reconstruction operations. Twenty PRTs were currently in operation throughout Afghanistan as of June 2005: thirteen staffed by the U.S.-le...
Arab Media: Tools of the Governments; Tools for the People?
In the aftermath of 9/11, a shocked U.S. government and public asked, "Why do they hate us?" bewildered that the so-called Arab street views them—us—with extreme antipathy. Since that day in September, an urgent desire to quench this seething regional hostility has seized the government, hoping to mitigate or at least deflect any future terrorist attacks.
Creating a Common Communications Culture: Interoperability in Crisis Management
No technologies have been more powerful in reshaping the post-Cold War international system than those of the information revolution. Over the past two decades, nation-states and subnational groups, international businesses, and multinational organizations have struggled to incorporate the dramatic possibilities for their work of satellite communications, the Internet, inexpensive telephone and cell phone services, fax machines, and global computer networks.
Net Diplomacy III: 2015 and Beyond
Introduction As the Communist Revolution ended with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the Information Revolution reached the tipping point as corporations embraced the new technologies. The U.S. Department of State, while marking the end of the Cold War, continued to be guided by practices more fitting to an earlier age. Indeed, decision making has become more centralized, access more restricted, and information flow more inhibited. This state of affairs has been documented by severa...