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.
Côte d’Ivoire: Ensuring a Peaceful Political Transition
A five-year uprising in Côte d’Ivoire ended in March 2007 with the signing of a peace accord. In the wake of this development, USIP and West Africa Network for Peacebuilding-Côte d’Ivoire recently organized a workshop on strategies to ensure a peaceful political transition and electoral process. This report details the meeting and the way forward to stabilize the country.
Coming Soon to a Country Near You: Kosova Sovereignty
Why does the United States support Kosovo's independence, risking relations with Serbia and Russia? How does Washington plan to contain the consequences?
On the Issues: Burma
Susan Hayward discusses how Burma's "saffron revolution" demonstrates the powerful capacity of the religious realm to assist in the creation of global peace.
Some Assembly Required: Sudan's Comprehensive Peace Agreement
While Sudan has recently reached a Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA) between the northern and southern regions, tensions still smolder. As commonoly said, "The devil is in the details," in implementation of the accord. To identify lessons learned from the negotiation of the agreement from 2002 to 2005 and its implementation since then, USIP conducted a project, the conclusions of which are discussed in this special report.
Burma's Long Road to Democracy
In this Special Report, the author establishes the historical context for the recent Saffron Revolution in Burma, explains the persistence of military rule, and speculates on the country’s prospects for political transition to democracy.
Beyond the National Interest
Whatever happened to multilateral peacekeeping? This is the central question Jean-Marc Coicaud explores in this penetrating scholarly examination of the period of “robust” UN-mandated peacekeeping missions in humanitarian crises.
Peacemaking in International Conflict
This updated and expanded edition of the highly popular volume originally published in 1997 describes the tools and skills of peacemaking that are currently available and critically assesses their usefulness and limitations.
Behind the Numbers: Assessing Indices of Peace, Conflict and Instability
Can peace and stability be measured? If so, what are some of the most helpful indicators for determining at-risk countries and regions? What is the significance of resulting rankings and changes from year to year?
Afghanistan's Economy: On the Right Road, But Still a Long Way to Go
Although Afghanistan has now laid the foundation for a market-based economy, substantial challenges still linger. Many of the problems Afghanistan’s economy faces are typical for those rebuilding after war: high prices from an immature system that lacks adequate private sector competition; resistance to change from a state-controlled system; the dearth of human capital; corruption; insecurity; and inequalities created by the market system itself.
The U.S. Experience with Provincial Reconstruction Teams in Iraq and Afghanistan
Robert Perito testified before the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations alongside the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, Stuart Bowen. Perito summarized the three functions PRTs perform—governance, reconstruction and security—and offered recommendations to improve their operations and effectiveness.