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.
Sudan's Imperiled Transition: U.S. Policy in the Wake of the October 25th Coup
Joseph Tucker, senior expert for the Greater Horn of Africa, testified on February 1, 2022 at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's hearing on "Sudan's Imperiled Transition: U.S. Policy in the Wake of the October 25th Coup." His expert testimony as prepared is presented here.
Russia’s Assault on Ukraine and the International Order; Assessing and Bolstering the Western Response
William B. Taylor, former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine and vice president, Russia and Europe at the U.S. Institute of Peace, testified on February 2, 2022, before the U.S. Helsinki Commission's hearing on "Russia's Assault on Ukraine and the International Order." His expert testimony as prepared is presented here.
Priscilla Clapp on the Anniversary of Myanmar’s Coup
A year after the military coup, Myanmar’s diverse opposition is working together on an alternative to military rule. USIP’s Priscilla Clapp says while “it will take years to bring a consensus about for this new government, it’s a very good start … we have hope that there can be unity there if they work on it.”
Tegan Blaine on Climate Change and Peacebuilding
After the annual PeaceCon featured climate change as one of the conference’s main themes, USIP’s Tegan Blaine says, “It’s no longer possible to say that climate change does not intersect with peacebuilding. The realities are there … we need to be more honest about what the likely impacts are going to be.”
Asfandyar Mir on the Pakistani Taliban and Afghanistan-Pakistan Border Tensions
As Pakistani leaders quarrel with the neighboring Afghan Taliban over the demarcation of their shared border, USIP’s Asfandyar Mir says Pakistan’s own Taliban insurgency has “been boosted by the example of the Afghan Taliban … if things continue to escalate over the medium term, things become very difficult for Pakistan.”
Nonviolent Action in the Era of Digital Authoritarianism: Hardships and Innovations
In the late 2000s and early 2010s, nonviolent action movements employed social media and other digital tools to orchestrate pro-democracy uprisings that took regimes by surprise. Those euphoric early days have since given way to digital repression, restricted online freedoms, and democratic backsliding as authoritarian regimes leverage new technologies to surveil the opposition and sow misinformation. This report documents how nonviolent activists are adapting to digital repression and suggests ways the United States and its allies can slow the pace of autocratic innovation in the use of these technologies.
Negotiating Civil Resistance
Reviewing the literature on negotiation and civil resistance, this report examines the current divide between the two and digs deeper to identify the fundamental convergences. It builds on these findings to illustrate why negotiations and negotiation concepts are essential to the success of civil resistance campaigns. Using historical examples, it then examines the dynamics of negotiation in the context of these strategic domains.
Illegal Extraction of Minerals as a Driver of Conflict in Afghanistan
Based on qualitative surveys and focus group discussions with communities in four Afghan provinces, this Peace Brief analyzes how nonstate actor control over small-scale mining sites and illegal extraction contributes to conflict, the local political economy, and the incentive structures that support illegal extraction.
South Sudan’s Conflict and Famine: Aly Verjee Testimony
Aly Verjee provided testimony on South Sudan’s conflict and famine before the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy.
South Sudan’s Conflict and Famine: Payton Knopf Testimony
Payton Knopf provided testimony on South Sudan’s conflict and famine before the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy.