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.
Drugs in Afghanistan—A Forgotten Issue?
This paper reflects both authors' concern that neglect of the opium economy in coming years could be perilous, exacerbate problems, possibly lead to poorly thought-out knee-jerk reactions and/or simplistic responses which would only worsen the situation, and further damage the prospects for success of what will inevitably be a difficult and challenging process of transition in Afghanistan.
A Look at the NATO Summit
USIP's experts on Afghanistan provide a preview of the key issues at the NATO summit in Chicago.
How Capacity Building Abroad Saves Money
Photo Credit: UNAMID/Flickr
Countering Violent Extremism in Pakistan
In recent years the counterterrorism field has increasingly defined its work as countering violent extremism (CVE), described by Daniel Benjamin, coordinator of the State Department's Office of Counterterrorism as efforts "to stop those most at risk of radicalization from becoming terrorists" by providing the means to undercut the ideological and rhetorical narratives which drive violent extremism. Identifying these means for the Pakistani context is one of the core goals of USIP's Pakistan p...
G-8 Summit Focuses on Food Security
As leaders at the G-8 summit highlight the importance of food security for global stability, Ibrahim Shaqir, an interagency professional in residence at USIP, in an interview examines this issue in the contexts of Afghanistan and Pakistan and how agricultural systems might contribute to peacebuilding.
Giving Peacetech a Chance
I hope lots of people saw this great line from George Clooney, when he was asked about his recent work -- the Sentinel project -- to rent a satellite and point it at Sudan. Ironically, he offered these words to a CNN interviewer on the same week that USAID announced it had partnered with an NGO called Humanity United to issue a global challenge grant for new ideas on ways to use technology to prevent atrocities.
Revolution to Retribution on Facebook
A Facebook page created for the killing of Egyptian teen Khaled Said that originally helped to crystallize the sentiment of the opposition is now being used as a platform to incite violence, showing how social media can be used not only to prevent violence, but to stoke it as well. In this case, a still image of the shooter was posted on the revolutionary Facebook page, "We Are All Khaled Said." Within hours, page visitors identified the shooter as Karem Baskoeta and posted detailed personal information in hopes of inspiring retaliation.
USIP Supports Military to Civilian Transitions in Iraq and Afghanistan
USIP President Richard H. Solomon shares his views on the transitions to civilian-led efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan after a decade of military presence.
Moving Forward with the Legal Empowerment of Women in Pakistan
There are a variety of contexts in which the empowerment of women in Pakistan can be considered, but none is more critical than law: How women’s legal rights are framed is fundamental to considering how best to advance women’s empowerment. After situating women’s legal rights in Pakistan, this Special Report reviews key features of recent legislation affecting women’s rights, explores the controversies surrounding this legislation, and elaborates on ongoing challenges to develop further legis...
Afghanistan's Civil Order Police
This report describes the efforts of the NATO-led coalition forces in Afghanistan to create an Afghan constabulary force to control urban violence and serve as a counterinsurgency force.