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.
How Have India’s Neighbors Reacted to Its Election?
Narendra Modi was sworn in on June 9 for his third consecutive term as India’s prime minister. Public polls had predicted a sweeping majority for Modi, so it came as some surprise that his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lost ground with voters and had to rely on coalition partners to form a ruling government. Although India’s elections were fought mainly on domestic policy issues, there were important exceptions and Modi’s electoral setback could have implications for India’s regional and global policies.
Reconnecting Families Can Help Facilitate U.S.-North Korea Reconciliation
The separation of families has been one of the most enduring and palpable consequences of the division of the Korean Peninsula. This seven-decade severance between kin has not only affected those on both sides of the Demilitarized Zone, but also members of the diaspora, most of whom reside in the United States.
The Relationship Between Social Media and Violence in Papua New Guinea
The online sharing of gruesome images and videos showing dead and dismembered bodies on social media is commonplace in Papua New Guinea (PNG). For instance, when a horrific massacre took place in Enga province in February this year, it was images shared on WhatsApp that alerted many to the violence.
How to Break the Cycle of Weak Elections in Haiti
Haiti’s new Presidential Transition Council and the prime minister have a lot to do as they try to take back the country’s security from armed gangs while addressing the ongoing humanitarian crisis. They must also focus on leading the country to elections mandated to take place by February 2026. Given the weak and controversial elections Haiti has endured in recent cycles, the new government and its international supporters will need to focus on creating conditions for a viable election that will crown the upcoming period of social and political restoration.
How to Support Female Entrepreneurs in Afghanistan
Potential areas of cooperation between the Taliban and the international community, such as private sector development and alternative livelihoods to now-banned opium poppy cultivation, will be on the agenda at a meeting of international envoys for Afghanistan hosted by the United Nations in Doha from June 30 to July 1. Discussions on women’s rights are not included, as the Taliban consider it an internal matter. This is ironic, given that the private sector is one area where the Taliban allow limited women’s participation.
Israel and Hezbollah Change the Rules, Test Redlines — Will it lead to War?
Tensions between Israel and the Lebanese Shia militia Hezbollah are at their highest point since their 2006 war. They have exchanged tit-for-tat attacks since October, displacing tens of thousands from northern Israel and southern Lebanon. But in recent weeks, both sides have escalated the violence and rhetoric. USIP’s Mona Yacoubian looks at what’s driving this escalation, what each side is trying to tell the other and the diplomatic efforts underway to lower the temperature.
Mary Glantz on Russia and North Korea’s Deepening Cooperation
Putin’s trip to North Korea wasn’t just about securing more weapons for his war on Ukraine — Moscow and Pyongyang signed a mutual defense pact, which could be “potentially very destabilizing for the Korean Peninsula” and “smacks a little of desperation” on Russia’s part, says USIP’s Mary Glantz.
Is Mexico’s Historic Election an Opportunity to Reset Cooperation with the U.S.?
On June 2, Mexicans elected former Mexico City mayor and governing party candidate Claudia Sheinbaum as their next president. With a compelling electoral mandate, as well as a qualified majority in Congress, Sheinbaum has vowed to continue her predecessor’s “Fourth Transformation” project, focused on reducing poverty, combatting corruption and promoting social justice and equal income distribution under a strengthened state. Amid this mix of continuity and change, the United States may have an opportunity to rebuild the two countries’ frayed cooperation on security and violence reduction, one of Sheinbaum’s priorities and something that will be impossible for her to achieve without close cooperation with the United States.
¿Es la histórica elección de México una oportunidad para reiniciar la cooperación con los Estados Unidos?
El 2 de junio, los mexicanos eligieron a la ex alcaldesa de la Ciudad de México y candidata del partido gobernante, Claudia Sheinbaum, como su próxima presidenta. Con un mandato electoral contundente, así como con una mayoría calificada en el Congreso, Sheinbaum ha prometido continuar el proyecto de la “Cuarta Transformación” de su predecesor, enfocado en reducir la pobreza, combatir la corrupción, promover la justicia social y lograr una distribución equitativa del ingreso bajo un estado fortalecido. En medio de esta mezcla de continuidad y cambio, Estados Unidos podría tener una oportunidad para reconstruir la deteriorada cooperación entre ambos países en materia de seguridad y reducción de la violencia, una de las prioridades de Sheinbaum y algo que será imposible de lograr sin una estrecha cooperación con Estados Unidos.
Kenya’s Crisis Shows the Urgency of African Poverty, Corruption, Debt
Kenya’s public protests and deadly violence over proposed tax increases this week highlight some of the country’s most serious challenges: high youth unemployment, deepening poverty and the glaring gap between living conditions for the country’s elite and its urban poor. This social crisis is exacerbated by severe corruption, a stifling foreign debt and a too-violent response by Kenyan police, who have a poor record in handling large demonstrations. Steps to calm this crisis are vital to preserve Kenya’s overall stability, its role as an East African trade hub — and its capacity to serve as a leader for peace, which the United States increasing has relied upon in Africa and elsewhere.