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.
Burma: Reaching Out to Heal Religious Ruptures
As Buddhist-Muslim violence ignites, a monk’s message reflects the pain on both sides and his journey demonstrates efforts to heal the rifts and staunch the spread of unrest.
Waiting for Change
A year after a political compromise ended popular protests in Yemen, the transitional government has met some benchmarks for reform. However, key demands for improved security and government services, for example, remain stalled. This report studies security and justice conditions in four governorates to assess how transition is progressing. Also available in Arabic (1,076 KB))
Informal Justice and the International Community in Afghanistan
Recognizing that lack of access to justice in Afghanistan was a serious problem that helped fuel insurgency, the international community launched an array of programs to research and actively support informal justice mechanisms. In some cases, these efforts hampered local dispute resolution. This study finds that the best approaches fostered an environment for local political change that strengthened linkages between formal and informal participants in the justice system.
Afghanistan and the International Drug Control Regime
Despite extensive counternarcotics interventions and reductions in poppy cultivation in certain regions, Afghanistan remains the largest supplier of illicit opiates. In this Peace Brief, USIP’s William Byrd examines the current situation and various options to manage the problem.
Establishing a Mining Sector in Postwar South Sudan
South Sudan has untapped mineral resources, and its government is striving to set up a regulatory framework that will ensure the equitable distribution of the benefits of its mineral wealth. If it takes key steps to secure the informed consent of the affected landowning communities, the government can reduce the potential for unrest and conflict around future mining ventures.
Mali’s Precarious Democracy and the Causes of Conflict
The fight to defeat jihadist militias in northern Mali has masked the underlying countrywide political crisis that feeds the conflict, according to this new Special Report. By engaging in intercommunal, inclusive dialogue to address past governance failures, Mali can begin to move toward stability and legitimacy.
Mitigating Media Incitement to Violence in Iraq
Inflammatory news broadcasts in Iraq risk inciting violence and diminishes the chance for successful democratic transition. A new Special Report highlights an effort to identify, define, and measure the prevalence of inflammatory terms in news reporting at key television stations. A pilot group of media leaders in Iraq have used this content analysis to create a style guide they hope will improve reporting and stem the risks of incitement.
Civil Society in Darfur (Arabic Edition)
This report explores civil society’s role in Darfur's greater peace process, examines mediators’ efforts to harness civil society to date, and argues that civil society could be extremely useful to the peacemaking process, but only if its representatives to the process are carefully selected and properly involved in the process.
Unfinished Business
Program Officer Sean Kane co-authored the Saban Center at Brookings' report "Unfinished Business: An American Strategy for Iraq Moving Forward" that looks at American strategy in Iraq through the lenses of politics, security, government, and economics.
Chad’s 2007 Peace Agreement Plagued by Poor Implementation
Summary Political crises and armed opposition movements have plagued Chad for several years. After several failed peace initiatives, the August 13 Agreement was reached in 2007. The agreement is the most viable framework for bringing peace to Chad. It calls on the Chadian government to reform critical electoral institutions, undertake a credible electoral census and demilitarize politics in order to ensure fair and transparent elections. To date, the agreement has been poorly implem...