Peace operations are now a principal tool for managing armed conflict and building world peace. The fully revised, expanded and updated second edition of Understanding Peacekeeping provides a comprehensive and up-to-date introduction to the theory, practice and politics of contemporary peace operations.

Drawing on more than twenty-five historical and contemporary case studies, this book evaluates the changing characteristics of the contemporary environment in which peacekeepers operate, what role peace operations play in wider processes of global politics, the growing impact of non-state actors, and the major challenges facing today’s peacekeepers. All the chapters have been revised and expanded and eight new chapters have been added.

Part 1 summarizes the central concepts and issues related to peace operations. It includes a new discussion of the theories of peace operations and analysis of the emerging responsibility to protect norm. Part 2 charts the historical development of peacekeeping from 1945 and includes a new chapter on peace operations in the 21st century. In Part 3, separate chapters analyze seven different types of peace operations: preventive deployments; traditional peacekeeping; assisting transition; transitional administrations; wider peacekeeping; peace enforcement; and peace support operations. Part 4 looks forward and examines the central challenges facing today’s peacekeepers, namely, globalization, the regionalization of peace operations, the privatization of security, civilian protection, policing and gender issues.

The second edition of Understanding Peacekeeping will be essential reading for students and scholars of peace and conflict studies, security studies, and international relations.

New feature

Peace operations are now a principal tool for managing armed conflict and building world peace. The fully revised, expanded and updated second edition of Understanding Peacekeeping provides a comprehensive and up-to-date introduction to the theory, practice and politics of contemporary peace operations.

Drawing on more than twenty-five historical and contemporary case studies, this book evaluates the changing characteristics of the contemporary environment in which peacekeepers operate, what role peace operations play in wider processes of global politics, the growing impact of non-state actors, and the major challenges facing today's peacekeepers. All the chapters have been revised and expanded and seven new chapters have been added.

Part 1 summarizes the central concepts and issues related to peace operations. It includes a new discussion of the theories of peace operations and analysis of the emerging norm of responsibility to protect. Part 2 charts the historical development of peacekeeping from 1945 and offers a new chapter on peace operations in the twenty-first century. In part 3, separate chapters analyse seven different types of peace operations: preventive deployments; traditional peacekeeping; assisting transition; transitional administrations; wider peacekeeping; peace enforcement; and peace support operations. Part 4 looks forward and examines the central challenges facing today's peacekeepers, namely, the regionalization of peace operations, the privatization of security, civilian protection, policing and gender issues.

This second edition of Understanding Peacekeeping will be essential reading for students and scholars of peace and conflict studies, security studies and international relations.

Visit http://www.polity.co.uk/up2/ for more information and additional resources.

List of Figures
List of Maps
List of Boxes
List of Tables
Acknowledgements
List of Abbreviations
Guide to companion website
Introduction

Part 1: Concepts and Issues
1 Peace Operations in Global Politics
2 Who are the Peacekeepers?

Part 2: Historical Development
3 The Early Peacekeepers
4 Peace Operations During the 1990s
5 Peace Operations in the Twenty-First Century

Part 3: Types of Peace Operations
6 Preventive Deployments
7 Traditional Peacekeeping
8 Wider Peacekeeping
9 Peace Enforcement
10 Assisting Transitions
11 Transitional Administrations
12 Peace Support Operations

Part 4: Contemporary Challenges
13 Regionalization
14 Privatization
15 Protection of Civilians
16 Gender
17 Policing

Conclusion/ Bibliography/ Index