Managing Armed Conflicts in the 21st Century

"The essays are informed by comparative case analysis, analysis of institutional processes and non-state actors, and sophisticated theoretical claims about internal conflicts, peacekeeping and peacebuilding. Issues emerging include: the paradox of conflict as cooperation and the economic benefits of war, inextricably linked to the role of natural resources in conflict; the dilution of the traditional distinction between war and peace in contemporary instances of intrastate conflict; the changing nature of the role of the UN in peace operations, particularly in the use of force; the role of non-traditional actors, ranging from predatory warlords and private security firms to mercenaries and militias. Further light is shed on regional issues by empirical analyses of management of conflicts in Africa, Europe and Asia.".