Peace Science Digest

Peace Science Made Accessible, Understandable, and Useful.

United Nations

Assessing the Shift from Liberal Peacebuilding to Counterterrorism and Stabilization Operations

byKelsey Coolidge

The following analyses appears in Volume 4, Issue 1 of the Peace Science Digest. Citation:Karlsrud, J. (2019). From liberal peacebuilding to stabilization

Peace Negotiations That Exclude Women Are More Likely To Fall Apart

Context: Women are underrepresented in peace talks. Peace Science shows how women’s inclusion in peacebuilding is crucial to the success and

UNSCR 1325 Has Fallen Short of its “Transformative Potential”

Eighteen years later, the "gender perspective" required by Resolution 1325 has fallen short of its transformative potential. Peace practitioners must turn their gender lenses inward to examine their own cultures and practices as potentially part of the dual problems of gender inequality and insecurity.

UN Peacekeepers Need Peacekeeping Training

The United Nations doesn't have Peacekeepers, they have soldiers deployed as Peacekeepers. Peacekeeping missions are not military operations, therefore, Peacekeeper training should better reflect the peaceful mandate of the UN and abandon the militarized culture and tactics present in today's Peacekeeping forces.

United States Withdraws From Human Rights Council, Hypocrisy Prevails

The U.S. cited the HRC's criticism of Israeli violence against Palestinians and the need for HRC members to increase their commitment to human rights as their reason for leaving. Though, the track record of U.S. foreign and domestic policy reveal the hypocrisy of their withdrawal.

Armed Peacekeepers Can Protect Civilians, But There Are Risks.

Research has shown that, in most cases, armed UN peacekeepers help protect civilian lives. However, militarizing any part of a peace process is dangerous and is often met with unintended consequences.

Unintended Consequences of “Robust” UN Peace Operations

An upcoming policy forum by the International Peace Institute will explore tensions between the pursuit of political solutions and the protection of civilians in the context of UN peacekeeping missions. Peace Science shows how the "robust" turn in UN peacekeeping has resulted in unintended consequences to civilians and the peacebuilding process.

Media Leverage and the Colombian Peace Agreement

In Colombia, UN political chief urges parties to ‘stay the course’ set out in peace accord. Credibility leverage is most effective at generating durable and longer lasting peace after the agreement.

Military Support Outside of International Coalitions Increase Risk of Terrorist Attack

byDavid Prater

Over the past two decades, the number of armed conflicts around the world have decreased by over 40%. While this

The Unintended Consequences of “Robust” UN Peace Operations

United Nations (UN) peacekeeping has evolved in recent years. It originally involved the placement of impartial military forces between belligerents

Testimonials

Erica Chenoweth, Ph.D.

The field of peace science has long suffered from a needless disconnect between current scholarship and relevant practice. The Peace Science Digest serves as a vital bridge. By regularly communicating cutting-edge peace research to a general audience, this publication promises to advance contemporary practice of peace and nonviolent action. I don’t know of any other outlet that has developed such an efficient forum for distilling the key insights from the latest scholarly innovations for anyone who wants to know more about this crucial subject. I won’t miss an issue.

-Erica Chenoweth: Professor, Associate Dean for Research at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver

David Cortright, Ph.D.

The Peace Science Digest is a valuable tool for translating scholarly research into practical conclusions in support of evidence-based approaches to preventing armed conflict.

-David Cortright: Director of Policy Studies at the Kroc Institute of International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame

Ambassador John W. McDonald, ret.

This Magazine is where the academic field and the practitioners meet. It is the ideal source for the Talkers, the Writers and the Doers who need to inform and educate themselves about the fast growing field of Peace Science for War Prevention Initiatives!

-John W. McDonald: U.S. Ambassador, ret. Chairman and CEO, Institute for Multi-Track Diplomacy

Kelly Cambell

As a longtime peace activist, I’ve grown weary of the mainstream perception that peace is for dreamers. That’s why the Peace Science Digest is such as useful tool; it gives me easy access to the data and the science to make the case for peacebuilding and war prevention as both practical and possible. This is a wonderful new resource for all who seek peaceful solutions in the real world.

-Kelly Cambell: Executive Director, Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility Co-founder, 9/11 Families for Peaceful Tomorrows

Michael Nagler

We must welcome the expansion of peace awareness into any and every area of our lives, in most of which it must supplant the domination of war and violence long established there. The long-overdue and much appreciated Digest is filling an important niche in that peace invasion. No longer will anyone be able to deny that peace is a science that can be studied and practiced.

-Michael Nagler: Founder and President, Metta Center for Nonviolence

Aubrey Fox

The Peace Science Digest is the right approach to an ever-present challenge: how do you get cutting-edge peace research that is often hidden in hard-to-access academic journals into the hands of a broader audience? With its attractive on-line format, easy to digest graphics and useful short summaries, the Peace Science Digest is a critically important tool for anyone who cares about peace as well as a delight to read.

-Aubrey Fox: Past Executive Director, Institute for Economics and Peace

Joseph Bock, Ph.D.

How many times are we asked about the effectiveness of alternatives to violent conflict? Reading Peace Science Digest offers a quick read on some of the best research focused on that important question. It offers talking points and summarizes practical implications. Readers are provided with clear, accessible explanations of theories and key concepts. It is a valuable resource for policy-makers, activists and scholars. It is a major step in filling the gap between research findings and application.

-Joseph Bock: International Conflict Management Program Associate Professor of International Conflict Management, Kennesaw State University

Eric Stoner

The distillation of the latest academic studies offered by the Peace Science Digest is not only an invaluable time-saving resource for scholars and policymakers concerned with preventing the next war, but for journalists and organizers on the front lines, who can put their findings to good use as they struggle to hold the powerful accountable and to build a more just and peaceful world.

-Eric Stoner: Co-founder and Editor, Waging Nonviolence

Mark Freeman

The Peace Science Digest is a major contribution to the peace and security field. It makes complex issues more understandable, enabling professional outfits like ours to be more effective in our global work. The Digest underscores that preventing war is about more than good intentions or power; it is also about transferable knowledge and science.

-Mark Freeman: Executive Director, Institute for Integrated Transitions (IFIT)

Maria J. Stephan, Ph.D.

The Digest is smartly organized, engaging, and provides a nice synthesis of key research on conflict, war, and peace with practical and policy relevance. The journal’s emphasis on “contemporary relevance”, “talking points” and “practical implications” is a breath of fresh air for those of us trying to bridge the academic-policy-practitioner divides. Highly recommended reading.

-Maria J. Stephan: Senior Advisor, United States Institute of Peace

David Swanson

Peace Science Digest is an invaluable tool for advocates for peace, as much as for educators. In it one quickly finds the talking points needed to persuade others, and the research to back those points up.

-David Swanson: Director, World Beyond War