“This book effectively analyses the characteristics and effects of building anticorruption provisions into negotiated settlements in post civil war situations.”
Jens Andvig, Research Professor, Department of International Economics, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs

“The enduring prevalence of corruption in conflict-affected countries is frequently bemoaned, but rarely addressed in ways that lead to its reduction. Bert Spector’s Negotiating Peace and Confronting Corruption fills this gap with a cogent analysis that connects symptoms to causes of corruption, and recommends paying attention to corruption as an integral component of negotiating peace and mitigating conflict.  Through a comparative analysis of six cases, the author illustrates lessons learned related to reducing corruption and improving governance, and provides practical advice on how to incorporate anticorruption measures into peace accords and improve the prospects for successful implementation.”
Derick W. Brinkerhoff, Distinguished Fellow in International Public Management, RTI International

“Most contemporary anticorruption strategies employ the language and symbolism of struggle, and emphasize law enforcement and punishment. Yet many of the worst corruption problems arise in postconflict societies, where institutions are weak and trust is fragile—at best. In those settings confrontational reforms are unlikely to be credible, and may well make matters worse for citizens who have suffered much already. In this book, Bertram Spector lays out constructive and useful anticorruption alternatives based on careful analyses of tough cases. Negotiation can build trust and encourage the development of incentives and consensual standards that can not only check the abuse of power but also contribute to peacebuilding and reconstruction. Reformers in many places will look at their challenges differently, and in more constructive ways, once they have considered the lessons Spector develops in these pages.”
Michael Johnston, Colgate University

“This volume is a very important piece of work that demonstrates that anticorruption measures need to be introduced early enough alongside other provisions for good governance to achieve results.”
Diana Klein, International Alert

“Bert Spector has written an extremely useful study, conceptually focused and framed in its analysis, and most pertinent for bringing conflicted states back into responsible governance. His cases studies are concise and comprehensive and his conclusions are sharp and insightful for practitioners and analysts. A most excellent and unusual treatment of corruption and, better yet, how to handle it.”
I. William Zartman, Jacob Blaustein Professor Emeritus of International Organization and Conflict Resolution, Johns Hopkins

 

Latest Publications

What a Transitional Government in Haiti will Require to Succeed

What a Transitional Government in Haiti will Require to Succeed

Thursday, March 28, 2024

By: Nicolás Devia-Valbuena;  Keith Mines

After weeks of consultations, and amidst a near total breakdown of law and order in Haiti, a Caribbean Community (CARICOM)-led effort to create a new transitional governing council may be nearing completion. The council’s establishment would allow for the entry of a multinational security force that would then be able to join with the Haitian National Police and restore order. Some have suggested the inclusion of “enablers” for the new security force — air support, drones, intelligence. But to gain the trust of the Haitian people, the new governing council will need its own popular “enablers,” a systematic way to include many more sectors of Haitian society that are currently ignored or deliberately excluded from governance.

Type: Analysis

Global Policy

Promoting Peace and Stability in the Americas through Religious Freedom

Promoting Peace and Stability in the Americas through Religious Freedom

Thursday, March 28, 2024

By: Knox Thames

The Western Hemisphere is generally known for protecting freedom of religion or belief. With a few notable exceptions, the countries of the region all enshrine religious freedom at the constitutional level and protect it through laws and policies. But in recent years, authoritarian governments in South America have increasingly viewed religious actors as threats to their regime’s survival and tried to control or crush independent religious activity.

Type: Analysis

Religion

Moscow Concert Hall Attack Will Have Far-Reaching Impact

Moscow Concert Hall Attack Will Have Far-Reaching Impact

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

By: Mary Glantz, Ph.D.;  Gavin Helf, Ph.D.;  Asfandyar Mir, Ph.D.;  Andrew Watkins

On Friday, terrorists attacked the Crocus City Hall outside Moscow leaving 140 people dead and 80 others critically wounded. Soon after, the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack. The terrorist group, which is headquartered in Iraq and Syria, has several branches, including in South and Central Asia. Press reports suggest the U.S. government believes the Afghanistan-based affiliate of the Islamic State, ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K), was behind the attack. The Biden administration has publicly noted that it had warned the Russian government of the terrorism threat in early March in line with the procedure of “Duty to Warn.”

Type: Analysis

Global Policy

What Does the U.N. Cease-Fire Resolution Mean for the Israel-Gaza War?

What Does the U.N. Cease-Fire Resolution Mean for the Israel-Gaza War?

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

By: Robert Barron

On March 25, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) passed Resolution 2728, calling for an “immediate” cease-fire in Gaza. The motion’s passage came after weeks of back and forth and posturing among the UNSC’s permanent and rotating members. The exact phrasing of the resolution and its relevance to the situation on the ground, as well as bilateral and multilateral relations — particularly U.S.-Israel ties — have been the subject of heavy public and media attention since Monday, raising questions about the resolution’s subtext, intent and limitations. USIP’s Robert Barron looks at these questions.

Type: Question and Answer

Global PolicyPeace Processes

Angela Stent on the Terror Attack in Moscow

Angela Stent on the Terror Attack in Moscow

Monday, March 25, 2024

By: Angela Stent

While ISIS has claimed responsibility for the devastating terror attack in Moscow, Putin has baselessly tried to shift the blame to Ukraine, says USIP’s Angela Stent: “[Putin] wants to use this to increase repression at home … and also to pursue a more aggressive path in Ukraine.”

Type: Podcast

View All Publications