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Introduction to Peacebuilding: Micro-Course

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This micro-course provides an overview of the main concepts and challenges that shape the work in the peacebuilding field. It exposes learners to the various tools and types of interventions utilized in the field and provides real-world examples that demonstrate the complex nature of peacebuilding.

UNAMID Head of Office in Sector North, Hassan Gibril, salutes (right) king Yassir, the head of Al-Berti tribe, in his palace in Mellit, Norh Darfur. (Flickr/UNAMID)
UNAMID Head of Office in Sector North, Hassan Gibril, salutes (right) king Yassir, the head of Al-Berti tribe, in his palace in Mellit, Norh Darfur. (Flickr/UNAMID)

Course Overview

Key Objectives

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

  • Define different conceptions of peace, conflict, and violence;
  • Identify key peacebuilding priorities;
  • Describe how context and perspective influence the peacebuilding process; and
  • Identify the different tools, types of interventions, and strategies for building peace.

Overview Video

Click on the video below for an overview of the course.

If you cannot view the video, click here.

 

Agenda

Section 1 - Introduction

Defines the main concepts and challenges that shape the work in this field.

Section 2 - Definitions and Priorities

Defines the main concepts and priorities of peacebuilding.

Section 3 - Stories from the Field

Discusses how context and perspective influence the peacebuilding process.

Section 4 - Theory and Practice

Identifies the different tools, types of interventions, and strategies for building peace.

Section 5 - Quiz

Checks your understanding and retention of key terms, concepts, and ideas presented in this course.

Section 6 - Scenario

Applies what you have learned to a fictional conflict scenario.

Section 7 - Reflections

Allows you to share what you have learned and read what others have learned from this course and how these skills and knowledge will impact the work we do.

Instructors and Guest Experts

Instructor

  • Jacqueline Wilson, Principal, Civic Fusion
  • Daryn Cambridge, Professional Development Portfolio Manager (EPIC), Training Resources Group, Inc

Presenters

  • Nancy Lindborg, President, United States Institute of Peace
  • Pamela Aall, Senior Advisor, United States Institute of Peace
  • Jeff Helsing, Senior Advisor, United States Institute of Peace
  • Alison Milofsky, Director, United States Institute of Peace
  • Matthew Levinger, Director, National Security Studies Program; Program Director, Master of International Policy and Practice; George Washington University
  • Illana Lancaster, Senior Program Officer, United States Institute of Peace

Guest Experts 

  • Rusty Barber, Director, United States Institute of Peace
  • Ginny Bouvier, Former Senior Advisor, United States Institute of Peace

Latest Publications

Rival Afghan Leaders Agree to Share Power—Now Comes the Hard Part

Rival Afghan Leaders Agree to Share Power—Now Comes the Hard Part

Thursday, May 21, 2020

By: Scott Worden; Johnny Walsh

Last weekend, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and rival Abdullah Abdullah signed a power-sharing deal to end a months-long dispute over the 2019 presidential election. The deal comes amid a spate of high-profile violence, including a recent attack on a Kabul maternity ward by suspected ISIS perpetrators. Meanwhile, the Afghan peace process has stalled since the U.S.-Taliban deal signed at the end of February. The power-sharing agreement could address one of the key challenges to getting that process back on track. USIP’s Scott Worden and Johnny Walsh look at what the agreement entails and what it means for the peace process.

Type: Analysis and Commentary

Democracy & Governance; Peace Processes

Diplomacy, Development and Defense Officials Pledge To Advance U.S. Fragility Strategy

Diplomacy, Development and Defense Officials Pledge To Advance U.S. Fragility Strategy

Thursday, May 21, 2020

By: Corinne Graff; Amanda Long

The United States is committed to advancing the Global Fragility Act (GFA) as part of its global response to the coronavirus pandemic, senior State Department, USAID and Department of Defense officials said on Wednesday at a virtual gathering of development and peacebuilding organizations and experts convened by the U.S. Institute of Peace to facilitate discussions on how to implement the legislation.

Type: Analysis and Commentary

Fragility & Resilience; Global Health

China’s Periphery Diplomacy: Implications for Peace and Security in Asia

China’s Periphery Diplomacy: Implications for Peace and Security in Asia

Wednesday, May 20, 2020

By: Jacob Stokes

China’s foreign policy is expanding in scope and depth and now reaches across the globe. Yet its diplomatic efforts focus on its own complex neighborhood. To advance these interests, China’s leaders practice an interlocking set of foreign affairs activities they refer to as “periphery diplomacy.” This report details the main tools Beijing uses to engage the countries with which it shares borders, assesses the campaign’s effectiveness, and lays out the implications for peace and security in Asia.

Type: Special Report

Conflict Analysis & Prevention

Scott Worden on the Afghan Power-Sharing Deal

Scott Worden on the Afghan Power-Sharing Deal

Wednesday, May 20, 2020

By: Scott Worden

A political deal to resolve the disputed 2019 presidential election was finally reached over the weekend. USIP’s Scott Worden says the agreement “is quite significant” because it will give the Afghan side “more political coherence to negotiate with the Taliban and, if implemented, it will show the Taliban they can’t divide Afghans.”

Type: Podcast

Democracy & Governance

Why the U.S. Military Presence in Africa is Vital Beyond Counterterrorism

Why the U.S. Military Presence in Africa is Vital Beyond Counterterrorism

Tuesday, May 19, 2020

By: Judd Devermont; Leanne Erdberg Steadman

Since Defense Secretary Mark Esper announced a potential drawdown of U.S. troops in Africa, U.S. congressional leaders, military officers and various commentators have defended the importance of the military in Africa. But they’ve focused almost exclusively on the fight against terrorism. This is not surprising, since the public has for decades really only heard about the U.S. military in Africa when drone strikes hit terrorists in Somalia, when Navy SEALS raid pirate ships in the Gulf of Aden, and when Army Rangers hunt down genocidaires in the jungle.

Type: Analysis and Commentary

Violent Extremism; Global Policy

View All Publications