Publications
Articles, publications, books, tools and multimedia features from the U.S. Institute of Peace provide the latest news, analysis, research findings, practitioner guides and reports, all related to the conflict zones and issues that are at the center of the Institute’s work to prevent and reduce violent conflict.
Question And Answer
Amid a Changing Global Order, NATO Looks East
Balkans Initiative
USIP has been engaged in the Balkans since 1996, starting in Bosnia immediately after the signing of the Dayton Accords, and later expanding its activities to Kosovo, Serbia, Montenegro, and Macedonia.
Managing Crisis and Sustaining Peace between China and the United States
A series of crises have strained relations between the People’s Republic of China and the United States since the end of the Cold War. Although none of these crises led to direct military hostilities, they have had an adverse impact on bilateral relations and portend future such crises between the two countries. To determine how best to mitigate such crises in the future, it is important to study these recent crises and identify the positive and negative responses and actions of both governm...
Remembering George Kennan: Lessons for Today?
George F. Kennan, the father of containment, was a rather obscure and frustrated foreign service officer at the U.S. embassy in Moscow when his "Long Telegram" of February 1946 gained the attention of policymakers in Washington and transformed his career. What is Kennan’s legacy and the implications of his thinking for the contemporary era? Is it possible to reconcile Kennan’s legacy with the newfound emphasis on a "democratic peace?"
Why We Should Still Study the Cuban Missile Crisis
Few events have been as studied and analyzed as the Cuban missile crisis. Drawing on previously undiscovered archival materials and interviews with Soviet and American veterans of the crisis, Michael Dobbs has taken a fresh look at the history of those fateful thirteen days.
American Foreign Policy and Islamic Renewal
The single most important initiative the United States can take to combat Islamist extremism is to support "Islamic renewal," a diffuse but growing social, political, and intellectual movement whose goal is profound reform of Muslim societies and polities.
The Diversity of Muslims in the United States: Views as Americans
With the war against terrorism and an increased attention on the Muslim world, this report analyzes ways Muslims in the United States understand their roles as Americans in combating terrorism and their unique contributions toward conflict prevention and peacemaking.
Negotiating with the Islamic Republic of Iran
This Special Report, framed as a brief "how to" guide for American negotiators dealing with counterparts from the Islamic Republic of Iran, contains insights into Iranian negotiating patterns and appropriate responses. The report is the result of interviews with academics and practitioners, as well as historical research.
U.S. Police in Peace and Stability Operations
The first obligation of an international intervention force in a peace or stability operation is to provide security for the civilian population. Inevitably the arrival of foreign military forces is followed by a breakdown of public order. The United States should carry through plans to create a federal-level police reserve for international police and stability operations.
The U.S. Experience with Provincial Reconstruction Teams in Afghanistan: Lessons Identified
Important lessons for current and future U.S. peace and stability operations can be found in the experiences of Americans who served in Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) in Afghanistan. PRTs are small, joint civilian-military organizations whose mission is to promote governance, security, and reconstruction throughout the country.
Passing the Baton: Challenges of Statecraft for the New Administration
This report summarizes discussions at a conference of leading officials and specialists on January 17, 2001. The conference program was organized around five panel discussions covering two functional topics (organizing for national security and international conflict management) and three geographic regions of special concern to the United States (Russia, the Balkans, and Northeast Asia).