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.
Next Steps for U.S. Foreign Policy on Syria and Iraq
Dr. Steven Heydemann, vice president of the Center for Applied Research on Conflict at the U.S. Institute of Peace, testifies before a House Committee on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Middle East and North Africa. More from Heydemann following his testimony, ”Integrated Iraq-Syria Strategy Needed to Defeat the Islamic State."
Participatory and Inclusive Constitution-Making
In the wake of the Arab Spring, citizens across the Middle East and North Africa are demanding reforms from their governments. How these governments respond to their people and promote inclusive constitution-making processes may determine whether their new social compacts lead to a durable peace. This report draws from the work of scholars and constitution makers who have been exchanging ideas about how to ensure that modern constitutions incorporate the needs and aspirations of the citizens ...
Managing Conflict in a World Adrift
In the midst of a political shift where power is moving from central institutions to smaller, more distributed units in the international system, the approaches to and methodologies for peacemaking are changing. "Managing Conflict in a World Adrift" provides a sobering panorama of contemporary conflict, along with innovative thinking about how to respond now that new forces and dynamics are at play.
USIP Prevention Newsletter - March 2012
The March 2012 Prevention Newsletter features a spotlight on U.S.-Pakistan Relations: The year 2011 saw a progressive deterioration in the U.S.-Pakistan relationship. But despite the fact that mutual mistrust is probably at an all time high, there is no appetite to allow the relationship to rupture.
USIP Prevention Newsletter - September 2012
The September 2012 Prevention Newsletter features a spotlight on The Syrian Civil War: Threatening Lebanon's Fragile Stability: Syria's year-and-a-half long internal strife has not only challenged Lebanon with tens of thousands of refugees, gun battles on the border and kidnappings, but reignited tensions along Lebanon's own sectarian fault lines.
USIP Prevention Newsletter - May 2013
The May 2013 Prevention Newsletter features a Q&A with the UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Adama Dieng, on the Responsibility to Protect and highlights the role of security sector reform as a tool for preventive action.
Social Media Reporting and the Syrian Civil War
The “fog of war” that once obscured our view of conflict zones is quickly giving way to rich information environments due to vast amounts of social media data emerging from these places. But in places like Syria, where traditional news journalists have had little or no access, we have become increasingly dependent on these sources. USIP's Anand Varghese examines the implications of this trend for the field of peacebuilding.
Detention Standards and Non-State Armed Groups
All armed groups capture or detain individuals in a variety of situations, but it is unclear what legal obligations, if any, non-state groups have when dealing with detainees. Bruce Oswald explores this question and the challenge of getting non-state groups to respect basic detention standards.
“The Iran-Syria Nexus and Its Implications for the Region”
Daniel Brumberg, senior program officer at USIP, gave the following testimony before the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on Middle East and North Africa.
The Syrian Conflict’s Impact on Lebanese Politics
This Peace Brief, one of a five-part series on sectarianism in the Middle East, examines the impact of the Syrian conflict on Lebanon’s politics and political stability.