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.
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.
African Leaders Outline Roots of Stability, Economic Growth
Leaders of Sierra Leone, Senegal, Malawi and Cape Verde explain their approaches to governing to achieve stability and economic development during a discussion at USIP. The group visited Washington as part of the Obama administration’s efforts to promote examples of good governance and economic growth in Africa.
U.N. Special Representative Calls for Greater Steps to End `Scourge’ of Sexual Violence in War
Speaking at a major conference held at USIP, former Sierra Leone policymaker and diplomat Zainab Hawa Bangura appealed for greater political will, public determination, and improved technical capacity to prevent and prosecute the “vile crime.” The effects of continued impunity devastate survivors and weaken a society’s ability to recover from war.
Empowering Local Peacebuilders
Peacebuilding operations in conflict and post-conflict societies often undermine local capacity, ownership, and sustainability. The acknowledged remedy is to empower local actors to take the lead in planning and implementing programs, but few empowerment strategies that work in practice have been documented and explained.
Money Spent on Peacebuilding is an “Investment”
Money spent on peace is an “investment” that will eventually “mature,” said Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA) at the U.S. Institute of Peace on Oct. 27, bringing both short- and long-term gains to the United States and countries around the world. Garamendi, who served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ethiopia from 1966 to 1968, offered his remarks at a USIP event marking the 50th anniversary of the Peace Corps’ founding.
Negotiating Peace and Confronting Corruption
In Negotiating Peace and Confronting Corruption, Bertram Spector argues that the peace negotiation table is the best place to lay the groundwork for good governance.
Truth Commission Digital Collection
The United States Institute of Peace’s Truth Commissions Digital Collection is part of the Margarita S. Studemeister Digital Library in International Conflict Management. The collection contains profiles of truth commissions and substantive bodies of inquiry from nations worldwide - offering general background information on the composition of each body, links to the official legislative texts establishing such commissions, and each commission's final reports and findings.
USIP Board Member Emphasizes the Significance of Media in Peacebuilding Efforts
Media technology is changing the way peacework is done, and the United States Institute of Peace is leading the field, according to USIP Board of Directors vice chairman, George E. Moose.
Identity, Diveristy, and Constitutionalism in Africa
In this innovative and stimulating volume, Francis Deng outlines a new relationship between governments and societies—a relationship informed by Western concepts but based on traditional African values such as respect for human dignity, equality, and self-rule.
Special Court of Sierra Leone Briefing: The Taylor Trial and Lessons from Capacity-Building and Outreach
Against a backdrop of halting progress by many international courts, the Special Court of Sierra Leone (SCSL) has quietly had significant success in accomplishing its mission to provide justice for the perpetrators most responsible for the horrific crimes committed against the people of Sierra Leone.