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.
Prioritizing Security Sector Reform
Prioritizing Security Sector Reform: A New U.S. Approach argues that security sector reform (SSR) should be at the core of a new U.S. policy to strengthen the security sector capacity of countries where U.S. interests are at stake. As the United States withdraws from a more interventionist policy, it cannot wholly ignore the growing disorder in fragile environments around the globe. In place of large, boots-on-the-ground interventions relying on expensive train and equip programs with only fl...
In MENA Region’s Turmoil, USIP Dialogues Confront Tensions, Part 1
In the midst of Tunisia’s fragile transition, angry standoffs emerge frequently, echoes of the tensions that triggered the Arab Spring five years ago. As the informal economy mushrooms, for example, the police—reared under authoritarian rule—regularly crack down on street vendors selling everything from clothes to food to appliances. One such incident flared in 2014, and the risk of violence was palpable. It was just the kind of scenario that called for the skills of someone like Tarek Lamouc...
Regional Security through Inclusive Reform in the Maghreb and the Sahel
Throughout the Maghreb and the Sahel, governments are struggling to manage a security environment fundamentally transformed by the Arab Spring. Within this region, the efforts of governments to secure their territories and civil society organizations to create accountable and transparent security institutions have proceeded almost wholly divorced from each other. This Peace Brief shares key insights from the engagement between official and civil society actors both within and across borders t...
Customary Practice and Restorative Justice in Libya: A Hybrid Approach
Four years after the fall of Muammar Gadhafi, Libya has become even more violent. Explosions, assassinations, kidnappings, and fighting between militias are commonplace. The central government is extremely fragile. This report highlights some of the opportunities and obstacles in a transitional setting. Its goal is to spark debate among scholars, policymakers, practitioners, and civil society actors about the role of customary law and the potential of restorative justice in a transitional set...
Twitter Chat: Libyans Discuss Solutions to Security, Justice Breakdown
Security naturally takes top priority for Libyan citizens these days amid renewed violent conflict, but nationwide political rifts also are causing local civic institutions to break down, said Libyan activists, journalists and analysts during a May 4 online discussion organized by USIP.
Perceptions of Security in Libya
Three years after the fall of Muammar Gadhafi and his regime, Libya is again on the brink of civil war. Various circumstances underlie this predicament—mistrust between regions, political power struggles, and sporadic and uncoordinated security and justice sector reforms. So that better understanding of the security needs of Libyan citizens today is possible, this report assesses the popular legitimacy of security providers in the country today and identifies their local, religious, and legal...
The Role of Media in Shaping Libya's Security Sector Narratives
During and after Libya’s revolution, national media outlets became known and popular for their balanced reporting. The situation in the few years since has changed, however. The security landscape in Libya today is a confusing array of institutional and non-institutional actors each asserting legitimacy. The country is on the brink of full-scale civil war. Its media has become both polarized and a key tool for many security actors. This report looks at three primary television channels to off...
People, Power and Politics: A New Approach to Rule of Law Training
The prosecutor has the sort of confidence wrested from 15 years of experience against the odds in a country beset by external and internal security threats. When I ask him to describe his justice system in just three adjectives, he quickly declares: “good, needs improvement and practical.” Asked to describe it from a very different perspective, though, his face turns into a grimace.
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.
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 ...