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.
Higher Education and the Future of Iraq
Iraqis have traditionally valued intellectual achievement, but the legacy of Baathist rule and the current tide of instability have crippled universities. The future, however, could see institutions play a leading role in securing long-term peace.
Natural Resources, Conflict, and Conflict Resolution
Competition over natural resources such as oil or diamonds can lead to, intensify, or sustain violence—the resource curse—but natural resources can also play a role in managing and resolving conflict and preventing its reoccurrence. This study guide will illuminate the role of natural resources as causes of conflict, and their role in helping to bring about peace.
Youth and Conflict
This study guide is designed to serve independent learners who want to find out more about international conflict and its resolution, as well as educators who want to introduce the topic to their students.
Unite or Divide? The Challenges of Teaching History in Societies Emerging from Violent Conflict
In deeply divided societies, contending groups' historical narratives are intimately connected to their identities and sense of victimization. How can they teach history to avoid future cycles of violence?
Arab Media: Tools of the Governments; Tools for the People?
In the aftermath of 9/11, a shocked U.S. government and public asked, "Why do they hate us?" bewildered that the so-called Arab street views them—us—with extreme antipathy. Since that day in September, an urgent desire to quench this seething regional hostility has seized the government, hoping to mitigate or at least deflect any future terrorist attacks.
Teaching about the Religious Other
The United States Institute of Peace held a two-day workshop titled "Teaching about the Religious 'Other'" on March 3–4, 2005. The sixteen workshop participants were professors experienced in teaching those of one Abrahamic faith about another Abrahamic faith either in U.S. classrooms or abroad. This report summarizes the presentations of the participants, introduces some promising new programs for teaching about the religious other, and offers lessons drawn from the discussion. It was writte...
Controlling the Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons
This study guide assists teachers in increasing students' understanding of the prevalence and spread of nuclear weapons and familiarizes students with historic and contemporary measures to control nuclear proliferation and stimulates their thinking of potential strategies for doing so in the future.
Engineering Peace
In this timely work, Colonel Garland Williams analyzes the postconflict reconstruction gap in three case studies—Bosnia, Kosovo, and Afghanistan—and shows how military engineering brigades accompanying peacekeeping contingents can be put to use immediately after the conflict ends to restore vital infrastructure and social institutions.
Training for Peace and Humanitarian Relief Operations: Advancing Best Practices
While the four communities in peace operations--governmental and non- governmental organizations (NGOs), the military, and international civilian police--frequently find themselves sharing the same field of operation, their approaches to and structures for training for that interaction and the articulation of training needs are quite different.
Training to Help Traumatized Populations
Summary Millions of people around the world have experienced psychological distress caused by exposure to armed conflict. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as it is often called, involves a range of normal responses to events outside the realm of normal human experience.