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.
Youth Radicalization in Pakistan
Amid the serious threat of extremism within Pakistan’s large young adult population, author Raheem ul Haque explores the process of youth radicalization and recommends how policymakers can best confront the growing challenge.
A Rough Guide to Afghan Youth Politics
Afghan politics today are shifting in response to a growing youth population and an increasing number of young political leaders. Youth are critical to the future of the country, and what they think of the transition period since 2001 matters. Understanding their goals; how they network, organize, and mobilize; and their aspirations for the April 2014 presidential and provincial council elections reveal how they are looking to reshape the political culture. And perhaps the most significant si...
Afghan Youth and Extremists
Four decades of political instability, violent conflict, and socioeconomic crisis has had a devastating impact on Afghanistan and its citizens. As this Peace Brief explains, understanding the process of radicalization and the drivers of violent extremism is vital to designing effective counterstrategies.
Understanding and Countering Violent Extremism in Afghanistan
Youth recruitment into extremist groups in Afghanistan continues to be a major source of group building. In field studies and interviews conducted in three provinces to elicit views on extremist groups, both violent and nonviolent, and factors thought to induce youth to join such groups, violent extremist groups emerged as unpopular and mistrusted, being perceived as un-Islamic and controlled by foreign powers. Nonetheless, the activities and ideologies of such groups have not been effectivel...
Youth in Rwanda and Burundi
This report compares the results of parallel research projects carried out among impoverished, nonelite youth in postconflict Rwanda and Burundi. Arguing that the plight and priorities of nonelite youth should be of serious national and international concern, particularly in countries that have unusually youthful populations that are overwhelmingly poor and undereducated, it finds striking differences between the groups, with a significantly bleaker picture for youth in Rwanda.
Peace Education
A new study takes stock of grantmaking in the area of peace education. It urges more support for creative, long-term approaches that test theories of change and are rooted in conflict analysis, sound evaluation plans, and indigenous approaches to peacebuilding in the classroom.
Dowry and Division: Youth and State Building in South Sudan
Dowry inflation in South Sudan has stimulated insecurity and crime while intensifying threats against and control over female youth.
Education and Conflict in Côte d’Ivoire
This Special Report discusses the impacts of civil war in Côte d’Ivoire on the education system and society.
Why Youth Join al-Qaeda
Interviews and personal histories of 2,032 "foreign fighters" show that rather than be recruited, young men actively seek out al-Qaeda and its associated movements. Al-Qaeda is more than just an organization; it is an ideology and a popular global brand that spins a heroic narrative with an idealized version of Islamic jihad.
Iran’s Youth: Agents of Change
The impact of Iran’s youth on the political, economic and social agenda of the country over the next 25 years is important for U.S. policymakers to consider when facing complex decisions in balancing Iran’s nuclear program and its internal political turmoil.