Customer Reviews

Making War and Building Peace: United Nations Peace Operations

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Professors Michael Doyle and Nick Sambanis have 'tag-teamed' to present an excellent reference work on the UN's attempts at Peace operations. Earlier works have set the scene in an introductory fashion, however this book examines in methodical detail why certain UN peace operations have succeeded and others have not been so successful.

The authors use extensive data and quantitative measures in order to examine every civil war since the end of the Second World War to establish why conflicts occur. I was particularly impressed at the level of statistical analysis employed; especially their concept of the 'Triangle of Peace'to examine such variables as the degree of hostility, local capacities in the country involved in conflict and how international capacities assist in the post-conflict processes.

The data supports the authors' arguments that the UN is not so good at attempting to enter existing conflicts in a bid to try and stop them. The UN seems more suited at provision of various support specialities in rebuilding after the conflict is over. The authors also provide extensive comparison of UN Missions operating under Chapter Seven and Six of the UN Charter. They contend that a UN Mission is successful only when supported with a good mandate and adequate resources. Comparison of the successes (East Timor and Cambodia) are contrasted with not-so-successful ventures such as Somalia, Rwanda and Cyprus.

I recommend this book to the student of UN peace operations, as well as researchers of this topic, as the authors give substantial data and research methodology techniques in their outline of the various case studies contained within. My one dismay in this book is that, even though it was released two years ago, it does not cover the more recent Missions such as Ethiopia-Eritrea and Sudan. An updated edition is hoped for!

In summary, a great referral source; rich in data and references. Good, authorative explanations on UN peace operations with a wealth of detail and additional reading sources cited in the bibliography contained at the back of the book. Well done, Professors Doyle and Sambanis!