The International Community and Statebuilding: Getting Its Act Together?

This book brings together policymakers and academics to analyse the international community’s performance in post-war statebuilding projects.

In the past twenty years, statebuilding has emerged as a centerpiece of international efforts to stabilize violent conflicts. From the Balkans, to Iraq, to Afghanistan, it has become widely accepted that statebuilding―defined as the development of transparent and accountable political institutions, stable and sustainable economic structures, professional public administrations, and civilian-controlled security services―is essential to the long-term stability of post-conflict settlements.

The International Community and Statebuilding brings together senior-level policymakers and academics in order to analyse the international community’s performance in post-war statebuilding projects. Filling an important gap in the existing body of work on this topic, the contributors explore how international state builders have attempted to negotiate the intersections of multilateralism, competing strategic priorities and agendas, organizational complexity, and domestic politics.

This book will be of much interest to students of statebuilding, peacebuilding, war and conflict studies, and International Relations in general.