On July 1, 2010, the U.S. Institute of Peace organized an all-day conference entitled "Preventing Violent Conflict: Principles, Policies, and Practice." The goals of this conference were to spotlight the importance of conflict prevention, to foster… Read more
The emerging Iraq is starting to look like other parliamentary democracies, measuring itself with democratic yardsticks, with internal sectarian and ethnic frictions still strong but being worked out through politics, and with neighbors who won’t leave… Read more
Afghanistan is an exceptionally fissiparous country, riven by innumerable conflicts over scarce resources and longstanding enmities between neighboring groups. Traditionally, such disputes have been managed by ad hoc groups of elders, known as jirgas or… Read more
The Balkans face more trouble in Kosovo as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina unless the United States and European Union take dramatic steps to get both back on track toward EU membership.SummaryThe Balkans face more trouble in Kosovo as well as Bosnia and… Read more
Summary The government of Burma is undergoing a critical transition: Before the end of 2010, the military regime that has ruled the country since a palace coup in 1998 will hold an election based on a constitution drafted in a nondemocratic process and… Read more
Haiti’s January 12 earthquake left up to 300,000 people dead, an equal number injured, and more than a million displaced; overall damage and loss are valued at $7.9 billion, or about 120 percent of Haiti’s 2009 grian relief and security, loss domestic… Read more
Studies indicate that violence in Africa’s elections affects between 19 and 25 percent of elections. In many countries where electoral violence is a risk, it tends to recur and may consequently lead to an unfavorable view of democratization… Read more
SummaryUSIP's Alex Thier and Bill Taylor argue why leadership of civilian assistance is necessary for success in Afghanistan, and lay out the best options to move forward. Read more
OverviewOn October 13, 2009, the United Nations Security Council unanimously approved a one-year extension of the mandate for the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). The sixth mission since 1995, MINUSTAH was first authorized in… Read more
Summary Foreign affairs experts routinely use historical analogy to develop and justify policy. However, as professional historians have long noted, attractive analogies often lead to bad policies. Officials regularly choose analogies that neglect or… Read more
Efforts to create an effective interior ministry and a professional and community oriented police force cannot succeed unless they are part of an overall effort for security sector reform. SSR, a relatively new concept, refers to the highly political and… Read more
Summary Post-conflict, post-totalitarian societies like Iraq possess many economic, political, social, and cultural characteristics that are not conducive to democratic governance. A central pillar of democracy promotion is that judicious institutional… Read more