Over the past decade, violence has become endemic in many parts of Pakistan. This report examines the trajectory of violence and the range of conflicts in six troubled regions. The authors conclude that if existing socioeconomic conditions persist and… Read more
USIP’s Bill Byrd, Casey Johnson and Sanaullah Tasal explore the economic implications of the delay in signing the Bilateral Security Agreement between Afghanistan and the U.S. Summary The still unsigned Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) between… Read more
In this Peace Brief, author Michael Semple analyzes Taliban attitudes and intentions toward the 2014 elections and their ability to disrupt them based on the Taliban’s public statements, recent actions, and interviews with past and present members… Read more
As Afghanistan’s youth population grows, so do youth aspirations for political reform and access to economic resources. Yet old-guard leadership marginalizes new groups and challenges to the status quo. This study of youth in two districts and at Kabul… Read more
Much of what the outside world thinks it knows about Syria has come from videos, analysis, and commentary circulated through social media. In the report, leading social media researchers assess the sources of this content, its credibility, and how it… Read more
New media freedoms in Myanmar present an opportunity to encourage the development of local media that can help resolve ethnic, intercommunal, and state-citizen conflicts. This assessment of the evolving conflict and media landscape in the country… Read more
Only two and a half years since its birth, South Sudan is in crisis. But, horrific as the violence since mid-December has been, the crisis also presents an opportunity to put South Sudan back on the path of democratization, good governance, and peace… Read more
Better understanding of how experiences in war change men’s roles and identities can lead to better interventions to help men deal with the trauma of war violence, to combat gender-based violence, and equip men as agents of peace in their postconflict… Read more
Based on more than 50 interviews with Taliban figures, the authors of this Peace Brief find that the Taliban have more resources and are better organized to disrupt Afghanistan’s 2014 national elections than was the case in the country's last four… Read more
This Peace Brief, one of a five-part series on sectarianism in the Middle East, analyzes the regional sectarianism and dynamics related to the Syrian conflict.SummaryThe Syrian conflict’s internal dynamics have reshuffled regional alignments alongside… Read more
The Peace Brief, “Sunni-Shia Relations After the Iraq War,” looks at the Iraq war’s impact on sectarian identities and the structure of Sunni-Shia relations. It is one of a five-part series about sectarianism in the Middle East.SummaryIn Iraq, as… Read more
This Peace Brief, one of a five-part series on sectarianism in the Middle East, examines the impact of the Syrian conflict on Lebanon’s politics and political stability.SummaryThe Syrian crisis has had a negative impact on Lebanon’s political scene,… Read more