No War, No Peace: The rejuvenation of stalled peace processes and peace accords

Most peace accords reached in civil wars over the past decade have resulted in extremely dysfunctional peace: a grudging and exhausted hiatus in conflict rather than a process that results in sustainable peace and reconciliation between antagonistic groups. Despite the local and international peace-support energy expended in Bosnia, Israel-Palestine, Cambodia, Northern Ireland, Democratic Republic of Congo and elsewhere, the quality of peace experienced by citizens in post-war locations is often appalling. This book adopts a critical perspective to investigate the stalled, tense and fragile peace that often follows orthodox peace processes and peace accords supported by the international community. It identifies the 'liberal democratic peace' as the increasingly standardized version of peace promoted by leading states, international organizations and international financial institutions. Based on extensive observations in societies emerging from civil wars, No War, No Peaceoffers guidance on rejuvenation and reorientation of stalled and dysfunctional peace accords. 'Mac Ginty's question - why do so many peace processes fail? - is the right one to ask. His analysis and prescriptions about necessary changes in peacemaking are likely to make a very significant impact on the discussion on peace processes.' - Professor John Darby, Kroc Institute for International Peace, University of Notre Dame, USA 'This is a very well-informed seminal, sceptical monograph which asks why 'peace' is so elusive? Its timely revisionist treatise constitutes competition for Mark Duffield, Will Reno and Co!' - Professor Tim Shaw, Director of the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London, UK '[T]his is the first book of importance which attempts to situate the practices of 'peace' within a critical and comparative perspective. The author pulls few punches. Peace - he argues - rarely delivers on what it promises. And it is hardly ever about reconciliation. This is the tough, welcome, and necessary message delivered by Roger Mac Ginty in this path-breaking book. An indispensable volume that is bound to shape all future discussion on the subject.' - Professor Michael Cox, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK '[A] major addition to a field that has attracted much recent public and specialist attention - that of what happens after the guns fall silent ...The book will be of great interest to those interested in post-conflict violence. Mac Ginty brings a much needed perspective that is both ethically sound and also eminently pragmatic.' - Professor Andrew Williams, University of Kent, UK List of Tables and Figures List of Abbreviations About the Author Acknowledgements Introduction Peace Liberal Democratic Peace Conflict Critical Peace Assessment Peace Accords Thwarted by Violence The Elusive Peace Dividend Peace Prevented by External Actors Conclusion: What Works? Notes Bibliography Index