The United Nations, which lacks its own peacekeeping force, faces three dilemmas when organizing a peacekeeping mission: convincing member states to contribute troops, persuading states to deploy troops quickly, and securing a troop commitment long enough to achieve success. The key to overcoming these challenges, Gary Uzonyi argues, is emphasizing the connection between peacekeeping and slowing the flow of refugees across borders. Finding Soldiers of Peace makes the case for this approach, which balances states’ self-interests with the United Nations’ goal of civilian protection.
Through an analysis of post–Cold War UN peacekeeping missions, particularly interventions in Mali and Sudan, Uzonyi shows how member states often tie civilian protection rhetoric to efforts to keep conflict-driven refugees from crossing into their territory. Conventional wisdom holds that member states primarily engage in peacekeeping for payment or humanitarian reasons. Uzonyi proves otherwise, helping scholars and practitioners more accurately predict which member states are most likely to send support, where states may send assistance, when they might become involved, the size of their contribution, and their timetable for leaving.
His research promotes practical strategies for the organization and execution of future missions that ensure member states stay invested in the outcome. A data-rich exploration of the UN response to humanitarian crises, Finding Soldiers of Peace shows how policymakers and practitioners can better strategize the execution of UN peacekeeping missions among diverse, and even contentious, stakeholders.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction: Three Dilemmas for UN Peacekeeping Missions
2. Conflict Externalities and the Incentive to Keep the Peace
3. Analyzing the Argument
4. Conclusion: Managing Incentives and Disincentives to Keep the Peace
References
About the Author
Reviews
"Gary Uzonyi tackles with great clarity key questions facing potential peace-operation contributing countries–whose contributions are essential for mission success but that too often do not meet the demand. His book delivers an efficient analysis of a key paradox: the UN has pivoted to focus on civilian protection, but states still have parochial interests when considering whether to contribute personnel. This book is essential reading for students, scholars, and practitioners who are trying to solve the puzzle of making peacekeeping more effective."—Kyle Beardsley, professor of political science, Duke University, and coauthor of Equal Opportunity Peacekeeping
"In capturing the complexities of the peacekeeper contribution process, Uzonyi offers a more complete picture of the challenges inherent in meeting UN peacekeeping mandates, which are crucial for the United Nations to achieve its humanitarian goals."—Molly M. Melin, associate professor, Department of Political Science, Loyola University Chicago
"Ultimately, this is a novel text that would be at home on the bookshelves of students, scholars and policy-makers...This is a timely piece of work that identifies a major gap in the literature, opening up a new research agenda that others are likely to pick up on quickly."—International Affairs
"An important contribution."—International Peacekeeping
About the Author
Gary Uzonyi is an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. His articles have appeared in International Studies Quarterly, Journal of Peace Research, and Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, among other publications.
