Building Peace: Practical Reflections from the Field

Even though international peacebuilding has rapidly expanded in the last two decades to respond to more multi-faceted and complex conflicts, the field has lagged behind in documenting the impact and success of projects. To help address this gap, the Alliance for Peacebuilding, one of the leading networks in the field, has brought together 13 stories of innovative peacebuilding practices from around the world in Building Peace.

While the projects covered are diverse in nature, together they demonstrate the significant impact of peacebuilding work. Contributors created new institutions to prevent and manage conflicts at the local or national levels, helped restore relationships in conflict-affected communities, and empowered citizens to work for positive change in their societies across ethnic, religious, and political divides.

It’s clear that there is no quick fix for violence but this volume will go a long way in providing inspiration and practical tools for policymakers, academics and practitioners who seek to make significant and valuable contributions towards achieving peace.

Craig Zelizer is the Associate Director of the Master of Arts in Conflict Resolution Program within the Department of Government at Georgetown University and a Senior Partner with the Alliance for Conflict Transformation. He has over 15 years experience in peacebuilding activities around the world, including assessment, training, dialogue, capacity building and evaluation work. He has published several articles on trauma and peacebuilding, arts and peacebuilding, and careers in international peace and conflict resolution. He is also the founder of the Peace and Collaborative Development Network, a leading online platform to bring together scholars and practitioners working on international conflict. He holds a Ph.D. in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University.

Robert A. Rubinstein is professor of anthropology and international relations at the Maxwell School of Syracuse University, where from 1994-2005 he directed the Program on the Analysis and Resolution of Conflicts. He earned his Ph.D. in anthropology from the State University of New York at Binghamton, and his Ms.P.H. from the University of Illinois School of Public Health. His research focuses on cultural aspects of dispute settlement, international health, and the anthropological study of peacekeeping. He is a founding member and current Co-Chair of the Commission on Peace and Human Rights of the International Union of Anthropological and Ethnological Sciences. He has published more than 85 journal articles and book chapters and is author or editor of 7 books, most recently Peacekeeping Under Fire: Culture and Intervention.