Civil-Military Cooperation in Post-Conflict Operations: Emerging Theory and Practice

Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMIC) is the relationship between militaries and humanitarians. Largely conducted in post-conflict environments, CIMIC has become a key characteristic of military operations in the twenty-first century. However, the field is mostly understood through stereotype rather than clear, comprehensive analysis. The range and scope of activities which fall under the wider rubric of CIMIC is huge, as are the number of differing approaches, across situations and national armed forces.

This book demonstrates the wide variety of national approaches to CIMIC activities, introducing some theoretical and ethical considerations into a field that has largely been bereft of this type of debate. Containing several case studies of recent CIMIC (in the Balkans, Afghanistan, and Iraq) along with theoretical analyses, it will assist scholars, practitioners, and decision-makers become more aware of the 'state of the art' in this field.

Civil-Military Cooperation in Post-Conflict Operations will be of much interest to all students of military studies, humanitarian operations, peace operations and security studies in general.

Christopher Ankersen was Lord Dahrendorf Scholar at the London School of Economics and Political Science from 2001-2004. He has taught courses in strategic studies, conflict and peace, and International Relations at the LSE, King's College London, and London Centre for International Relations (University of Kent at Canterbury). A former infantry officer in Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, he served with the UN in Croatia and with NATO in Kosovo. His current research includes work on civil-military cooperation in the Balkans and Afghanistan.