Post-War Security Transitions : Participatory Peacebuilding After Asymmetric Conflicts

This book explores the conditions under which non-state armed groups (NSAGs) participate in post-war security and political governance.

The text offers a comprehensive approach to post-war security transition processes based on five years of participatory research with local experts and representatives of former non-state armed groups. It analyses the successes and limits of peace negotiations, demobilisation, arms management, political or security sector integration, socio-economic reintegration and state reform from the direct point of view of conflict stakeholders who have been central participants in ongoing and past peacebuilding processes.

Challenging common perceptions of ex-combatants as "spoilers" or "passive recipients of aid", the various contributors examine the post-war transitions of these individuals from state challengers to peacebuilding agents. The book concludes on a cross-country comparative analysis of the main research findings and the ways in which they may facilitate a participatory, inclusive and gender-sensitive peacebuilding strategy.

Post-War Security Transitions will be of much interest to students of peacebuilding, security governance, war and conflict studies, political violence and IR in general.

Véronique Dudouet is senior researcher at Berghof Conflict Research in Berlin. She obtained a PhD in conflict resolution at the University of Bradford, UK.

Hans J. Giessmann is the Director of Berghof Conflict Research in Berlin, and is the author of over 300 articles, books and essays.

Katrin Planta is research assistant at Berghof Conflict Research, and is currently preparing her PhD dissertation.