Regional Peacemaking and Conflict Resolution: A Comparative Approach

This volume examines mechanisms for regional peacemaking and conflict management in Europe and the Middle East.

To date little research has been devoted to uncovering the conditions for peace, and the factors that contribute to stabilizing the state of peace. This volume assesses the factors that contribute to regional pacification, the incentives that motivate states in establishing peaceful relations, and most importantly, how regions become peaceful. It discusses the conditions under which various types of ‘peace’ might emerge on a regional level and the factors most likely to determine the outcome. The book takes an innovative approach through a systematic comparison of two regions that are particularly prominent and important for the subject of regional pacification: Europe and the Middle East.

While many believe that the European case is the indispensable model for peacemaking, others believe that these two regions are too different for Europe to be a useful framework for the Middle East. This volume occupies a middle ground between these two extreme positions. It argues that while a mindless copying of European models will not lead to peace in the Middle East, important insights can be gained from the most successful case of regional peacemaking to date.

This work will be of much interest to students of regional security, peacemaking, conflict management, Middle East politics, European security and IR in general.

Carmela Lutmar is a lecturer in the Division of International Relations at the School of Political Sciences, University of Haifa, Israel, and has a PhD from New York University, USA.

Benjamin Miller is Professor of International Relations at the School of Political Sciences, the University of Haifa. Among his publications are When Opponents Cooperate: Great Power Conflict and Collaboration in World Politics (2002) and States, Nations and Great Powers: The Sources of Regional War and Peace (2007).