The Arnold A. Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies, The Institute of African Studies, and The Institute for the Study of Human Rights, Women, Peace, and Security Program, Earth Institute, Columbia University; and The Department of Political Science, The Africana Studies Department, The Human Rights Program, and The Consortium of Critical Interdisciplinary Studies, Barnard College, present:
Book Launch: "The Frontlines of Peace: An Insider’s Guide to Changing the World"
(Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, March 2021)
with Séverine Autesserre, Author, Senior Research Scholar, SIWPS; Professor of Political Science, Barnard College
Moderated by Jean-Marie Guehenno, Inaugural Kent Visiting Professor of Conflict Resolution; Director Emeritus, Center for International Conflict Resolution, School of International and Public Affairs; former Director and CEO, International Crisis Group
Advance registration required. Registrants will be sent a Zoom link prior to the event.
Abstract:
The word “peacebuilding” evokes a story we’ve all heard over and over: Violence breaks out, foreign nations are scandalized, peacekeepers and million-dollar donors come rushing in, warring parties sign a peace agreement and, sadly, within months the situation is back to where it started—sometimes worse. But what strategies have worked to build lasting peace in conflict zones, particularly for ordinary citizens on the ground? And why should other ordinary citizens, thousands of miles away, care?
In The Frontlines of Peace, Séverine Autesserre, award-winning researcher and peacebuilder, examines the well-intentioned but inherently flawed peace industry. With examples drawn from across the globe, she reveals that peace can grow in the most unlikely circumstances. Contrary to what most politicians preach, building peace doesn’t require billions in aid or massive international interventions. Real, lasting peace requires giving power to local citizens.
The Frontlines of Peace tells the stories of the ordinary yet extraordinary individuals and organizations that are confronting violence in their communities effectively. One thing is clear: Successful examples of peacebuilding around the world, in countries at war or at peace, have involved innovative grassroots initiatives led by local people, at times supported by foreigners, often employing methods shunned by the international elite. By narrating success stories of this kind, Autesserre shows the radical changes we must take in our approach if we hope to build lasting peace around us—whether we live in Congo, the United States, or elsewhere.
