Research Handbook on Post-Conflict State Building

Edited by Paul R. Williams, Rebecca I. Grazier Professor of Law and International Relations,American University, Founder of the Public International Law & Policy Group and Milena Sterio, Charles R. Emrick Jr. – Calfee Halter & Griswold Professor of Law, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, Cleveland State University, US

As a conflict ends and the parties begin working towards a durable peace, practitioners and peacebuilders are faced with the thrilling possibilities and challenges of building new or reformed political, security, judicial, social, and economic structures. This Handbook analyzes these elements of post-conflict state building through the lens of international law, which provides a framework through which the authors contextualize and examine the many facets of state building in relation to the legal norms, processes, and procedures that guide such efforts across the globe. The volume aims to provide not only an introduction to and explanation of prominent topics in state building, but also a perceptive analysis that augments ongoing conversations among researchers, lawyers, and advocates engaged in the field.

‘. . . this is an excellent collection. . . . The Handbook consists of an introduction and 24 substantive chapters. One strength is the breadth of coverage in those chapters. This book is well-suited for the practitioner or policymaking community, as it lays out the key considerations for those planning and implementing actions for post-conflict societies. What might be less obvious is the utility that the chapters and the book as a whole might have for instruction. These seem almost perfect for a professional masters’ level courses on conflict management and post-conflict reconstruction. Individual chapters might also be used in specialized courses at the same level or for undergraduates. The chapters are clearly organized and written in an accessible fashion for a broad audience.’
– Paul Diehl, International Peacekeeping