Peacebuilding paradigms: the impact of theoretical diversity on implementing sustainable peace

Abstract

Peacebuilding Paradigms analyzes how seven political science paradigms: realism, liberalism, constructivism, cosmopolitanism, critical theories, locality and policy, have been used to interpret the causes and consequences of peacebuilding differently. The contributors explore the arguments of each paradigm, and then compare and contrast them. This book suggests that a hybrid approach that incorporates useful insights from each of these paradigms best explains how and why peacebuilding projects and policies succeed in some cases, fail in others, and provide lessons learned. Rather than merely using a theoretical approach, the authors use case studies to demonstrate why a focus on just one paradigm alone as an explanatory model is insufficient. This collection explains how peacebuilding theory affects peacebuilding policies and provides recommendations for best practices for future peacebuilding missions.