ABSTRACT
The 1990s were characterized by extended violent conflicts that were primarily internal in origin, but that tended to spill over into neighboring countries. These conflicts, most of which erupted in the developing world, came to be known as “new wars” because they seemed to be a novel species of civil war (Kaldor 1999; Duffield 2001). The new wars created a cottage industry of scholars who attempted to understand their causes and consequences; they also led to the evolving concept of peacebuilding: defined broadly, peacebuilding consists of efforts, on the part of international actors, to avoid conflict relapse by consolidating peace. Peacebuilding operations include maintaining security, providing humanitarian relief, fostering social and political reconciliation, and supporting economic development. Because peacebuilding is based on an underlying logic that stresses “building states to build peace,” it also includes initiatives that are designed to strengthen state institutions and the relationship between citizens and the state (Call 2008, 5). 1
