ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to contextualise the normative and tactical demands that peacekeepers are faced with and that translate into training needs. In this way, the chapter, on the one hand, examines the ideological environment of peace support operations and explains the impact of liberal peace theory on international interventions. On the other hand, it addresses how this normative dimension translates into tactical and practical requirements and explores the challenges peacekeepers may encounter when deployed. In so doing, the complexity of the mission environment becomes increasingly visible and underlines the severity of the endeavour to prepare personnel for such a diverse and challenging workplace.
