ABSTRACT
Peacebuilding as a theoretical and empirical notion has assumed growing prominence following the collapse of Cold War. The reason for the growing prominence of peacebuilding is related to the rise of the neoliberal interventionist ideology that dominated the post-Cold War world order. This chapter seeks to examine two strands of peacebuilding: popular progressive and neoliberal. Popular progressive peacebuilding is historical, contemporary, and futurist simultaneously. This trajectory, a synthetic constellation, represents a continuum that knots together past, present, and future. It represents a process of continuity, evolution, and metamorphosis in time and space. It also represents space where historical-legal, socio-economic, and politico-cultural idiosyncrasies and edifices play decisive roles. The neoliberal peacebuilding project, on the other hand, is rooted in neoliberal values and norms, which support an aggressive interventionist approach to peacebuilding. Peacebuilding not in tune with neoliberal ideology was perceived not only as untenable but also as a danger to world peace. This chapter seeks to examine the theoretical frame of peacebuilding. It focuses on two dimensions. The first is on short-term peacebuilding that follows a bloody war. Deriving from critical analysis, this chapter seeks to advance progressive peacebuilding as an alternative to neoliberal peace building in Africa.
