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International Relations of the Asia-Pacific
Evaluating recent trends in peacebuilding research
by W. Andy Knight
Abstract
Peacebuilding is a complex and multidimensional exercise that encompasses tasks ranging from the disarming of warring factions to the rebuilding of political, economic, judicial and civil society institutions. It utilizes a variety of actors, ideally, in the construction of a culture of peace to replace a structure of violence. Ever since Johan Galtung coined the term ‘peacebuilding’ back in the 1970s, there have been very few attempts to flesh out the essence of this concept. It is only recently, beginning with Boutros Boutros-Ghali's use of the term in his An Agenda for Peace and continuing with the efforts by the UN and regional bodies to develop sustainable approaches to reconstructing war-torn societies that greater attention has been given to this idea. This article critically analyzes broad trends that can be discerned from the literature, in rethinking peacebuilding and in bridging the chasm between the concept and practices undertaken in its name.