Peacekeeping, Policing, and the Rule of Law after Civil War

The UN plays a vital but underappreciated role in restoring the rule of law in countries recovering from civil war.

Robert A. Blair (Author)

9781108835213, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 5 November 2020

225 pages
16 x 23.5 x 2 cm, 0.51 kg

'Professor Blair's analysis provides both a realistic and a hopeful assessment of how UN peace operations can bolster the rule of law in the aftermath of civil war. By unpacking what is happening at the 'macro', 'micro', and 'meso' levels, Blair provides a theoretical framework that will be used by scholars studying and practitioners doing peacebuilding, political development, and conflict resolution for years to come.' Kyle Beardsley, Professor of Political Science, Duke University

The rule of law is indispensable for sustained peace, good governance, and economic growth, especially in countries recovering from civil war. Yet despite its importance, we know surprisingly little about how to restore the rule of law in the wake of conflict. In this book, Robert A. Blair proposes a new theory to explain how the international community can help establish the rule of law in the world's weakest and most war-torn states, focusing on the crucial but often underappreciated role of the United Nations. Blair tests the theory by drawing on original household surveys in Liberia, highly disaggregated data on UN personnel and activities across Africa, and hundreds of interviews with UN officials, local leaders, citizens, and government and civil society representatives. The book demonstrates that UN intervention can have a deeper, more lasting, and more positive effect on the rule of law than skeptics typically believe.

1. Introduction
2. History of UN intervention and the rule of law after civil war
3. Conceptual framework: civil war through a legal lens
4. Theoretical framework: restoring the rule of law after civil war
5. Cross-national evidence: UN intervention and the rule of law across Africa
6. Sub-national evidence I: the rule of law and its discontents in Liberia
7. Sub-national evidence II: evaluating the UN from the bottom up
8. Sub-national evidence III: UN intervention and the rule of law in Liberia
9. Implications for Africa and beyond.

Subject Areas: International humanitarian law [LBBS], Peacekeeping operations [JWLP], Armed conflict [JPWS], United Nations & UN agencies [JPSN1], Peace studies & conflict resolution [GTJ]