Violent peacemakers

Since 9/11 there has been a growing militarization of interventions in fragile and conflict-affected states.  This is reflected in two concurrent trends. First, an increased focus on containing the threat from failing states through remote warfare or other forms of military intervention and second, externally supported security sector reform (SSR) to (re)build security institution as part of a broader stabilization or statebuilding intervention.  

These interventions of different kinds (military versus capacity building) are often analyzed as if they take place independent of each other despite involving the same actors and being temporally linked.

This project contributes to existing research by exploring theoretical and empirical implications of considering connections between external military intervention and SSR interventions aimed at (re)building the security sector. Empirically, the project focuses on Iraq and Yemen.

Maria-Louise Clausen, PhD, Senior Researcher, DIIS

Peter Albrecht, PhD, Senior Researcher, DIIS

William Reno, PhD, Professor & Chair of Department, Northwestern University