“Three In A Jeep”: Exploring The Conditions For Successful Peacekeeping Through United Nations Special Political Missions,
2026
University of Denver
“Three In A Jeep”: Exploring The Conditions For Successful Peacekeeping Through United Nations Special Political Missions, Audrey Duff
Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals
This thesis examines a specific type of United Nations peacekeeping operation, referred to as Special Political Missions (SPMs) and their progress in transitions from war to peace. While traditional peacekeeping has made advances in separating conflict and human rights development, SPMs provide concentrated specialization in areas, including electoral support, government mediation, and disarmament. Through a structured focus comparison of three unique SPM case studies, this research explores what key dimensions are involved in successful Special Political Missions. By comparing the United Nations Mission in Nepal, United Nations Mission in Colombia, and United Nations Observer Mission in Bougainville, this thesis intends …
Gendered Justice: The Role Of Women’S Civil Society Organizations In Shaping Chile’S Truth Commissions,
2026
University of Denver
Gendered Justice: The Role Of Women’S Civil Society Organizations In Shaping Chile’S Truth Commissions, Frankie Stroud
Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals
Scholarly literature has increasingly recognized that the inclusion of women and gender in formal transitional justice processes is essential for addressing the gendered nature of mass atrocities. This thesis seeks to contribute to the existing literature on how and why some transitional justice processes have come to address women and gender by specifically studying Chile’s Rettig Commission and Valech Commission. Several hypotheses have emerged from the literature for why the Valech Commission addressed gender to a greater extent, including that women’s civil society organizations, diffusion of international norms, and shifting domestic politics each played a role. Grounded in an anti-reductionist …
A Theoretical And Empirical Framework To Estimate The Impact Of Conflict On The Economic Resilience Of Clustered Firms In Ukraine,
2026
University of Denver
A Theoretical And Empirical Framework To Estimate The Impact Of Conflict On The Economic Resilience Of Clustered Firms In Ukraine, Alexander D. Ginn
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
In this thesis, I develop a theoretical and empirical framework to estimate whether participation in industrial clusters contributes to firm-level economic resilience to conflict-based shocks. Focusing on Ukraine following the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022, the study situates industrial organization and firms’ resilience to conflict within a dynamic environment characterized by spatially heterogeneous exposure to conflict events and persistent institutional constraints. I document how Ukraine’s contemporary economic geography reflects the interaction of Soviet-era industrial path dependence, uneven post-transition institutional development, and conflict-induced reconfiguration, evaluating how these dynamics generate systematic variation in both firms’ baseline vulnerability and their exposure to …
Geospatial Governance Failures In The Department Of Defense: Contractor Noncompliance, Ai Adoption, And The Parallel Treatment Of Gis And Cybersecurity,
2026
University of Denver
Geospatial Governance Failures In The Department Of Defense: Contractor Noncompliance, Ai Adoption, And The Parallel Treatment Of Gis And Cybersecurity, Lyndsey Olmstead
Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones
The Department of Defense's treatment of geographic information systems and cybersecurity as parallel rather than integrated policy domains produces geographically predictable vulnerability patterns across its global military installation footprint. This capstone investigates that conclusion through original spatial analysis, constructing a five-variable composite geospatial vulnerability index across the six U.S. Combatant Command regions using publicly available unclassified data. EUCOM ranked highest overall, driven by GPS/PNT spoofing density, commercial satellite coverage, and cyber incident frequency; CENTCOM ranked second, driven by OSINT exposure incidents and governance risk. The null hypothesis of random geographic distribution is rejected. Findings confirm the structural governance gap documented …
Educational Governance And Policy Implementation In Conflict-Affected Contexts: The Case Of Hadhramout, Yemen,
2026
The American University in Cairo AUC
Educational Governance And Policy Implementation In Conflict-Affected Contexts: The Case Of Hadhramout, Yemen, Naa'ma M. Al-Hendi
Theses and Dissertations
Education remains a vital component of societal resilience and development in a world increasingly defined by conflict and instability. Education during conflict is crucial for academic learning and providing essential life skills and psychosocial support to children affected by war. Yemen is being plagued by political upheaval and a lack of economic flow to keep education running efficiently. Although Hadhramout, a governorate in Yemen, remains relatively stable, its education sector continues to face persistent challenges that hinder the quality and effectiveness of education. This study investigates the key challenges facing K-12 education in Hadhramout and examines the extent to which …
Beyond Emergency: Charting Pathways To Sustainable Development In Fragile And Conflict-Affected Settings: A Case Study Of Yemen,
2026
The American University in Cairo AUC
Beyond Emergency: Charting Pathways To Sustainable Development In Fragile And Conflict-Affected Settings: A Case Study Of Yemen, Sharif Abdurabu Salem Farid Alsahbool
Theses and Dissertations
For nearly a decade, Yemen's eastern governorates of Hadramawt, Shabwah, and Al‑Mahrah have been relatively stable, yet the international aid system has kept delivering short‑term humanitarian relief like food baskets and water trucking instead of shifting to sustainable development that could rebuild people's lives, create jobs, fix infrastructure, and strengthen local government. This thesis investigates why this transition has taken so long. Based on 21 interviews with government officials, international NGO staff, and local NGO managers in these three governorates, the study develops a new way of understanding the problem. It introduces three ideas: the 'emergency mentality', which is a …
Ai, Sacred Violence, And War—The Case Of Gaza. By Chris Hables Gray.,
2026
Karadeniz Technical University
Ai, Sacred Violence, And War—The Case Of Gaza. By Chris Hables Gray., Yasin Çağlar Kaya
Peace and Conflict Studies
No abstract provided.
Perspectives On Civil And Social Peace In Palestine: Internal Factors And Forces That Obstruct Palestinian Civil Peace,
2026
ARAB AMERICAN UNIVERSITY, PALESTINE
Perspectives On Civil And Social Peace In Palestine: Internal Factors And Forces That Obstruct Palestinian Civil Peace, Osama Tawfeeq Jarrar Dr., Prof. Ayman Talal Yousef Professor
Peace and Conflict Studies
The process of building “civil peace” is a dynamic process that aims at creating appropriate conditions of peace when conflicting forces, groups, and polices diverge. This concept is relative because it contains components that balance the internal and external environment, where peace-building is not undertaken in a historical or cultural vacuum, but rather works to develop comprehensive civic and national values: “The movement from the present toward the desired future is not a straight line, but rather a set of dynamic initiatives” (Lederach, 10). Civil peace entails social life as distinct from internal conflicts and tensions. Attaining civil peace thus …
Peace And Reconciliation In Mozambique: The Influence Of Economic Support On The Reintegration Of Ex-Combatants In Murrupula District,
2026
Eduardo Mondlane University
Peace And Reconciliation In Mozambique: The Influence Of Economic Support On The Reintegration Of Ex-Combatants In Murrupula District, Isac José Alberto
Peace and Conflict Studies
This article analyses the impact of economic support on the reintegration of ex-combatants in Murrupula District, Mozambique, under the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) programme. Based on a qualitative methodology and a case study, semi-structured interviews, focus groups and direct observation were conducted. The results reveal structural limitations, such as weak coordination between implementers and beneficiaries, scarcity of funding, and the disconnect between intervention strategies and local realities. These weaknesses have compromised the economic inclusion of ex-combatants and accentuated tensions with the receiving communities, aggravated by a context of widespread poverty. The study also highlights the importance of informal networks …
Social Innovation In The Peacebuilding Sector,
2026
University for Peace
Social Innovation In The Peacebuilding Sector, Michelle Helman, Phd, Katherine Ronderos, Mariafernanda Burgos-Ariza
Peace and Conflict Studies
Social innovation is an expanding practice in the peacebuilding sector. In this article, three peace scholar-practitioners reflect on our experiences as peacebuilders and consider the utility, tensions, and possibilities for peace and social innovation in theory and in practice. We draw insights gleaned through a focus group workshop with peacebuilding colleagues and highlight three case study examples from Colombia, the Philippines, and Kenya, each demonstrating the challenges and opportunities of social innovation in the peace sector. In doing so, we offer a reimagining of- and recommended action steps to engage innovation through a collaborative, feminist design approach. This article contributes …
Teaching Peace Where Borders Divide: Interdisciplinary Praxis In A Criminal Justice Program,
2026
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Teaching Peace Where Borders Divide: Interdisciplinary Praxis In A Criminal Justice Program, Lucas Espinoza
Peace and Conflict Studies
This article describes a criminal justice senior-level undergraduate course, CRIJ 4350: Peace, Nonviolence, & Justice, at a Hispanic-serving institution known as the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, in the U.S.-Mexico borderlands. The course centers five key frameworks: critical pedagogy, intersectionality, decolonial theory, restorative and transformative justice, and trauma-informed care, as this course departs from carceral models of justice education. Grounded in theory, literature, and research from criminal justice, criminology, peace and conflict studies, sociology, political science, ethics/philosophy, social justice, human rights, and critical pedagogy, the course centers student reflection from course evaluations, relationships, and experiences of a faculty member. …
Negotiating Complementary Pathways In Europe: Faith-Based Actors And Humanitarian Corridors In Italy And Belgium, 2015-2017,
2026
University of Massachusetts Boston
Negotiating Complementary Pathways In Europe: Faith-Based Actors And Humanitarian Corridors In Italy And Belgium, 2015-2017, David J. Sulewski
Graduate Doctoral Dissertations
For decades, migration has ranked among the most pressing issues in European domestic and regional politics as the number of forcibly displaced persons seeking protection continues to rise. Complementary Pathways, developed as an alternative to the retrenchment of state-led refugee resettlement and restricted access to asylum, have gained increasing prominence in policy discourse and practice. Existing scholarship often explains their emergence through transnational policy transfer or government-led initiatives. Less attention, however, has been given to cases in which civil society actors initiate and negotiate such policies with the state. This dissertation examines the development of one such model—Humanitarian Corridors—focusing on …
Narrative Construction In Post-Conflict Society: How Narratives Can Shape Conflict Perpetuation And Reconciliation Possibilities In Syria.,
2026
School for International Training Graduate Institute
Narrative Construction In Post-Conflict Society: How Narratives Can Shape Conflict Perpetuation And Reconciliation Possibilities In Syria., Abigail H. Eid
Capstone Collection
In December 2024, Syria’s long-standing Assad regime was overthrown, and the country entered a new era of post-conflict reconstruction. This study explores the narratives Syrians in the diaspora are constructing about this regime change and the new era for Syrian society. To do so, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 Syrians in the diaspora of various backgrounds and analyzed using an inductive narrative analysis to see which themes emerged. The findings were further organized to understand how these narratives may contribute to perpetuating conflict or promoting peacebuilding and reconciliation. Based on the analysis, there are four main types of narratives …
The Monopoly Of Violence In Iraq: The Emergence Of The Islamic Resistance Of Iraq, Mobilization Of The Pmf, And The Future Of State Stability,
2026
Pepperdine University
The Monopoly Of Violence In Iraq: The Emergence Of The Islamic Resistance Of Iraq, Mobilization Of The Pmf, And The Future Of State Stability, Alexis Thomas
Pepperdine Policy Review
Iraq's fragile state faces threats from multiple factors including Iranian influence within the Popular Mobilization Forces and Iraq's political system, the decentralized nature of the PMF, and potential violence surrounding critical national elections. Formed during the 2014 ISIS war, the PMF is an umbrella organization consisting of various militias broadly aligned with Grand Ayatollah Sistani, Muqtada al-Sadr, or former Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei. Since October 7, 2023, Iranian-backed PMF militias operating under the Islamic Resistance of Iraq have conducted attacks against Israeli and American targets, threatening to drag Iraq into regional conflict. PMF-affiliated parties achieved considerable success in the 2025 …
Geopolitical Chessboard: How Vietnam Shapes American-Chinese Competition,
2026
US Army War College
Geopolitical Chessboard: How Vietnam Shapes American-Chinese Competition, Kiet H. Lê, Hiep X. Trần
The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters
Vietnam’s geostrategic position—bordering China and commanding key South China Sea maritime routes—makes it a pivotal actor in shaping great-power competition in Southeast Asia. This article argues that the United States should support Vietnam’s neutrality and strategic autonomy as a means of countering Chinese influence. Unlike prior studies that portray regional states as passive players, this analysis highlights Vietnam’s active role in influencing regional dynamics. Through comparative analysis with the Philippines, using historical case studies, geographic assessments, and policy reviews, the article offers practical insights for military and policy practitioners on how geography shapes alliance formation and strategic competition.
Key Themes In Sino-American History,
2026
US Army War College
Key Themes In Sino-American History, David J. Lorenzo, Ian Murphy
The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters
This article examines how historical narratives shape the messaging of the Chinese Communist Party and the People’s Republic of China, particularly regarding Sino-American relations. It identifies three key historical themes—trade, discriminatory policies, and Taiwan—that are frequently invoked in China’s statements and information campaigns. By contextualizing these themes, the article argues that military and national security professionals need a deeper understanding of Sino-American history to interpret China’s messaging correctly and counter its influence effectively. The article advocates for the integration of Sino-American historical content into professional military education curricula to enhance strategic awareness and policy formulation.
From The Editor In Chief,
2026
US Army War College
From The Editor In Chief, C. Anthony Pfaff
The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters
Welcome to the Summer 2026 issue of Parameters, which consists of two In Focus special commentaries, three forums (Indo-Pacific, Strategy, and Historical Studies) and the Strategic Competition Corner.
Parameters,
2026
US Army War College
Parameters, Usawc Press
The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters
No abstract provided.
Rethinking Power: E. H. Carr’S Enduring Lessons For Modern Strategists,
2026
US Army War College
Rethinking Power: E. H. Carr’S Enduring Lessons For Modern Strategists, Brian J. Hasse
The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters
This article argues E. H. Carr’s classic conception of power provides enduring lessons for national security, but these lessons are easily lost in application. Unlike much of the existing literature, this article emphasizes how modern conceptions of power convey an illusion of balance, while the national security bureaucracy constrains the effective synchronization of power. The analysis leverages both historical and contemporary case studies to identify what a balanced conception of power looks like in practice, with the hope of informing US national security strategy and policy in today’s complex security environment.
How Is Going To War Like Buying A Car?: The Bargaining Model Of War,
2026
US Army War College
How Is Going To War Like Buying A Car?: The Bargaining Model Of War, Richard R. Johnson
The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters
The bargaining model of war, a popular, yet complex international relations theory, emphasizes how nations communicate signals regarding military strength, resolve to fight, and foreign policy goals. Since the military plays a major role in communicating these signals, its leaders should understand this theory, despite its complexities. This article explains the model and its components through the used car sale bargaining process and supplements the analogy with real-world examples of international events. This article will help military and foreign policy professionals easily grasp the concepts of the model.
