Measuring Peace

Measuring Peace adds significantly and provocatively to a fractious and controversial but nevertheless enduring conversation about what peace is – conceptually, operationally and practically – as well as considering how we should study this crucial phenomenon. * Christian Davenport, University of Michigan, Perspectives on Politics *
This book...provides a much needed framework for policy deliberations that might eventually contribute toward preventing the recurrence of conflicts. * Abhishek Choudhary, University of Delhi, Peace & Change *
For academics, this book is a welcome addition to scholarship that has long sought to understand the impact that peacebuilding may or may not have on creating a stable peace. For practitioners, it will help them become more rigorous in finding definitions even when they appear elusive and provides valuable insight into which strategic assessment and measurement tools are working for leaders in the peacebuilding industry. * Sara Winger, The University of Calgary, Canada, International Affairs *
The book is well documented and includes an extensive bibliography...recommended. * R.P. Peters, Harvard University, CHOICE *
In Measuring Peace, Richard Caplan sets out to answer an important question for those engaged in some or other way in contributing to bringing about peace, namely 'how can we know if the peace that has been established following a civil war is a stable peace?'. Caplan emphasizes at the outset that his book is about measuring peace consolidation, not about evaluating peacebuilding success. He argues that the two topics are closely related but distinct. * Cedric De Coning, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs, Ethnopolitics *
In Measuring Peace: Principles, Practices and Politics, Richard Caplan asks compellingly: 'how can we know if the peace that has been established following civil war is a stable peace?'...By seeking to examine what counts as stable peace in a more strategic and robust way, Caplan also opens a window of opportunity. * 'Funmi Olonisakin, African Leadership Centre, School of Global Affairs, King's College London, Ethnopolitics *
...[an] excellent study on measuring success in peacebuilding... * Mats Berdal, The International Institute for Strategic Studies *
Measuring Peace: Principles, Practices and Politics, provides a useful discussion, demonstration and overview of international efforts to measure peace consolidation and would be of particular interest to scholars of international peacebuilding and development efforts, as well as practitioners striving to learn more about the international community's efforts at measuring peace. * Pamina Firchow, Brandeis University, International Peacekeeping *
Measuring Peace is a spectacular scholarly achievement and clearly shows where academia can have a policy impact. It can serve as a useful tool in the hands of peacebuilders facing the daunting task of measuring the quality of peace. * Jessie Barton Hroneová, Oxford University, OXPOL: The Oxford University Politics Blog *
Caplan is a leading scholar in the effort to encourage the international community to take the measurement of peace more seriously. * Andrew Rathmell, The RUSI Journal *