The World of Protracted Conflicts

Protracted interstate conflicts—those between or among states that last for more than 10 years and involve three or more crises—have led to some of the worst incidents of violence in the last century, and many remain unresolved, threatening the security of almost every region of the world. This book provides one of the most comprehensive studies of these cases, analyzing all 33 since the end of World War I. These include well-known cases such as India-Pakistan and North and South Korea, as well as less-studied cases such as Costa Rica and Nicaragua. The history of each case is presented in depth to begin the volume. The author then develops a theoretical model for attempting to understand why protracted interstate conflicts begin, why they escalate and persist, and why some are able to be resolved. Each model is then tested with qualitative evidence from every case to identify the most important explanatory factors. Suited for graduate students and academics, the book makes a novel contribution to the literature on interstate conflict. Summing Up: Recommended. Graduate students and faculty. * CHOICE *
The World of Protracted Conflicts is an authoritative work. After development of a rigorous multi-stage model, research proceeds on onset, persistence, and resolution of protracted conflicts. The models for respective stages, which contain a range of material and ideational factors that reflect the state of the art in research, are assessed through cases of protracted conflict. Findings from the research are quite fascinating and will set the agenda for the study of protracted conflicts for years to come. This book is essential reading for conflict specialists, along with those with a general interest in International Relations. -- Patrick James, University of Southern California
This impressive achievement by one of the field’s most distinguished scholars addresses a series of intractable questions international relations and foreign policy theorists have been struggling to answer for decades. The result is a tour de force revealing patterns of crisis behavior that shed a bright light on why some conflicts end while others remain immune to resolution. Students, scholars and policymakers absorbed by these questions will be captivated by the wealth of knowledge uncovered in this book. -- Frank P. Harvey, Eric Dennis Chair of Government and Politics, Dalhousie University