Fragility & Peace


Despite declines in interstate conflict, violence prompted by weak institutions, protracted grievances, broken social compacts, illicit transnational networks, and outside intervention have redefined notions of conflict and fragility. ISE seeks to unpack these new collective understandings, exploring features of conflict and violence and broader drivers such as climate change, poor social cohesion, and migration. We are supporting new and innovative perspectives on peacebuilding, informed by comprehensive analyses of modern peace processes.

Sovereignty Strategies

Read Clare Lockhart’s article ‘Sovereignty Strategies: Enhancing Core Governance Functions as a Postconflict & Conflict-Prevention Measure’ in the AAAS Special Issue of Daedalus.

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Issue Brief: Re-examining the Terms of Aid

The current terms of foreign assistance mean that it often falls short of the goal of supporting countries on their development paths. The New Deal for Engagement in Fragile States, endorsed in 2011, represents a…

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State Building in Conflict-Affected & Fragile States: A Comparative Study

In conflict-affected or fragile states there is often a significant gap between what the state is able to deliver and what the citizens of that state, as well as international partners, expect the state to…

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Insights from Social Psychology

ISE and CMI meet with UCLA Professor Matthew Lieberman to discuss how cognitive neuroscience can contribute to peace-building and citizenship efforts.

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State Function: Citizen Engagement
Insight & Analysis: Fragility & Peace
Securing Stable and Peaceful Societies in the Post-2015 Development Agenda

A statement in the Thematic Debate on peace and security chaired by John Ashe, President of the UN General Assembly. The nexus between stability and development is well-established, and the seriousness with which the UN…

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Haiti: Escaping the Crisis Trap

Four years after a devastating earthquake, the reconstruction of Haiti remains far from completion. Although billions of dollars in aid have flowed into the country, Haitians feel the outcomes have not matched the promises made.…

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