The Liberal Peace in Question

Abstract

The fourth chapter offers a critical review of literature on the liberal peace agenda and the controversies surrounding liberal peacebuilding. Liberal peace debate relates to the discussion in the relevant literature on the theory and practice of external intervention in post-war societies by international actors. While it is widely acknowledged that the dominant liberal peace model is in crisis and that on the whole, international peacebuilding has not achieved the intended goal of helping war-torn societies transform from states of violent conflict to self-sustaining peace and economic development, the chapter shows that the debate over the liberal peace reflects a polarization between mainstream and critical scholars. Concurring with critical scholars, the chapter argues that it is vital for the international actors to more seriously consider the local context and needs, and the forms of peace that are being produced as ‘the local’ and the international interact, if lasting peace is going to be established in post-conflict situations.