Peacebuilding and Economic Recovery

Abstract

Since the end of the Cold War international involvement in war and peace has involved a myriad of organisations. These peace operations have engaged in activities that attempt to assist states in the transition from war to peace, activities like the disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration of combatants (DDR), the promotion and running of elections, providing monitoring and training in human rights, market liberalisation, reconstruction of infrastructure, and efforts to reconcile warring parties. These actions are collectively known as ‘peacebuilding’. This chapter is concerned with why peacebuilding has become a policy response to the non-violent management of conflict, and where economic development lies within this approach. The conceptualisation and theorisation of peacebuilding in this chapter helps explain the approach taken by the international community to the 2002 Sri Lankan peace process, and explains why it resulted in the bloody finale of 2009.