Determinants of Success in UN Peacekeeping Operations

This book examines forty-six UN peacekeeping operations, initiated from 1956 through 2006 to manage cases of intrastate and interstate conflicts, to identify the most significant factors that could help to explain the success or lack of success of such operations. Factor analysis is used to exploit the correlations between independent variables in order to regroup them into a smaller set of factors explaining the success or failure of these operations. The results show that the success of a UN peacekeeping operation can be explained by factors that are related to four categories of variables: i) the scope of resources invested in peacekeeping; ii) the duration and intensity of conflict and time of preparation for peacekeeping intervention; iii) the political support for peacekeeping from the UN Security Council; and iv) the type of conflict.

Table of Contents:
List of Tables and Figure List of Acronyms Preface Acknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1: Evolution of Peacekeeping as a Concept and of UNPKOs as an Object of Scholarly Study Chapter 2: Data Sources, Database, and Study Variables Chapter 3: Statistical Methods and Results: The Factor Analytic Model Chapter 4: Interpretation of the Statistical Results, and Implications for Theory, Policymaking and Research References Appendices Index

About the Author :
Jacques L. Koko, Ph.D. is assistant professor of conflict analysis and dispute resolution at Salisbury University and adjunct professor at American Military University. His research encompasses organizational conflict and intervention, culture and conflict, peacekeeping, democracy in Africa, small weapons in Africa, Somali piracy, and local capacity building. Essoh Jean Mathieu Claude Essis, a senior public officer and diplomat from the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, has a Ph.D. in public policy from George Mason University. He was a Fulbright student at GMU and New York University; postdoctoral research fellow at New York University; senior fellow at GMU; assistant professor of conflict resolution / public policy and interim chair of the Department of Conflict Analysis and Resolution, Nova Southeastern University. Essis has taught policy analysis, governance and public management, organizational conflict intervention, cross-cultural negotiation, development, sustainability, as well as African and international affairs. Dr. Essis is a professor of political science at the International University of Grand Bassam, in Cote d'Ivoire, since August 2010.

Review :
Considering the significant amount of resources that UN peacekeeping operations utilize, the research questions that the authors address in this book are relevant and timely. The book has been adapted from the doctoral dissertation of Dr. Koko and maintains an academic essence—terms and assumptions are carefully explained, the research questions are explicitly articulated, methodology and data sources are clearly laid out and a great deal of attention is given to the statistical analysis. ... [T]he authors correctly warn of the dangers of drawing erroneous conclusions from incomplete data, so their aim is to provide a more exhaustive and comprehensive analysis of UN peacekeeping operations using data set that is significantly larger than has been utilized in past studies. They do this admirably. Their discussion and conclusion provide the reader with a clear analysis. Overall, this book is very relevant for anyone interested in the study of peacekeeping operations. No doubt, Koko and Essis' book. . . . adds an integral component to the overall picture. ….Koko and Essis…have broken new ground by conducting a large quantitative study of a field rarely addressed in this manner. Their clear explanation of the approach and solid findings point the way for future scholars and practitioners. …A well-researched quantitative study….unravel[ing] the complexity of determining the success of such operations….Yet, this task will benefit from the insights provided by the book, which will likely generate a more thorough reflection on these issues.