Prioritizing Security Sector Reform: A New U.S. Approach

Prioritizing Security Sector Reform: A New U.S. Approach argues that security sector reform should be at the core of a new U.S. policy to strengthen the security sector capacity of countries where U.S. interests are at stake. This volume offers case studies to exemplify the context in which a new U.S. approach might be warranted, discusses other countries' experiences with security sector reform policies, and examines how the United States should design and implement a security sector reform policy.

About the Author :
Dr. Querine Hanlon is the founding president of Strategic Capacity Group (S.C.G.), a nonprofit institution created to enhance security sector capacity in the United States and its key security partners. Previously, Dr. Hanlon served as the Special Advisor for Security Sector Initiatives at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP). She has taught at Georgetown University, the Naval War College, and the National Defense University, where she also served as Dean of Academic Affairs. Dr. Hanlon is an expert on security sector reform (S.S.R.) and has published and worked extensively on S.S.R. issues throughout the MENA region, serving as an advisor to governments and international organizations on designing and implementing S.S.R. programs. She is the author of Prioritizing Security Sector Reform: A New U.S. Approach, with Richard Shultz of the Fletcher School. Richard H. Shultz, Jr. is an American scholar of international security studies. He is a professor of international politics at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, where he is also the director of the International Security Studies Program (ISSP).

Review :
"Querine Hanlon and Richard Schultz's new book Prioritizing Security Sector Reform not only deftly reaffirms the critical importance of security sector reform to stabilize fragile and conflict-affected states, but also outlines a cogent and comprehensive policy framework to reinvent U.S. security sector assistance. This book is a welcome addition to the existing literature on SSR and should become required reading for U.S. government officials engaged in any facet of overseas security assistance." - Dr. Mark Sedra, Executive Director, Centre for Security Governance ; "Prioritizing Security Sector Reform drives home why security sector reform is a complex and central policy problem. It is crucial to both combating violent extremism and to enlarging just governance. This volume offers a variety of insights from British and Canadian techniques and the most significant contemporary cases of Libya, Tunisia, and Mexico, as well as offering a crisp, unified vision for U.S. policy approaches and tools. Its recommendations will be useful to policymakers and thought-provoking to academic students and analysts." - Mark P. Lagon, PhD, President, Freedom House ; "Given today's global volatilities, America's interest in helping our allies and partners build their security force capacity will likely get stronger in the years ahead. Recent history shows how challenging it can be to generate foreign military and police forces that are operationally proficient, sustainable, professional and well-governed, and hence viewed as guardians of peace and security by their fellow citizens. Querine Hanlon and Richard Schultz have developed a book that provides much-needed conversation on security sector reform." - James A. Schear, former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Partnership Strategy at DOD