Author Description

In an era of increasing dispersion of political will and authority in the international system, the approaches to and methodologies for peacemaking are changing. "Managing Conflict in a World Adrift" provides a sobering panorama of contemporary conflict along with innovative thinking about how to respond now that new forces and dynamics are at play. "Managing Conflict in a World Adrift," the fourth volume in the landmark series edited by Chester A. Crocker, Fen Osler Hampson, and Pamela Aall, replaces "Leashing the Dogs of War" as the definitive text on the sources of conflict and solutions for preventing and managing conflict. Forty of the most influential analysts of international affairs present varied perspectives and insightful thinking to inform a new framework for understanding current demands of conflict management. This framework is based on three key questions: Are we in the midst of a global political shift where power moves from central institutions to smaller, more distributed units? What is the nature of the relationship between political, social, or economic change and the outbreak and spread of conflict? And what are the consequences of these factors for conflict management? Emerging systemic and societal transformations call for the fresh thinking and approaches to peacemaking featured in "Managing Conflict in a World Adrift." Crocker, Hampson, and Aall bring together leading authorities in the field to guide students and practitioners of international relations and conflict management in a time of ambiguous and asymmetrical world order. Peacemakers of today and tomorrow will gain from this text a broad and deep understanding of the current situation along with the strategies and skills needed to prevent and resolve conflict."