Where, when, and how does the UN work to prevent civil war in self-determination disputes

Dados Bibliográficos

ID3916226
AutoresPeter B White (0000-0002-9143-129X, Center for International Development and Conflict Management, University of Maryland, autor correspondente), David E Cunningham (0009-0000-2653-6792, Department of Government & Politics, University of Maryland & Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO)), David Cunningham (0000-0002-3497-0705), Kyle Beardsley (0000-0001-9401-3264, Duke University)
Ano2018
Volume55
Fascículo3
Páginas380-394
Data de publicação2018-05-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoJournal of Peace Research (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0022-3433 • E-ISSN: 1460-3578
EditoraSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/0022343317744826
OpenAlexW2787274822
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas8
Referências citadas54

The UN has placed rhetorical emphasis on the prevention of armed conflict before it starts and has taken selective action toward that end. What determines where the UN gets involved? We examine UN preventive actions by focusing on UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions in self-determination (SD) disputes. We argue that UN decisionmakers consider at least three factors when deciding where to target preventive action: the dispute's conflict history, the potential for regional contagion, and the characteristics of the dispute. We further argue that the political dynamics of UNSC decisionmaking constrain the UN's ability to pay attention to the third factor (the characteristics of the dispute). We test this argument using data on all UNSC resolutions comprising the authorization of diplomatic engagement, condemnation, the authorization of sanctions, and the deployment of force targeted toward SD disputes from 1960 to 2005. We find that the UN is much more likely to act in nonviolent disputes that have a history of violence and in disputes with a potential for regional contagion. The analysis shows that, while political barriers likely restrict the ability for the UNSC to act when dispute-level characteristics suggest armed conflict is more likely, the UN does act proactively to prevent violence, rather than just reactively responding to existing violence

Action (physics) · Argument (complex analysis) · Authorization · Collective action · Computer security · Law and economics · Peacekeeping · Political science · Politics · Rhetorical question · Sanctions · Security council · Sociology · Software deployment · Work (physics) · Computer Science · Engineering · Global Peace and Security Dynamics · International Development and Aid · Law · Medicine · Political Conflict and Governance