Overview

The basic logic of preventive diplomacy is unassailable. Act early to prevent disputes from escalating; reduce tensions that could lead to war; and deal with today's conflicts before they become tomorrow's crises. Yet as we look at the record of these first years of the post-Cold War era, it is quite mixed. There have been some preventive diplomacy successes, opportunities that have been seized by major powers and international organizations to help preserve and protect the peace. But there have also been other opportunities that have been missed, with some of the century's most deadly conflicts the result. This study, written by both leading academics and prominent policy officials with first-hand knowledge, examines 11 major post-Cold War cases including Croatia-Bosnia, Rwanda, the Baltics, Russia-Ukraine, Macedonia, North Korea and Iraq - to assess the key factors contributing to both the success and failure of preventive diplomacy. The method of case study analysis employed is based on the work of Alexander L. George.

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9780847685585

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Reviews

Although much has been written about the opportunities for and limits to preventive diplomacy in recent years, there are no in-depth case studies that test the utility of the concept in diplomatic practice. This volume fills a gap in the burgeoning literature and rescues the concept from the jaws of some of its sterner critics.--Hampson, Fen Osler

Although much has been written about the opportunities for and limits to preventive diplomacy in recent years, there are no in-depth case studies that test the utility of the concept in diplomatic practice. This volume fills a gap in the burgeoning literature and rescues the concept from the jaws of some of its sterner critics. -- Fen Osler Hampson, The Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, Carleton University A major achievement that will go far in getting the concept and practice of preventive diplomacy into the conventional wisdom of the foreign policy community. -- Joseph V. Montville, director, The Preventive Diplomacy Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Distinguished Diplomat in Residence, American University This volume is a must for anyone interested in preventive diplomacy. This volume makes a valuable contribution to the field, and that is likely to set the standard against which future studies of preventive diplomacy will be judged. International Affairs It is a useful giude to understanding contemporary conflict. Journal Of Strategic Studies No issue facing the world today deserves our attention more than conflict prevention. We need to foster a sense of urgency, a new way of thinking that gives precedence to the prevention and not simply the management of conflict, to avoid disaster rather than merely dealing with its consequences. The contributors to this volume provide illuminating descriptions of the actions that prevented some crises from becoming violent. They also provide agonizing details of violence that could have been prevented and carefully demonstrate what could have been done to prevent it. -- Lee H. Hamilton, from the foreword

Author Information

Bruce W. Jentleson is professor of public policy and political science at Duke University.

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