Determinants of Success in UN Peacekeeping Operations

By (author) Jacques L. Koko Salisbury University, Essoh J. M. C. Essis

Publication date:

14 June 2012

Length of book:

114 pages

Publisher

University Press of America

Dimensions:

226x152mm
6x9"

ISBN-13: 9780761858652

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.

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

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.