War Economies in a Regional Context

The book starts with the introduction of "Approaches to the Political Economy of Civil Wars". It mainly focuses on the economies of the regional dimensions of civil war. The three case studies on civil war in Afghanistan, Sierra Leone and Bosnia examine the nature of war economy and the factors influencing it and its global impact.

A chapter on controlling war economies has been devoted mainly to bring out the concept of "Liberal Peace" to the fore.

The book concludes with an optimistic note on the new agenda for transforming war economies for sustainable peace.

Confronting the corrosive influence that war economies typically have on the prospects for peace in war-torn societies, this study critically analyzes current policy responses and offers a thought-provoking foundation for the development of more effective peacebuilding strategies.

The authors focus on the role played by trade in precipitating and fueling conflict, with particular emphasis on the regional dynamics that are created by war economies. Their analysis highlights the darker side of the commitment to deregulation, open markets, and the expansion of trade routes that are key features of globalization.

In each of three case studies—Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, and Bosnia—they examine the nature of the war economy, the regional networks developed to support it, its legacies, and the impact of initiatives to transform it. That transformation, they argue, a process central to the transition from violent conflict to sustainable peace, can best be achieved through approaches that recognize critical regional factors.

Target Audience:

Academicians and students of International Relations and Political Science.