Liberal Peacebuilding in Times of Change The UN, the EU, and the Politics of Continuity

Introduction

Part I

1. Evolution, Crisis, and Resurgence of Liberal Peacebuilding

2. The Rise of Authoritarian Conflict Management

3. Political Shocks and Liberal Decline: A Defensive Turn in a Changing Global Order

4. Strategic Inertia: The Bureaucratic Pathway for Liberal Policy Continuity

 Part II

5. The Sahel Conflict: Clashing Interests and Diverging Strategies

6. The UN Politics of Continuity in Action

7. The EU Politics of Continuity in Action

 Conclusions

Biography

Giulio Levorato is a post-doc researcher at the University of Naples L’Orientale. His research focuses on conflict management and resolution strategies adopted by various actors, such as nation states, international organizations, local minorities, and armed groups. Recently, his work has been dedicated to studying the impact of international competition on peace dynamics. He has been teaching and/or researching, among else, at the University of Genoa (Italy), the University EAN of Bogota (Colombia), the Centre on Conflict, Development and Peacebuilding (Switzerland), and the University Ramon Llull (Spain). He is the author of several research articles appeared in top-tier international journals.

“Liberal Peacebuilding in Times of Change is a timely and important contribution to the study of international organizations and the changing landscape of peacebuilding. At a moment when new approaches to conflict management are gaining momentum, this book offers a compelling analysis of why and how institutions such as the UN and the EU have never ceased to frame their peace efforts according to the liberal peace paradigm. By introducing the pioneering concept of “strategic inertia,” the author provides a novel framework for understanding organizational behavior, demonstrating how bureaucratic rules, procedures, and even pathologies can be mobilized to sustain normative commitments in the face of rising contestation. Combining public policy theories and peace research, and with rich empirical insights from the UN’s and EU’s involvement in the Sahel, the book shows that continuity is not a sign of stagnation, but a deliberate and strategic response to illiberal challenges. This makes it an essential reading for scholars and students of international relations, peace and conflict studies, and global governance, as well as for policymakers and practitioners seeking to understand the resilience of liberal institutions in turbulent times.”

- Sara Hellmüller, Research Professor in the International Relations and Political Science Department at the Geneva Graduate Institute

“In an increasingly contested peacebuilding environment, marked by the growing involvement of authoritarian powers in conflict management and resolution, international organizations continue to rely on the liberal peace framework despite its shortcomings. Why? And in what ways? This study – grounded in extensive empirical research — addresses these pressing questions through the lens of “strategic inertia.” By combining insights from International Relations, Security Studies, and Public Policy, the book provides a rigorous and comprehensive analysis through the crucial cases of the United Nations and the European Union in the Sahel. It is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the evolution of peacebuilding in the context of the crisis of the Liberal International Order.”

- Fabrizio Coticchia, Full Professor of Political Science at the University of Genoa

"This is a highly original and timely contribution to debates on the future of the Liberal International Order and the evolving dynamics of peacebuilding. Drawing on insights from public policy and international organization theory, the book offers a compelling account of how institutions such as the UN and the EU respond to the rise of illiberal models of peace. Through in-depth case studies of their engagement in the Sahel, it develops a sophisticated conceptual framework around “strategic inertia,” showing that policy continuity is not a symptom of bureaucratic paralysis, but a deliberate effort to defend and recalibrate the liberal peace paradigm in a contested global environment. By reframing inertia as a purposeful, even performative, strategy of resistance to authoritarian alternatives, the author makes a powerful case for understanding IOs as active guardians of the liberal peace—seeking to preserve its normative core while adapting to mounting pressures for change. It offers a much-needed nuance to often simplified debates on fragmentation in peacemaking. Richly theorized and empirically grounded, this book is essential reading for scholars and practitioners concerned with peace and conflict studies, international organizations, and the shifting architecture of global order."

- Tom Buitelaar, Assistant Professor in the War, Peace & Justice program of the Institute of Security and Global Affairs at Leiden University