The Frontlines of Peace
An Insider's Guide to Changing the World
Formats: Hardback & Ebook
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Publication date: 1 March 2021
ISBN: 9780197530351
Formats: Audiobook
Publisher: Audible
Publication date: 1 March 2021
Formats: Paperback
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Publication date: 9 December 2022
ISBN: 9780197679197
Formats: Hardback & ebook
Publisher: Éditions de la Maison des sciences de l'homme, Paris
Publication date: 16 February 2023
ISBN: 9782735129225
Formats: Hardback
Publisher: Kashiwa Shobo
Publication date: 31 December 2023
The English book is now available in paperback, the French version has just been released, and the Japanese translation is coming out in November!
At turns surprising, funny, and gut-wrenching, this is the hopeful story of the ordinary yet extraordinary people who have figured out how to build lasting peace in their communities.
Awards
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- Shortlisted for the 2022 Book of the Year Prize, Conflict Research Society
The word “peacebuilding” evokes a story we’ve all heard over and over: Violence breaks out, foreign nations are scandalized, peacekeepers and million-dollar donors come rushing in, warring parties sign a peace agreement and, sadly, within months the situation is back to where it started—sometimes worse. But what strategies have worked to build lasting peace in conflict zones, particularly for ordinary citizens on the ground? And why should other ordinary citizens, thousands of miles away, care?
In The Frontlines of Peace, Séverine Autesserre, award-winning researcher and peacebuilder, examines the well-intentioned but inherently flawed peace industry. With examples drawn from across the globe, she reveals that peace can grow in the most unlikely circumstances. Contrary to what most politicians preach, building peace doesn’t require billions in aid or massive international interventions. Real, lasting peace requires giving power to local citizens.
The Frontlines of Peace tells the stories of the ordinary yet extraordinary individuals and organizations that are confronting violence in their communities effectively. One thing is clear: Successful examples of peacebuilding around the world, in countries at war or at peace, have involved innovative grassroots initiatives led by local people, at times supported by foreigners, often employing methods shunned by the international elite. By narrating success stories of this kind, Autesserre shows the radical changes we must take in our approach if we hope to build lasting peace around us—whether we live in Congo, the United States, or elsewhere.
Trade Information and Contacts
For bulk orders and review copies, please contact my publicist: Emily Tobin (Emily.Tobin [at] oup.com) if you are based in North America, or Anna Gell (Anna.Gell [at] oup.com) if you are based anywhere else in the world. For translation rights, please contact my agent, Susanna Lea.
Book me to speak
Please feel free to contact me if you’d like to invite me to give a briefing, lecture, or keynote, or participate in a panel, workshop, or other kind of event. I look forward to hearing from you!
Reviews
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More Information
- Written in a friendly and accessible voice by a leading authority on peacebuilding with over 20 years of experience working in and conducting research on international aid throughout the world
- Focuses on success stories in an ultimately positive and hopeful narrative that encourages readers of all backgrounds to create peace in their own communities
- Draws on in-depth field research in 12 different conflict zones, comparisons with social initiatives in North America and Europe, and interviews with peacebuilders, warlords, victims, survivors, politicians, and local civilians
- Challenges popular beliefs and scholarly ideas about war, peace, and conflict resolution that the diplomatic elite and the general public alike take as fact
