On Building Peace ─ Rescuing the Nation-state and Saving the United Nations

Twenty-five years after the end of the Cold War, new geopolitical changes have eroded Western dominance, and in its place has emerged a multipolar world encompassing a number of global and regional players. At the same time, intrastate conflicts have begun replacing interstate wars as the major threat to world peace and security, causing new challenges for diplomats and other peacekeepers accustomed to focusing only on the relations between countries.

On Building Peace explores these issues and demonstrates the vital need for international organizations such as the United Nations to turn a new eye to events taking place within nation-states. Michael von der Schulenburg argues for the development of internationally accepted principles and rules for intervening in intrastate conflicts, including those caused by corrupt governments or militant groups. Ultimately, the book offers a groundbreaking approach to international politics and diplomacy, as well as new tools for the creation of effective peacebuilding strategies.

Michael von der Schulenburg escaped communist rule and studied in Berlin, London, and Paris. He worked for the United Nations and the OSCE, including as UN Assistant Secretary-General, in places such as in Haiti, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Syria, the Balkan, Somalia, Sierra Leone and the Sahel.