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

At a time when conflicts are increasingly turning into arenas of strategic competition and authoritarian models of crisis management are gaining traction, international organisations are being forced to redefine their role as guardians of liberal peace. As streamlined objectives, fast-paced solutions and reduced normative commitments challenge the liberal international order, both the United Nations and the European Union face mounting pressure to maintain their relevance in global crisis management.

The Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI) is pleased to invite you to the presentation of a new book examining how the UN and the EU have responded to these challenges by linking their survival to that of the liberal peace. Through the concept of “strategic inertia”, the volume offers an innovative reading of organisational behaviour in times of crisis, showing how bureaucratic rules and procedures are strategically employed to counter illiberal contestation. Focusing on the Sahel, the book sheds light on the internal mechanisms through which international organisations adapt to preserve their mission and role in an increasingly competitive international environment.