International peacekeeping and conflict resolution: a taxonomic analysis with implications

International peacekeeping has undergone some dramatic changes in the past decade. This study represents what is one of the few systematic attempts to classify peacekeeping missions according to function. Yet the authors do not stop their investigation at this juncture. Using a theoretical framework derived from the scholarly literature on conflict management and resolution, the authors are able to scale different peacekeeping functions along two dimensions (primary vs. third-party roles and integrative vs. distributive processes) and understand their interrelationships. For example, how compatible might be the functions of traditional peacekeeping with newer roles such as nation building? From these results, implications for building theory in peacekeeping studies as well as more practical concerns, such as how peacekeeping soldiers might be trained for different missions, are discussed.