Do international institutions actually contribute to building a lasting
peace? Counter-examples and criticisms abound: failures and
submissiveness to the interests of the most powerful states. As
diplomats, practitioners with these institutions, and experts in their
fields, the contributors to this volume underline the strengths and
weaknesses that these international actors have created and will not
abandon. Their research and investigations reveal that despite the fact
that it is possible to wage a war against the will of international
institutions, it has become almost impossible to make peace without
them. The issues examined--collective security, disarmament, mediation,
peace building, human security, reduction of poverty and inequalities,
international criminal justice, and multilateralism--make this edited
volume a key reference work on international organizations.