In The Political Economy of Regional Peacemaking, scholars examine the efficacy of trade agreements, economic sanctions, and other strategies of economic statecraft for the promotion of peace both between rival states and across conflict-ridden regions more generally. In the introduction, Steven E. Lobell and Norrin M. Ripsman pose five central questions: (1) What types of economic statecraft, including incentives and sanctions, can interested parties employ? (2) Who are the appropriate targets in the rival states—state leaders, economic and social elites, or society as whole? (3) When should specific economic instruments be used to promote peace—prior to negotiations, during negotiations, after signature of the treaty, or during implementation of the treaty? (4) What are the limits and risks of economic statecraft and economic interdependence? (5) How can economic statecraft be used to move from a bilateral peace agreement to regional peace?
The chapters that follow are grouped in three sections, corresponding to the three stages of peacemaking: reduction or management of regional conflict; peacemaking or progress toward a peace treaty; and maintenance of bilateral peace and the regionalization of the peace settlement. In each chapter, the contributors consider the five key questions from a variety of methodological, historical, cultural, and empirical perspectives, drawing data from the Pacific, the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. The conclusion expands on several themes found in the chapters and proposes an agenda for future research.
“This valuable collection of essays succeeds notably in bridging the gap that has long existed between the fields of international political economy and security studies. An A-list of distinguished scholars addresses the political economy of peacemaking, which has rarely received the attention it deserves. This is a must-read for anyone interested in the role that economic statecraft can play in today’s greatly troubled world.”
—Benjamin Jerry Cohen, University of California, Santa Barbara
“Lobell and Ripsman have assembled a nicely integrated collection of studies which provide a new perspective on economic statecraft. Influence is sometimes targeted at elites, and at other times at interest groups or mass publics. Sometimes influence may be overt (as with sanctions), at other times its channels are much more subtle (e.g., interdependence). Varying time dimension and higher-order effects can lead to unintended consequences. Lobell and Ripsman offer a framework for thinking about such complexities, and the chapters provide colorful evidence and illustration. Do not miss this one.”
—Brian M. Pollins, The Ohio State University
“This volume successfully leverages the topic of regional peacemaking to confront big questions on the economic causes of peace. The mix of essays complement each other well, offering carefully reasoned and balanced judgments on the conditions under which economic policy tools have both succeeded and failed in helping resolve some of the world’s most pressing conflicts.”
—Patrick J. McDonald, University of Texas at Austin
“The study of the relationship between economic interactions and militarized conflict has deep roots in international relations. This volume provides a refined advancement in that field. The contributors not only narrow and deepen this analysis, they do so by employing an array of conceptual and methodological approaches. The outcome of interest is narrowed to regional peacemaking, providing focus and allowing the authors to develop more powerful models and empirical approaches.”
—Lisa L. Martin, Professor of Political Science, University of Wisconsin–Madison
