The UN, the US, Peacekeeping

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor

This course will explore historical and recent developments in UN peacekeeping. We will begin by studying the United Nations and its component organizations which address international peace and security and UN reform efforts to improve peacekeeping outcomes. Next, we will examine the role of the United States in UN peacekeeping and compare the relative strengths and weaknesses of peacekeeping versus other types of interventions. We will examine a spectrum of past and present peacekeeping missions to identify components of success and failure. Finally we will discuss contemporary issues in UN peacekeeping. By the end of the course, students should be able to analyze whether or not a peacekeeping mission is an appropriate response to an international security crisis as well as recognize the constraints that confront decision-makers in designing, implementing and evaluating peacekeeping missions. Course Objectives At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to: -Understand how peacekeeping differs from other types of interventions -Understand the current issues in UN peacekeeping -Evaluate the relationship between the US and the UN regarding peacekeeping -Evaluate the effectiveness of a UN peacekeeping mission -Recommend when peacekeeping missions should or should not be deployed.