Table Of ContentThis excellent volume brings new insights into one of the defining international
challenges of our time: how to support peace and reconstruction in post- conflict
societies in a way that is both effective and legitimate. The idea of ‘peace figura-
tion’ takes the debate forward into new theoretical directions, and the book draws
upon important empirical illustrations. It is highly recommended to researchers
and students alike.
Edward Newman, University of Leeds, UK
Gëzim Visoka’s achievement is to reconceptualise peacebuilding as relational
processes. Peace Figuration analyses a Clausewitzian clash of relations in which
the best laid strategies and expectations, posited as common interests in a clear
victory for peace, are constantly jeopardised by frictions. Visoka challenges the
problem- solving, lessons- learned approach to peacebuilding by identifying the
sociological essence of peace and the huge significance of unintended outcomes.
Many of these outcomes lie in the uncertain futures of war-a ffected societies,
likely to rebound disconcertingly against ‘liberal’ power. This absorbing analysis
will engage a wide readership of students and policy-m akers.
Michael Pugh, Emeritus Professor, University of Bradford, UK
Critical thinkers have long been calling for an empirical analysis of the sociology
of peace interventions, as well as their relationality with the subjects of those
interventions. Visoka’s book moves the debate further in this direction with a fas-
cinating analysis of key aspects of international peace interventions in Bosnia
Herzegovina, Kosovo and Timor Leste, measuring intentionality against out-
comes. Visoka’s superb book illustrates how consequences flow from such inter-
ventions, often undermining their attempts to achieve specific goals, and placing
political development upon an alternative trajectory.
Oliver P. Richmond, University of Manchester, UK
Gëzim Visoka has made a major contribution both theoretically and empirically
to the study of liberal peacebuilding. Theoretically, he takes further the recent
application of Norbert Elias’s sociological ideas to the field of international pol-
itics (thus also helping to rescue sociology from its increasingly narrow,
domestic, short- term and policy- orientated foci). And his case studies explain the
unpredicted outcomes of three well-i ntentioned interventions.
Stephen Mennell, Professor Emeritus, University College Dublin,
Republic of Ireland
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Peace Figuration after International
Intervention
This book examines the adverse impacts of liberal peacebuilding in conflict-
affected societies.
It introduces ‘peace figuration’ as a new analytical framework for studying
the intentionality, performativity, and consequences of liberal peacebuilding.
The work challenges current theories and views, and searches for alternative
non- conflicted research avenues that are suitable for understanding how peace-
building intentions are made, how different events shape peace outcomes, and
what are the consequences of peacebuilding interventions. Drawing on detailed
case studies of peacebuilding in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Timor-
Leste, the book argues that attempts to build peace often fail to achieve the
intended outcomes. A figurational view of peacebuilding interventions shows
that post- conflict societies experience multiple episodes of success and failure in
an unpredictable trajectory. This book develops a relational sociology of peace-
building impact, which is crucial for overcoming static measurement of peace-
building successes or failures. It shows that international interventions can shape
peace but, importantly, not always in the shape they intended.
This book will be of much interest to students of statebuilding, peacebuilding,
war and conflict studies, security studies and IR.
Gëzim Visoka is a Lecturer in Peace and Conflict Studies at Dublin City Uni-
versity, Ireland.
Routledge Studies in Intervention and Statebuilding
Series Editors: Aidan Hehir and Nicolas Lemay-H ébert
Founding Editor: David Chandler
New Agendas in Statebuilding Security and Hybridity after Armed
Hybridity, contingency and history Conflict
Edited by Robert Egnell and The dynamics of security provision in
Peter Haldén post- civil war states
Rens C. Willems
Mediation and Liberal
Peacebuilding International Intervention and
Peace from the ashes of war? Statemaking
Edited by Mikael Eriksson and How exception became the norm
Roland Kostić Selver B. Sahin
Semantics of Statebuilding Rethinking Democracy Promotion
Language, meanings and sovereignty in International Relations
Edited by Nicolas Lemay-H ébert, The rise of the social
Nicholas Onuf, Vojin Rakić and Jessica Schmidt
Petar Bojanić
The Politics of International
Humanitarian Crises, Intervention Intervention
and Security The tyranny of peace
A framework for evidence-b ased Edited by Mandy Turner and Florian
programming P. Kühn
Edited by Liesbet Heyse,
Andrej Zwitter, Rafael Wittek and The Practice of Humanitarian
Joost Herman Intervention
Aid workers, agencies and institutions
Internal Security and Statebuilding in the Democratic Republic of the
Aligning agencies and functions Congo
B.K. Greener and W.J. Fish Kai Koddenbrock
The EU and Member State Building Peace Figuration after International
European foreign policy in the Intervention
Western Balkans Intentions, events and consequences of
Edited by Soeren Keil and liberal peacebuilding
Zeynep Arkan Gëzim Visoka
Peace Figuration after
International Intervention
Intentions, events and consequences of
liberal peacebuilding
Gëzim Visoka
First published 2016
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2016 Gëzim Visoka
The right of Gëzim Visoka to be identified as author of this work has been
asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright,
Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or
utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now
known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in
any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing
from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or
registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation
without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing-i n-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging- in-Publication Data
Names: Visoka, Gëzim, author.
Title: Peace figuration after international intervention : intentions, events
and consequences of liberal peacebuilding / Gëzim Visoka.
Description: New York, NY : Routledge, 2016. | Series: Routledge studies in
intervention and statebuilding | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016000840| ISBN 9781138938472 (hardback) |
ISBN 9781315675633 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Peace-building. | Peace-building–Bosnia and Herzegovina. |
Peace-building–Kosovo (Republic) | Peace-building–Timor-Leste.
Classification: LCC JZ5566.4 .V57 2016 | DDC 341.5/84–dc23
LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2016000840
ISBN: 978-1-138-93847-2 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-315-67563-3 (ebk)
Typeset in Times New Roman
by Wearset Ltd, Boldon, Tyne and Wear
To Grace
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Contents
Acknowledgements x
List of abbreviations xi
1 Introduction: figuring out peace 1
PART I
Foundations of peace figuration 15
2 How do we know peace? Rethinking liberal and critical
epistemologies of peacebuilding 17
3 Peace figuration: towards a new framework for analysis 44
PART II
Peace figuration in practice 73
4 Peace figuration in Bosnia and Herzegovina 75
5 Peace figuration in Kosovo 103
6 Peace figuration in Timor-L este 132
7 At peace’s end: disfiguring the impact of liberal peacebuilding 160
Index 187
