How is multipolarity and increased geopolitical competition impacting UN peacekeeping operations?

John Karlsrud (Research Professor, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs) seeks to answer this question by examining the ongoing decline in UN peacekeeping operations and the simultaneous rise of regional and ad hoc coalitions in an era of increasing geopolitical competition.

In this article for Global Governance: A Review of Multilateralism and International Organizations, Karlsrud argues that “coalitions have significantly less focus on human rights, international humanitarian law, and the protection of civilians. They thus represent a shift away from the liberal values that have marked UN peacekeeping operations, and are coherent with current geopolitical shifts where China is chipping away at human rights at the UN and African states are increasingly voicing a need for more robust operations.”

Access the full article “UN Peacekeeping Operations in a Multipolar Era” here.