Nowadays many international or regional organizations are involved in international peace and security. Peacemaking, peace-enforcing and peacekeeping activities are employed by a number of organizations. For example: the United Nations, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, African Union, European Union, and others. In fact, these organizations all send multinational forces to the various conflict areas. The expression ‘collective security’ does not occur in the United Nations Charter. It is, however, often used to refer to the system for the maintenance of international peace and security under the UN Charter and the corresponding provisions of regional organizations. According to the UN Charter the United Nations have the primary responsibility ‘[t]o maintain international peace and security, and to that end: to take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace, and for the suppression of acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace…’ (Art. 1 (1) UN Charter). If it determines, in accordance with Art. 39 UN Charter, the existence of a threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression, the UN Security Council may make recommendations, or decide what measures shall be taken by members of the UN to maintain or restore international peace and security.
This Research Guide is intended as a starting point for research in the field of International Peace and Security. It provides the basic materials available in the Peace Palace Library, both in print and electronic format. Handbooks, leading articles, bibliographies, periodicals, serial publications and documents of interest are presented in the Selective Bibliography section. Links to the PPL Catalogue are inserted. The Library's subject heading (keyword) International Peace and Security is instrumental for searching through the Catalogue. Special attention is given to our subscriptions on databases, e-journals, e-books and other electronic resources. Finally, this Research Guide features links to relevant websites and other online resources of particular interest.
Sources of international law
Treaties
Case-law
UN Declarations and Resolutions
Soft law
- Juma, M. (ed.), Compendium of Key Documents relating to Peace and Security in Africa, Pretoria, Pretoria University Law Press, 2006.
- Weijers, H. (ed.), North Atlantic Treaty Organisation: 60th Anniversary : Selected Basic Documents and Background Materials, Nijmegen, Wolf Legal Publishers, 2009.
Reference works
- Durieux, B., J.-B. Jeangène Vilmer et F. Ramel (dir.), Dictionnaire de la guerre et de la paix, 1re édition, Paris, PUF Presses Universitaires de France, 2017.
- Gärtner, H., International Security and Peace: Definitions from A-Z, Baden-Baden, Nomos, 2024.
- Henderson, Christian. The Use of Force and International Law. Second ed., Cambridge University Press, 2024.
- Isely, E.R. (ed.), United Nations Peacekeeping in the 21st Century, New York, NY, Nova Science Publishers, 2011.
- Kawamura, N., Y. Murakami and S. Chiba (eds.), Building New Pathways to Peace, Seattle, WA, University of Washington Press, 2011.
- Martel, G., Twentieth-Century War and Conflict: A Concise Encyclopedia, Chichester, Wiley Blackwell, 2015.
- Nasu, H., International Law on Peacekeeping: a Study of Article 40 of the UN Charter, Leiden, Nijhoff, 2009.
- Richmond, O.P., Peace in International Relations, Second Edition, London; New York, Routledge, 2020.
- Tshiyembe, M., Le droit de la sécurité internationale, Paris, l'Harmattan, 2010.
- Orakhelashvili, A., Collective Security, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2011.
Recent books and peer-reviewed articles
- Autesserre, S., The Frontlines of Peace: an Insider's Guide to changing the World, New York, Oxford University Press, 2021.
- Gifkins, Jess. Inside the UN Security Council : Legitimation Practices and Darfur. Oxford University Press, 2023.
- Gill, T.D. and K.T. Szabó, The Use of Force and the International Legal System, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2024.
- Green, James A. Collective Self-Defence in International Law. Cambridge University Press, 2024.
- Guerreiro, A.T.N., História do direito internacional público: ingerência e uso da força (1555-1945), 1a. edição, Coimbra, Gestlegal, 2022.
- Harrington, A.R., The Future of Peace: Incorporation of Intergenerational Equity and Justice in Peace Treaties and Reconciliation Agreements, Cheltenham, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2023.
- Kisangani, E.F. and Pickering, J., African Interventions: State Militaries, Foreign Powers, and Rebel Forces, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2022.
- Kivimäki, Timo, editor. Research Handbook on Conflict Prevention. Edward Elgar Publishing, 2024.
- Kreß, C. and Lawless, R. (eds.), Necessity and Proportionality in International Peace and Security Law, New York, Oxford University Press, 2021.
- Lindley-French, J., The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Third Edition, London; New York, Routledge, 2023.
- Reuter, Christian, editor. Information Technology for Peace and Security : IT Applications and Infrastructures in Conflicts, Crises, War, and Peace. Second edition, Springer Vieweg, 2024.
- Trombetta, Maria Julia, editor. Handbook on Climate Change and International Security. Edward Elgar Publishing, 2023.
- Wallensteen, Peter. Understanding Conflict Resolution. Sixth edition, SAGE, 2023.
- Williams, P.D. and M. McDonald (eds.), Security Studies: An Introduction, Fourth edition, London, Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2023.
- Wood, M. C., and Eran Sthoeger. The UN Security Council and International Law. Cambridge University Press, 2022.
For all peer-reviewed articles in the PPL Catalogue, click here.
Periodicals, serial publications
- International Peacekeeping
- Journal of Conflict and Security Law
- Journal of International Peacekeeping
- Journal on the Use of Force and International Law
- Rethinking Peace and Conflict Studies [Springer]
- Vierteljahreszeitschrift für Sicherheit und Frieden (S+F)