Drawing on field research and interviews with key individuals, this book presents a history of UN state-building operations from colonial times to the problems faced in the 21st century. It examines topics such as peace and security, the role of the UN as government, judicial reconstruction, economic reconstruction, exit strategies, and more.

Aimed at policy-makers, diplomats, and a wide academic audience (including international relations, political science, international law, and war studies), the book provides a concise history of UN state-building operations and a treatment of the five key issues confronting such an operation on the ground: peace and security, the role of the UN as government, judicial reconstruction, economic reconstruction, and exit strategies.

Introduction
1. Colonies and Occupied Territories: Transitional Administrations Through the Twentieth Century
2. Power and Change: The Evolution of United Nations Complex Peace Operations
3. Peace and Security: The Use of Force to Maintain Law and Order
4. Consultation and Accountability: Building Democracy Through Benevolent Autocracy
5. Justice and Reconciliation: The Rule of Law in Post-Conflict Territories
6. Relief and Reconstruction: The Politics of Humanitarian and Development Assistance
7. Elections and Exit Strategies: No Exit Without a Strategy, or No Strategy Without an Exit
8. 'You, the People': The Future of State-Building