The EU's Approach to Conflict Analysis in Integrated Conflict Interventions

This book aims to critically examine the European Union’s peacebuilding approach, focusing on integrated conflict analysis, suggesting a new model for conflict analysis within the EU Common Security and Defence Policy. It explores recent interventions while also addressing the need for improved conflict sensitivity. It argues that greater self-reflexivity, and deeper reflection on motivations for intervention plays a critical role within multilateral efforts to address implementation gaps, encourage greater analytical capacity, suggest categories of partnership interaction with other actors and give centrality to the EUs integrated approach, reorienting away from the growing emphasis on securitisation. It is aimed at policy makers and practitioners, asking questions of contemporary analysis frameworks which validate causal pathways and currently provide the basis of the international peace architecture.

Kieran Doyle is Senior Lecturer at Maynooth University, Republic of Ireland, and Deputy Director of the Edward M Kennedy Institute. Since 2013, Dr Doyle has been Irish representative on the Academic Board of the European Security and Defence College (ESDC) based in the European External Action Service, Brussels. In 2023 he was a Fellow in the Weatherhead Centre for International Affairs, Harvard University, participating in a research cluster on Conflict and Identity Politics.

Sean Mc Gearty is Adjunct Lecturer with the Edward Kennedy Institute for Conflict Intervention, Maynooth University, Republic of Ireland, and a member of the UNDP –Department of Political Affairs Peace and Development Specialist Roster and the OSCE Mediation Experts Roster. He has over 25 years’ experience in peacebuilding as an advisor, mediator and trainer with a strong track record of working to support peace processes in fragile and conflict affected countries including the Middle East, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Cyprus as well as ongoing work to support the Northern Ireland peace process.