Local Peace, International Builders: How UN Peacekeeping Builds Peace from the Bottom Up

by William G. Nomikos

Abstract

This book review examines William G. Nomikos’s Local Peace, International Builders: How UN Peacekeeping Builds Peace from the Bottom Up, which advances a localized approach to understanding the effectiveness of United Nations peacekeeping operations. The book argues that peacekeepers are most effective in preventing communal violence when local populations perceive them as impartial and independent from the conflict and host-state interests. Through its “Localized Peace Enforcement Theory,” Nomikos shifts attention from conventional measures such as troop strength and ceasefires toward local cooperation and the prevention of communal disputes. Drawing on experimental, subnational, and cross-national evidence, including extensive research from Mali, the book demonstrates the importance of peacekeeper composition and perceived impartiality in reducing conflict escalation. The review highlights the book’s theoretical and empirical contributions while critically assessing its reliance on subjective perceptions of neutrality and trust. Overall, the book offers a valuable bottom-up perspective for understanding peacekeeping effectiveness and designing future peace operations.