Abstract
The "liberal peace" model (i.e., the idea that peace can only be developed and sustained in a country by the promotion of "liberal democracy, liberal human rights, the integration of societies into globalization, and the centralized secular state"; chap. 1, p. 4) is an assumption that is far too often unexaminedy would-be peacebuilders. Currently, most of the ongoing work in, for example, Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Liberia, Timor Leste, and other post-conflict countries is based on the hope that a functioning democracy, integrated into the world capitalist system, provides the optimal infrastructure for developing sustainable peace in these countries. Such premises are rarely seriously questioned, so it is a relief to see this book, which explores the effectiveness of these assumptions in relation to contemporary peacebuilding. Although it focuses mainly on United Nations peacebuilding, the questions it raises are relevant for every peace psychologist, as well as governments and international and domestic agencies, that is attempting to support peacebuilding efforts around the world. © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.