This book provides guidance for structuring ethical reflection as well as analytical tools to get to the heart of issues quickly. It is designed to help practitioners engage ethically in applied peacebuilding and conflict transformation and to help students aspiring to be peacebuilders think about ethics. It discusses ethics and morality, significant barriers to ethical deliberations in applied work, moral theories, creative problem-solving for situations when moral values conflict, and the need for healthy ethical organizations. Throughout, concrete examples, scenarios, and discussion questions help draw out key issues to improve peacebuilding practices. Detailed case studies include peacebuilding initiatives in East Timor, Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, and more. Written by an experienced practitioner, the book will help identify and analyze ethical problems and resolve moral value conflicts to create healthy practices. It will provide valuable guidance for thinking ethically about peacebuilding work and handling the specific dilemmas related to it.

"Recent incidents involving sexual exploitation and corruption have highlighted what some have called the ‘dark side of peacekeeping.’ Less intentional are peace-keeping’s ‘unintended consequences,’ in which operations produce negative outcomes, such as economic distortions. This book fills an important gap by going beyond documenting problems to offering guidelines for ethical behavior in peace-building operations. The book’s subtitle, ‘A Practical Guide,’ does not do it justice. The analysis does offer more on general guidelines about how to think about the key issues and decisions than provide specific solutions. Illustrative is chapter 4, in which the author applies four moral theories to peace building and raises key questions for peace-keepers suggested by each. Nevertheless, the book is far from an abstract philosophical exercise. The chapters contain specific examples and scenarios (often set off in text boxes) as well as activities and ‘thinking tasks’ that focus readers on real-world applications of the elucidated principles. Particularly effective are the ‘For Further Exploration’ sections that conclude the chapters. This is essential reading for policy makers and upper-level peace-keeping officials, but scholars will find much of value here as well. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through professionals." - CHOICE