Stabilisation: GSDRC Professional Development Reading Pack No. 47

This reading pack provide an introduction to the main issues and debates

Abstract

Stabilisation efforts have become a common policy component of intervention in conflict response throughout the world. In recent years, there have been significant stabilisation interventions in places such as the Western Balkans, Haiti and Mali, among others. The concept of stabilisation, understood as the requirement to meet basic humanitarian and development needs of communities in order to hold onto territories gained through military action, is not new; examples can be seen throughout history, including in the Philippines (1892-1902), Algeria (1956-1962), and Vietnam (1967-1975). However, contemporary stabilisation involves a number of new features, including a growth and diversification of the actors involved and their relationships. Popular perceptions of stabilisation in recent years have been largely shaped by the interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan, where protracted efforts under the International Security Assistance Forces have come under greater scrutiny.

Citation

Barakat, S. (2016). Stabilisation. GSDRC Professional Development Reading Pack no. 47. Birmingham, UK: University of Birmingham, 4pp

Stabilisation: GSDRC Professional Development Reading Pack No. 47

Published 1 July 2016