The modern concept of peace has broadened from the mere absence of violence to something more sophisticated, incorporating terms such as 'peacemaking' and 'conflict resolution'. This Very Short Introduction is theoretically updated and introduces a new framework to understand the overall evolution of international peace architecture.

Oliver Richmond is a Research Professor in IR, Peace and Conflict Studies in the Department of Politics, University of Manchester, UK. He was previously a professor at the University of St Andrews, and before that, the University of Nicosia. He is also International Professor at Dublin City University, Ireland, Distinguished Visiting Professor at the University of Tubingen, Germany, and a Visiting Professor at the University of Coimbra, Portugal. His publications include The Grand Design (Oxford University Press, 2022), Peace Formation and Political Order in Conflict Affected Societies (Oxford University Press, 2016) and Failed Statebuilding (2014). He is editor of the Palgrave book series, Rethinking Peace and Conflict Studies, and co-editor of the Journal, Peacebuilding.

• Introduction: the multiple dimensions of peace


• 1: Defining peace


• 2: The victor's peace in history


• 3: Peace in history: towards the Enlightenment


• 4: Peace in modernity: the constitutional peace


• 5: The next step: an institutional peace


• 6: A radical phase: a civil peace and social advocacy


• 7: The development of an international peace architecture


• 8: Peacekeeping, peacebuilding, and statebuilding


• 9: Hybrid forms of peace, peace formation and counter-peace


• Epilogue: new agendas for peace


• Further Reading


• Index