Fully revised and updated in its third edition, this timely book brings together the study of conflict and war and the problems surrounding economic development of developing societies who are most prone to experiencing problems in moving on after war.

Introduction. 1. Poverty, Profit and the Political Economy of Violent Conflict. 2. Institutions: Hardware and Software. 3. People: Participation, Civil Society and Gender. 4. Conflict Transformation and Development. 5. Post-conflict Reconstruction, Democratization and Development. 6. Development, Aid and Violent Conflict. Conclusion.

Andrew J. Williams is Professor of International Relations (Emeritus) at the University of St Andrews. He specializes in the study of conflict and international history. His main current research interests include international conflict analysis and the international history of France. He has experience in the practice of conflict resolution and has worked as a consultant for United Nations organizations, including United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UNITAR. He has published widely in key journals. His book Liberalism and War was published by Routledge in 2006 (second edition forthcoming 2024).

Alasdair Gordon-Gibson is an Honorary Lecturer with the University of St Andrews and has worked for over 20 years with the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. He holds a PhD from the University of St Andrews with research focusing on examination of how the discourse around humanitarian principles and practice can be re-cast in the contemporary political environment. Publications include the book Humanitarians on the Frontier: Identity and Access along the Borders of Power (2021), which looks at the changing discourse around the aid and development sectors in contemporary conflicts.