Peacekeeping armies: how the politics of peace operations shape military organizations

Abstract

Abstract What is a ‘peacekeeping army’? Why do some states develop them? And what influence do they have on military organizations, their soldiers and the practices of peacekeeping more broadly? This article provides the first attempt to theorize this concept and illustrate its utility with reference to specific country examples. We develop the concept by drawing on a comparative analysis of troop contributions to peace operations over time, an examination of national security documents and institutional military reforms. Specifically, we define a ‘peacekeeping army’ as one which has undertaken institutional reforms to regularly perform the military functions of peacekeeping at a relatively large scale compared to the size of its active force and has prioritized international peacekeeping as one of its top-tier priorities. We find that political, economic and institutional motives for establishing a ‘peacekeeping army’ are more important than normative and security factors. Once established, a ‘peacekeeping army’ generates significant, and diverse effects on the soldiers, the military organization, the government and potentially the practices of peacekeeping more broadly. The conclusion summarizes our main findings and identifies implications for policy.