XXII. The Emperors Clothes - Critical Reflection On The Disarmament, Demobilization And Reintegration

Abstract

Disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) programmes are frequently introduced by multilateral and bilateral aid agencies in the context of so-called peace support operations (PSO) and post-conflict recovery/reconstruction activities. This chapter considers a range of contexts in which DDR is implemented and the assumptions that underpin the process. Drawing on recent empirical data, it issues a number of lessons emerging from the field. The chapter observes a veritable explosion of DDR interventions since the early 1990s - peaking at the turn of the twentieth century. The end of the Cold War witnessed a massive surge in DDR activities - most of them taking place in low and middle-income countries in the aftermath of war. DDR can be viewed on a continuum that extends from a minimalist to a maximalist perspective. Keywords: Cold War; disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) operations; peace support operations (PSO); post-conflict reconstruction efforts; post-conflict recovery activities