"DDR: A Shifting Paradigm and the Scholar/Practitioner Gap"
While scholarly input, both pre-mission and in examining the results of programs is critical for the development of effective DDR programs in dynamic environments, a significant communications gap exists between the DDR practitioner and scholar for various reasons. This gap must be bridged to realize necessary synergy through integration between the practitioner and the scholar, which may be the difference between success and failure in peacekeeping and peacebuilding interventions.
Further, and more difficult to address, a time lag exists between the publication of useful analysis and its applicability. Lateral and innovative thinking from both scholar and practitioner is needed to mitigate this phenomenon and to derive latent synergy to enhance the contribution to Human Security.
"Afghanistan: Exploring the Dynamics of Socio-political Strife and the Persistence of the Insurgency"
The persistence of the insurgency and the inability of the Government of Afghanistan and the International Community to effectively combat and eliminate the insurgency raise important questions not only of the counter-insurgency methods employed, but of the composition support and purpose of the insurgency and the likelihood of defeating it. Most importantly however, the essential question that can be asked is whether the various dynamics that are fostering the insurgency are understood within the context of the turbulent history of Afghanistan. This research study, through a historical analysis of the internal dynamics of socio-political strife, explores some of these outstanding issues.
Read both papers on our Occasional Papers page.