About Book

Sarah Holt’s Aid, Peacebuilding and the Resurgence of War provides a critical examination of international aid interventions in Sri Lanka, focusing on how peacebuilding efforts inadvertently contributed to renewed conflict. Key themes include:The Role of Foreign Aid in Peace Processes – Analyzing how international donors supported post-war reconstruction but failed to address root causes of the conflict. • Political Manipulation of Aid – Examining how funding was used to reinforce political power structures rather than foster sustainable peace. • The Sri Lankan Civil War and LTTE – Providing an in-depth discussion on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the state’s counterinsurgency strategies. • Peacebuilding as ‘Buying Time’ – Arguing that peace processes often serve as temporary solutions rather than genuine conflict resolution mechanisms. • The Impact of Militarization and Governance – Investigating how governance structures in post-conflict societies contribute to the resurgence of violence. The book challenges the assumption that aid and peacebuilding efforts always lead to sustainable peace, revealing the complexities and unintended consequences of international interventions. Relevance to Current Global Issues • Post-war recovery efforts and international aid policies, applicable to Afghanistan, Syria, and Yemen. • Role of governance and military strategies in counterinsurgency, relevant for understanding the resurgence of militant groups. • Lessons from Sri Lanka’s peace process, providing case-based evidence on why peacebuilding efforts succeed or fail. • Aid dependency and conflict resolution, crucial for discussions on NGO involvement in peacebuilding. This book is a highly valuable resource for understanding the complexities of peacebuilding, the limitations of international aid, and the political economy of war. It offers critical insights into post-war governance, counterterrorism strategies, and the resurgence of conflict.