Over the centuries the concept of peace has broadened. It has shifted from the mere absence of overt war and has incorporated new concepts and practices. These have included mediation, peacekeeping, peacebuilding, conflict resolution or transformation, and everyday or hybrid forms of peace. In this Very Short Introduction, Oliver P. Richmond provides a succinct analysis of the evolution of peace. Looking at the key themes, concepts, theories, and terminology, he demonstrates why efforts at peacemaking influence so much of contemporary international politics. Using the latest theoretical and empirical research, Richmond introduces a framework to understand the overall evolution of the international peace architecture--back cover.

Previous edition: 2014.

1. The multiple dimensions of peace -- 2. Defining peace -- 3. The victor's peace in history -- 4. Peace in history: towards the Englightenment -- 5. Peace in modernity: the constitutional peace -- 6. The next step: an institutional peace -- 7. A radical phase: a civil peace and social advocacy -- 8. The development of an international peace architecture -- 9. Peacekeeping, peacebuilding, and statebuilding -- 10. Hybrid forms of peace, peace formation, and counter-peace -- Epilogue: new agendas for peace.