This is not a single-funded project but rather a sustained program of research supported over time through multiple grants and research contracts, including two Australian Research Council (ARC) grants.
This program of research explores the evolving normative character of United Nations (UN) peace operations, with a particular emphasis on how these missions have increasingly prioritised the protection of civilians in conflict-affected settings. It critically examines the policy shifts and operational adaptations that have accompanied this trend, interrogating both the motivations behind the UN's growing civilian protection mandate and its implications for the conduct of peacekeeping on the ground.
Central to this research is an analysis of how peacekeepers interpret and implement mandates related to civilian protection in complex and often volatile environments. This includes studying the strategies employed to prevent and respond to violence against civilians, the institutional frameworks that guide these efforts, and the political and ethical dilemmas that arise in practice.
Drawing on fieldwork, policy analysis, and institutional review, the research contributes to broader debates about the legitimacy, effectiveness, and future direction of UN peace operations. It seeks to inform both scholarly understanding and policymaking by providing evidence-based insights into the challenges and opportunities of embedding normative commitments—such as human protection—within the operational realities of contemporary peacekeeping.
This work has been supported by multiple competitive research grants and contracts over time, including two grants from the Australian Research Council (ARC), enabling a sustained and in-depth inquiry into this critical area of international peace and security.
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