Fully revised and updated in its third edition, this timely book brings together the study of conflict and war and the problems surrounding the economic development of developing societies that are most prone to experiencing problems in moving on after war.

The book does so by reflecting on the issues surrounding war as it unfolds and after it has (in principle) ‘ended’, within the context of the history, present-day problems and future prospects. The book aims to highlight the possibilities, successes and failures of past and present policies that bring ‘development’ to countries and peoples that want to be more involved in deciding their own futures after conflict and war, and often find themselves subject to what can be seen as arbitrary and even alien ways of thinking and acting by institutions in which they theoretically have membership and agency but often do not in practice. The case studies have been fully updated to reflect changes and developments since the second edition of this text, and there are questions at the end of each chapter to promote reflection. This new edition presents a deeper dive into the history of conflict and the emergence of new theories and policy guidance about present and future options in the fields of conflict and development.

Accessible and engaging, this textbook is a pivotal resource for a nexus of subjects related to the often separated fields of conflict and development studies, as well as practitioners in this area.

Andrew J. Williams is Professor of International Relations (Emeritus) at the University of St Andrews. He specializes in the study of conflict and international history. His main current research interests include international conflict analysis and the international history of France. He has experience in the practice of conflict resolution and has worked as a consultant for United Nations organizations, including United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UNITAR. He has published widely in key journals. His book Liberalism and War was published by Routledge in 2006 (second edition forthcoming 2024).

Alasdair Gordon-Gibson is an Honorary Lecturer with the University of St Andrews and has worked for over 20 years with the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. He holds a PhD from the University of St Andrews with research focusing on examination of how the discourse around humanitarian principles and practice can be re-cast in the contemporary political environment. Publications include the book Humanitarians on the Frontier: Identity and Access along the Borders of Power (2021), which looks at the changing discourse around the aid and development sectors in contemporary conflicts.