Course Description: Introduction to UN Peacekeeping
Course Code: UNAANSW010
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: UNAANSW001 – Introduction to the United Nations
Target Audience
This course is designed for:
• Professionals interested in global affairs and international cooperation
• Corporate and organisational leaders seeking a better understanding of global governance
• Students studying international relations, politics, or global development
• Individuals with a general interest in the United Nations and its role in responding to conflict
• People seeking a foundational understanding of UN peace and security activities
• Participants preparing for further study in UN peacekeeping, peace operations or international conflict management
Participants are expected to have completed UNAANSW001 – “Introduction to the United Nations” before attending this course. That introductory session provides the broader context of the UN’s history, purpose, structure and core functions, which will help participants better understand the peace and security role explored in this course
Course Overview
The United Nations plays a central role in maintaining international peace and security, but its work in this area is broader and more varied than many people realise. From preventing disputes before they escalate, to helping negotiate peace agreements, supporting peacekeeping missions, authorising enforcement action, and assisting countries to rebuild after conflict, the UN uses a range of tools across the conflict cycle.
This session provides an introduction to the UN’s peace and security architecture, with a particular focus on the evolution of peacekeeping and the different forms that UN peace operations can take. Participants will explore the history of UN peacekeeping from its origins in 1948 through to the complex multidimensional missions of the present day. The course also explains the role of the Security Council and key Secretariat departments involved in peace operations, including the Department of Peace Operations, the Department of Operational Support, and the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs.
The session introduces the five main types of UN peace and security activity: conflict prevention, peacemaking, peace enforcement, peacekeeping and peacebuilding. It also examines the differences between traditional peacekeeping, multidimensional peacekeeping and transitional authority missions, helping participants understand how UN responses vary depending on the nature of the conflict and the needs of the host country.
By the end of the session, participants will have a clearer understanding of how the UN seeks to maintain and restore peace, the challenges involved in this work, and the place of peacekeeping within the wider peace and security system.
Learning Goals
By the end of the session, participants will be able to:
• Understand the history and evolution of UN peacekeeping
• Describe the role and importance of the UN Security Council in peacekeeping and peace operations
• Explain the five main types of UN peace and security activity
• Distinguish between conflict prevention, peacemaking, peace enforcement, peacekeeping and peacebuilding
• Identify the different types of UN peacekeeping operations
• Explain the differences between traditional peacekeeping, multidimensional peacekeeping and transitional authority missions.
Key Topics Covered
• The origins and history of UN peacekeeping
• The changing nature of peacekeeping from 1948 to the present
• The role of the UN Security Council in authorising peace operations
• Key UN departments involved in peacekeeping and peace operations
• The spectrum of peace and security activities across the conflict cycle
• Conflict prevention and preventive diplomacy
• Peacemaking and support to peace agreements
• Peace enforcement and the use of coercive measures
• Peacekeeping and the implementation of peace agreements
• Peacebuilding and the foundations of sustainable peace
• Different types of peacekeeping operations
• Traditional peacekeeping, multidimensional peacekeeping and transitional authority
• The role of special political missions in peace and security
Learning Outcomes
Participants will leave the session with:
• A solid introductory understanding of the UN’s peace and security system
• Greater awareness of how peacekeeping fits within the wider spectrum of UN conflict response
• A clearer understanding of the different tools the UN uses before, during and after conflict
• Insight into how peacekeeping missions have evolved over time in response to changing global conflict patterns
• A strong foundation for further learning in UN peacekeeping, peace operations and international security