World Peace

Reviews / Votes

Alex Bellamy [...] makes the best-sustained argument for world peace since Immanuel Kant's Perpetual Peace (1795). * Hugh Miall, The Times Higher Education Supplement * [A] thoughtful account. * G. John Ikenberry, Foreign Affairs * There is an energy in this book's pragmatism as it seeks to restore world peace to a place of political and philosophical prominence. Those who long to reignite conversations about world peace will find this book a welcome addition. * Colin McCullough, Ryerson University, International Journal * A clear, pragmatic exploration of war and peace and what motivates or prevents them. A treasury of practical suggestions for strengthening the motivations for peace (political, cognitive, and emotional) and for enabling the existing institutions, and in particular the UN, to work more effectively. A well-informed, readable invitation to everyone to play our part in building peace. * Rev. Dr. Liz Carmichael, St. John's College, Oxford * Optimistic without being starry-eyed, Bellamy believes that peace is a possibility but not "imminent or likely," particularly as international tensions have risen and reasons for war, including resource scarcity, have become more pronounced ... A sensible [...] case for pursuing politics by means other than war. * Kirkus Review * There is a lot to admire about Professor Bellamy, which is what makes his new book the proverbial 'must read' for anyone with even a passing interest in the theory and more importantly the possible practice of world peace ... it is not possible to do justice to the sophistication and persuasiveness of the arguments Bellamy deploys in a short review ... this is a very significant contribution to what is generally an impoverished, deeply depressing and all-too-predictable discussion of security issues. It really ought to be read by the policymaking community in [Australia] and elsewhere ... Bellamy has produced a brave and brilliant meditation on the most important issue facing the world. That's worth at least an hour or two of anyone's time, I would have thought. * Mark Beeson, The Strategist * This book is very readable and stimulating, and it is highly recommended to everyone who wants to understand peace. It also shows that the big question of how world peace can be achieved needs more attention. * Erik Melander, Journal of Peace Research * An inspiration for everyone concerned with the practices of war and peace. * Benjamin Duerr, Global Policy * However utopian the idea of world peace seems, the effort to achieve it must assuredly be one of humanity's noblest endeavours. Alex Bellamy has done a great service in curating debate and suggestions to this end, and deserves our applause. * Professor A. C. Grayling CBE * The notion that peace is more than the absence of war has become axiomatic. But how do we build a world without war, atrocities and identity-based conflict? This insightful and incisive book by Alex Bellamy is a timely reminder that 'human nature' is a contested concept, that movements for peace and justice are as ancient and enduring as our more destructive martial impulses, and that a better and more peaceful world is possible. * Simon Adams, Executive Director, Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect * Mr. Bellamy's new book --like his life's work-- champions the essential and attainable seachange required of our world for a future where all humans are valued equally, where conflict is preventable, and peace is more than our shared goal, it is our default. * Lieutenant-General The Honourable Romeo Dallaire, humanitarian, author, and retired senator and general * In his quest for a better and safer world, Alex Bellamy, one of the leading authors on the prevention of mass atrocities, in this book turns to world peace (and how to achieve it). He bravely sails through the history of ideas and the actual history to identify what works best based on empirical evidence. It is equally intellectually exciting to follow his journey and to explore its outcome: short, clear and actionable Articles for world peace. This is a Herculean effort and a great book to read. It is both timely and challenging: confronted with the increase of conflicts during the last decade, we desperately need an improved approach to the world peace. But can the proposals set out here work? The real test will be a practical one: let us hope that not only academics, but also policy makers give this book a close look and test its Articles of peace in practice! * Ivan Simonovic, Permanent Representative of Croatia to the United Nations * Heroically aspirational and wildly ambitious as Alex Bellamys book may appear at first sight, it is full of measured and thoughtful analysis of the causes of both war and peace, and timely prescriptions for policymakers as to what they should and can do to minimize the risk of future catastrophic conflict. * Gareth Evans, former Foreign Minister of Australia and President Emeritus of the International Crisis Group *