On December 5^, 2018 I met with Dr. Campbell for a 1 hour meeting.[1]We discussed the progress I have made on thinking about my puzzle and my research question.

We drilled my original puzzle down to a more detailed question: How does the ambiguity of the mandate and directives to implement it shape the effectiveness of UN peace operations (through the case of MONUC/MONUSCO) in relation to the protection of civilians?

We discussed that although I did discourse analysis for my interpretivist piece, I will be able to use sources I gathered from my different sketches to propose a single case study for research. The depth of the single case study will allow me to explore variables to operationalize for how civilians are or are not protected in the MONUSCO peacekeeping mission.

She provided me three books that will help me understand peacekeeping operations better as we transition to SISU-306.[2][3][4]She also noted that I will need to conduct interviews and that we can discuss what those will look like when I return from winter break. The plan for my next steps post final paper is to read the books provided and to read Victoria Holt’s work. Holt works at the Stimson Center and “Her areas of expertise focus on issues relating to international security and multilateral tools, including peace operations and conflict prevention, the United Nations and Security Council, protection of civilians, crisis regions and U.S. policy-making.”[5]By reading her work I will better understand how to frame the question I am looking to answer.

I believe the biggest challenge I will have as we transition to SISU-306 is to plan everything out in advance. One of the realities of this program is that we must continue to learn at a certain speed but analyzing the problems we have identified will be time-consuming—though we do not know exactly how much time will be needed. I am optimistic that by planning ahead, I will strike the proper balance, and I anticipate that conducting research over the break without any deadlines will help.

[1]Campbell, Susanna. www.susanacampbell.com.

[2]Bellamy, Alex J., Paul D. Williams, and Stuart Griffin. Understanding Peacekeeping. Cambridge, UK: Polity, 2010.

[3]Durch, William J. UN Peacekeeping, American Politics, and the Uncivil Wars of the 1990s 1st ed. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1996.

[4]Durch, William J. Twenty-First-Century Peace Operations Washington, D.C.: United States Institute of Peace and the Henry L. Stimson Center, 2006.

[5]Stimson Center. https://www.stimson.org/staff/victoria-holt#smooth-scroll-top.

Notes

Bellamy, Alex J., Paul D. Williams, and Stuart Griffin. Understanding Peacekeeping.

Cambridge, UK: Polity, 2010.

Campbell, Susanna. www.susanacampbell.com.

Durch, William J. Twenty-First-Century Peace Operations Washington, D.C.: United States

Institute of Peace and the Henry L. Stimson Center, 2006.

Durch, William J. UN Peacekeeping, American Politics, and the Uncivil Wars of the 1990s 1st

1996. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1996.

Stimson Center. https://www.stimson.org/staff/victoria-holt#smooth-scroll-top.