Myth of the Democratic Peacekeeper

The Myth of the Democratic Peacekeeper reevaluates how United Nations peacekeeping missions reform (or fail to reform) their participating members. It investigates how such missions affect military organizations and civil-military relations as countries transition to a more democratic system. Two-thirds of the UN's peacekeepers come from developing nations, many of which are transitioning to democracy as well. The assumption is that these "blue helmet" peacekeepers learn not only to appreciate democratic principles through their mission work but also to develop an international outlook and new ideas about conflict prevention. Arturo C. Sotomayor debunks this myth, arguing that democratic practices don't just "rub off" on UN peacekeepers. So what, if any, benefit accrues to these troops from emerging democracies? In this richly detailed study of a decade's worth of research (2001-2010) on Argentine, Brazilian, and Uruguayan peacekeeping participation, Sotomayor draws upon international socialization theory and civil-military relations to understand how peacekeeping efforts impact participating armed forces. He asks three questions: Does peacekeeping reform military organizations?Can peacekeeping socialize soldiers to become more liberalized and civilianized? Does peacekeeping improve defense and foreign policy integration? His evaluation of the three countries' involvement in the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti reinforces his final analysis - that successful democratic transitions must include a military organization open to change and a civilian leadership that exercises its oversight responsibilities. The Myth of the Democratic Peacekeeper contributes to international relations theory and to substantive issues in civil-military relations and comparative politics. It provides a novel argument about how peacekeeping works and further insight into how international factors affect domestic politics as well as how international institutions affect democratizing efforts.

A solid assessment recommended for military and political science holdings alike. Midwest Book Review Arturo Sotomayor's new book does something simple, original, and very important in peacekeeping scholarship. Instead of examining what peacekeepers do or do not do in the field, and whether or not they are successful, Sotomayor looks through the other end of the telescope, to examine the countries that contribute those peacekeepers to UN missions... Sotomayor's book has set the nascent subfield of peacekeeper contributor studies on a firm and intellectually rigorous footing. His book is to be highly commended to anyone interested in the changing dynamics of global militarism, the international use of force, and the unintended consequences and paradoxes of liberal internationalism. -- Philip Cunliffe H-Diplo With its different focus, [The Myth of the Democratic Peacekeeper] is a welcome addition to the literature, and its conclusions should give pause for thought. -- Astri Suhrke International Peacekeeping A careful, systematic, and ultimately persuasive critique... Ultimately, Sotomayor does just as much to expose the quandary of peacekeeping as he does to highlight the contingent effects of peacekeeping. -- Craig Arceneaux Political Science Quarterly The argument and evidence in The Myth of the Democratic Peacekeeper significantly advances understanding of the effects of participation in peacekeeping on civil-military relations in sending countries... This book represents a significant contribution to a growing strand of literature... The insights in The Myth of the Democratic Peacekeeper should inspire further scholarly work in this important area. -- David E. Cunningham Perspectives on Politics

Arturo C. Sotomayor is an assistant professor in the Department of National Security Affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School. He is coeditor of Mexico's Security Failure: Collapse into Criminal Violence and El mundo desde Mexico: ensayos de politica internacional.