Keeping or Building Peace? UN Peace Operations beyond the Security Dilemma

Abstract One of the most consistent findings on UN peace operations (UNPOs) is that they contribute to peace. Existing scholarship argues this because UNPOs' peacekeeping troops solve security dilemma inhibits combatant disarmament and prevents their political leaders from sharing power. We argue existing scholarship's focus overlooks UNPOs’ role in enabling governments implement redistributive power‐sharing reforms contained agreements, along with broader processes. While can help belligerents refrain violence, military force alone cannot explain how elites threaten status. UNPOs have predominant peacebuilding (as opposed peacekeeping) mandates sustain elites’ commitment implementing agreement and, thus, inclusive (increased inclusion reduced violence). test our argument using a data set UNPO original fieldwork three sequential Burundi.