Overview Peacekeeping is a military third-party intervention to assist the transition from violent conflict to stable peace. Peacekeeping Operations (PKOs) contribute to this goal providing security; supporting and facilitating other non-military initiatives; and making available the tool of military force. PKOs evolved from neutral monitoring missions to complex multitask endeavors. Their effectiveness is heavily influenced by their institutional structure and by practices at the operational level. A theoretical analysis of Peacekeeping should go beyond a historical perspective, to define theoretical guidelines that help distinguish between different types of missions. This distinction allows to best match the types of intervention with conflicts; to guide training programs for peacekeepers; and to set the criteria to measure the effectiveness of the operations. | 
