This book is an important contribution to the understanding of conflict and peace in the modern world, and to the continuous debate about the best methods to avoid and limit wars. This revised edition has the added advantage of having updated information about international and civil conflicts up to the early 1980s. This last point is important as there is not any other book that I know of which offers a comprehensive approach to the topic as well as updated information on the international conflicts that happened during the last few years.

It guides the reader through a complex topic, helping one to understand the reasons for conflict and to realistically assess the possibilities for peace in different contexts. It also provides well argued policy recommendations about the means to be used to reduce the likelihood of armed conlict, its intensity, and duration.