This book is a long overdue assessment of the role of the UN specialized Agencies in peacekeeping operations. Special emphasis is given to that most vexed category, 'complex emergencies', invloving entrapped or victimized civilian populations and a plethora of UN national military and NGO actors.While based on the full range of recent history, the contributions to this volume are forward looking and policy-oriented, bringing a hard edged practicality to complex and hitherto under-examined issues.