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Two prestigious academic associations recently honored George Mason University's Schar School of Policy and Government Professor Emeritus Daniel Druckman for his book When Peacekeeping Missions Collide: Balancing Multiple Roles in Peace Operations.
The book, co-written with Paul F. Diehl and Grace B. Mueller and published by Oxford University Press, won the 2025 International Studies Association J. David Singer Book Award and the 2026 International Association for Conflict Management Outstanding Book Award. Druckman and Mueller received the IACM award in person at the annual conference held July 5–8, in Vienna, Austria.
“[These are] fantastic honors from two very different associations,” Druckman said. “We knew that this was a very good book and now have validation that it is viewed that way from two professional associations.”
When Peacekeeping Missions Collide provides an assessment on how different peacekeeping missions intersect with one another in contemporary conflicts. Readers of the book will learn that modern peacekeepers do much more than monitor ceasefires, Druckman says.
“They contribute to providing humanitarian aid, monitoring elections, playing roles in ensuring the rule of law and engaging in a host of peace-building activities,” he said. “With all of these missions, they run into trouble juggling the many tasks required to fulfill their mandate. Mission compatibility is critical to the success of any peace operations. Indeed, peacekeepers play a major role in moving conflicts from escalating violence to sustained peace. [Our] analyses open a world largely unknown to most readers concerned about how to create a more peaceful world.”
Druckman's work reflects the Schar School's broader commitment to quality scholarship that informs both academic debate and public policy. Research like When Peacekeeping Missions Collide deepens understanding of international security and peacebuilding while enriching the intellectual environment in which Schar School students study and conduct their own research.