Narrating the Women, Peace and Security Agenda: Logics of Global Governance

The narrative turn in international relations examines how stories about international events and issues influence global policy solutions. Laura J. Shepherd's book explores the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, adopted by the United Nations Security Council twenty years ago, focusing on its implementation at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. She argues that to understand the agenda's implementation, we need to understand the narration of its beginnings, ongoing unfolding, and plural futures. These stories outline the agenda's priorities and delimit its possibilities, but Shepherd shows that the plurality of logics cannot be used as an alibi for limited engagement or strategic inaction. Those seeking to realize the WPS agenda must live with the irreconcilable, irresolvable, and ambiguous.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 216 pages
Publication date: 04 August 2021
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

The narrative turn has recently exerted a significant influence on theories, methodologies, and research designs within the field of international relations. Its primary objective is to explore the emergence and development of stories about international events and issues, as well as their impact on the adoption and limitations of global policy solutions across the globe

The Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda, adopted by the United Nations Security Council twenty years ago, aims to enhance women's participation in conflict prevention efforts and safeguard their rights during conflict and peacebuilding. Those involved in its creation, including its strategies, guidelines, and protocols, often prioritize implementation as the critical aspect of the agenda. However, what can the stories surrounding the agenda's emergence reveal about its boundaries and potential?

In her book, Laura J. Shepherd examines WPS as a policy agenda that has been realized through the stories told about it, particularly focusing on the world of WPS work at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. She argues that to understand the implementation of the agenda, we must also comprehend the narration of its origins, ongoing unfolding, and plural futures. These stories outline the agenda's priorities and constraints, as well as communicate and constitute its successes and failures.

As the book demonstrates, significant efforts are expended to reduce or resolve the agenda to a singular, essential thing with a singular, essential meaning. However, there exists no true WPS agenda that practitioners, activists, and policymakers can apprehend and use as their guide. Instead, there is a messy and contested space for political interventions that defy singular interpretations.

The narrative turn in international relations offers a valuable lens for analyzing the complexities and dynamics of global policymaking. By exploring the stories that shape our understanding of international events and issues, we can gain a deeper appreciation of the challenges and opportunities that arise in the pursuit of peace and security. The WPS agenda serves as a case study highlighting the complexities and challenges of implementing a policy agenda that aims to promote gender equality and women's rights on a global scale.

Through the examination of the narrative surrounding the WPS agenda, this book contributes to our understanding of the role. It highlights the importance of considering the stories we tell about international events and issues, as well as the ways in which these stories shape our perceptions and actions. It encourages practitioners, activists, and policymakers to approach the agenda.

Weight: 308g
Dimension: 156 x 234 x 16 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780197557259