Following on the publication of The Sanctions Decade – lauded as the definitive history and accounting of UN sanctions in the 1990s – David Cortright and George Lopez continue their collaboration to examine the changing context and meaning of sanctions and of the kinds of dilemmas that the Security Council now faces.

Cortright and Lopez note that some changes have occurred in sanctions mechanisms. Despite widespread disagreement about the effectiveness of UN sanctions and the need for reform, the Security Council continues to impose sanctions, and it maintains ongoing measures in eight countries. Exploring the dynamics of recent developments, the authors assess a range of new multilateral approaches to sanctions and economic statecraft, review the heated debate over the humanitarian impact of sanctions, and consider the increasingly important role of NGOs in UN policymaking. They conclude with a framework for future policy, as well as specific recommendations for enhancing the viability of “smart sanctions” strategies.

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