Description
How does a researcher of UN peacekeeping operations understand the extent to which UN peacekeepers intentionally kill or injure others in carrying out their mandated tasks? This paper is built from this relatively straightforward question. It identifies that knowledge in this space is contested and at times opaque, whether by design or by coincidence. The extent to which UN interventions normalise ‘militarised ideologies and practices’ (Gelot and Sandor 2019) such as normalising the use of violent force has been explored with regards to strategic-level reports on peacekeeping (Riis Andersen 2018), robust peacekeeping (Karlsrud 2015, Hunt 2017), and particular missions (Gauthier Vela, 2021). Through investigating the gaps in knowledge concerning the act of intentionally wounding or killing, the article identifies a gap which requires further investigation to build a fuller picture of the militarization of UN peacekeeping. By doing so, it also raises important questions about accountability, power imbalances within knowledge production, and the conflict resolution potential of the UN.
