Islamist civil wars pose a major challenge to peace and security around the world. Written by two leading scholars of conflict resolution, Jihadist Peace: Ending Islamist Civil Wars offers a groundbreaking analysis of why these conflicts are among the most difficult to end, and what can be done about it. The book makes a theoretical contribution by explaining their intractability, arguing that the transnational ideological framing of Islamist civil wars increases uncertainty about the capabilities and resolve of the warring parties. Drawing on conflict resolution theory, rigorous statistical analysis, and detailed case studies of Afghanistan, Mauritania, Mali, and Syria, the authors explore the conditions under which these wars can both come to an end and be resolved. They argue that the local dimension is key: by disentangling both rebel and government actors from broader networks, Jihadist Peace charts a path toward resolving some of the world's most intractable civil wars.

Desirée Nilsson is a Professor in Peace and Conflict Research at Uppsala University. With over 20 years' experience in studying civil war dynamics and resolution, particularly inclusive peace processes and multiparty dynamics, her work has been featured prominently in leading academic journals, including International Organization and International Studies Quarterly. Isak Svensson holds the Dag Hammarskjöld Chair at Uppsala University. His extensive publication record includes acclaimed books such as Confronting the Caliphate (Oxford University Press, 2022) and The Peacemaking Mandate (Cambridge University Press, 2025). He is internationally recognized for research on religion and conflict, international mediation, and civil resistance.