Despite the efforts of the international community, most of the armed conflicts triggered by the breakup of the Soviet Union have not been resolved. This volume strives to cast a fresh look at the protracted conflicts and to identify factors promoting or preventing their settlement or transformation. The authors analyze the conflicts from the vantage point of critical citizens of their home countries and draw on their experience as participants in the peace process. The lessons learned from successes and failures of the international community are galvanized into a package of policy recommendations that heed the specific character of each conflict.