The United Nations in international peacekeeping – a spent force?

Bangor University is hosting a public lecture at 18.00 on Wednesday 25 February at the University’s Eric Sunderland Lecture Theatre (Main Arts Building).  The lecture, “The United Nations in a Changing World: Transformation and Reform in the 21st Century”, is presented in conjunction with the Menai Branch of the United Nations Association, and all are welcome to attend this free event.

The speaker is Colonel Dr Brendan O’Shea, Commandant of the Command & Staff School at the Irish Defence Forces’ Military College, an individual who has seen numerous tours of duty with European peace-keeping forces, during a number of crises and conflicts including the Lebanon, the former Yugoslavia, Liberia, Georgia, Kosovo and Bosnia.

Colonel O ‘Shea will be discussing the role of the United Nations in a changing world order. He will be looking at its aspirations and capabilities, its successes and failures and its new security challenges.

Colonel O’Shea has a comprehensive background in crisis management and international peace support operations having worked extensively with the UN, EU, OSCE and NATO in the Middle East, the Balkans and West Africa. He was a core member of the United Nations team which verified the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon in May 2000 and thereafter delineated the boundary between both countries now known internationally as the Blue Line.

As well as his military role, Colonel (Dr) Brendan O'Shea is Co-Director of the MA Programme in Leadership, Management, and Defence Studies at Maynooth University (NUIM). He is also Director of Defence Forces’ Civil-Military Relations (CMR) Education and Training; Course Director of Ireland’s International CMR Course; and he currently chairs the Defence Forces CMR Doctrinal Board.

His specialised areas of interest include International Criminal Law, Modern European History, Crisis Management, Peace-Support Operations,   Trans-national Migration; and Kosovo’s Transition from Revolution to Independence.

A frequent contributor to Studies in Conflict and Terrorism (RAND US), his internationally published works include Crisis at Bihac (Sutton, UK, 1998) republished as Bosnia’s Forgotten Battlefield - Bihac (The History Press, UK, 2012); The Modern Yugoslav Conflict (Frank Cass, UK, 2005) republished as The Modern Yugoslav Conflict (Routledge, UK, 2012); In the Service of Peace - Memories of Lebanon (Mercier Press, Irl, 2001) The Irish Volunteer Soldier (Osprey, UK, 2003), The Burning of Cork (Mercier Press, Irl, 2000): Baptised in Blood (Mercier Press, Irl, 2006); and A Great Sacrifice (Echo Publications, Irl, 2010). Additionally, he has held the appointment of Editor of the Defence Forces Review on four occasions (2003, 2005, 2006, & 2008).  

Publication date: 25 February 2015