Updated December 2016
Dr. H. Peter Langille specializes in peace and conflict studies, United Nations peace operations, conflict resolution and mediation, and independent analysis of defence and security policy.
His PhD in Peace Studies (1999) is from the University of Bradford (under Prof. Paul Rogers), where he focused on initiatives to enhance training, defence specialization and rapid deployment for UN peace operations. His MA in Conflict Analysis is from the Norman Paterson School of International Relations, Carleton University. He also earned a Graduate Diploma in Peace Research from the University of Oslo, followed by two training courses in mediation.
Near the conclusion of the Cold War, he initiated discussions on revising NATO and Warsaw Pact military doctrine and deployments to a more defensive orientation. In the early Nineties, his proposal and plans to convert CFB Cornwallis into a Canadian Multinational Peacekeeping Training Centre were solicited by numerous Governments and subsequently prompted the development of the Pearson Peacekeeping Training Centre. In 1994-95, Peter Langille was an “office of primary responsibility” on the core working group of the Canadian Government study, Towards a Rapid Reaction Capability for the United Nations. This report was submitted to the UN General Assembly on its fiftieth anniversary and used as the background document for a wider multinational initiative.
As longstanding problems continue to defy prompt UN responses, Peter wrote another study for the International Peace Institute in 2014, “Improving United Nations Rapid Deployment Capacity”.
His 2002 book, Bridging the Commitment Capacity Gap, developed the initial concept, case, model and plans for a permanent UN Emergency Peace Service. In 2003, it was adopted as the background book for a wider initiative on UNEPS. In 2015, Peter elaborated on the option in a WFM-C submission to the UN High Level Panel reviewing peace operations. His latest book is, Developing a United Nations Emergency Peace Service:
Meeting Our Responsibilities to Prevent and Protect (Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2015).
Over the past decade, he addressed diverse audiences, including:
- Global Conference on the Prevention of Genocide (Montreal);
- Japanese senators and parliamentarians (Tokyo);
- Canadian parliamentarians on the Standing Committee on National Defence and Veterans Affairs (Ottawa);
- Global Conference on the Prevention of Armed Conflict (New York) ;
- World Peace Forum (Vancouver);
- International Peace Research Association (Calgary);
- Representatives of the African Union (Pretoria);
- World Social Forum (Montreal);
- Military and Police Advisors Community to the United Nations (New York)
- UN High-level Independent Panel on peace operations, and
- Various international conferences on the proposed UNEPS (Santa Barbara, Cuenca, Vancouver, Newark, Brisbane, New York, Tokyo).
Peter Langille has worked with various levels of government and civil- society organizations. He is currently elaborating on the core principles and requirements of sustainable common security. He serves on the advisory board of the World Federalist Movement-Canada and is a Senior Advisor to the Rideau Institute. The International Peace Institute’s ‘Providing for Peacekeeping Project’ currently lists Dr. Langille as a country expert for Canada and as a thematic expert on UN rapid deployment.
Peter designed and taught courses at the University of Western Ontario, the University of Victoria, Huron College, King’s University College and McMaster University. He supervised officers in the Masters in Defence Studies program of the Canadian Forces College/Royal Military College of Canada, and graduate students in Royal Roads University’s Disaster and Emergency Management program.
In 2008, Peter received the Hanna Newcombe Life-Time Achievement Award from the World Federalist Movement-Canada for his numerous contributions in support of more effective UN peace operations. He has been the recipient of a Human Security Fellowship, a SSHRCC Post-Doctoral Fellowship, and was nominated by Sir Brian Urquhart for the Pearson Peace Prize in 2004.
Peter has practical experience in preventing, managing and transforming violent conflict. Prior to studying peace and conflict, he worked alone as a bouncer in Dawson City, Fort McMurray and Halifax, setting records and winning awards for keeping the peace. This was followed by work in youth detention centres in Calgary and Ottawa. He was formerly a professional ski racer and captain of Carleton University’s rugby team.