Interests, identities and norms in peace operations: Spanish army and NGOs in Kosovo

The broad cooperation that has been maintained between the Spanish army and NGOs in peace operations has raised many questions on the nature of the relations between these two actors. This article examines how changes in the different interests, norms and identities might affect these actors which possess opposite ideas and values. By using the theoretical framework of constructivism in international relations, the author uses a case study to highlight the following key issues: 1) the interests of the actors in the study changed due to ideological transformation and the military context after the Cold War; 2) all this triggered a number of changes in international regulations which affected national military regulations; 3) this in turn involved a change in the perceptions and interests of the Army and NGOs, leading to greater interaction between them.

Key words: Kosovo, Spain, NGO, peace operations, civil-military cooperation, constructivism

The full text articles of this issue are available only in Spanish language