The Journal of Frontline Scholarship is guided by the belief that meaningful progress in peace and justice is driven by collaboration across generations, disciplines, and experiences. The mission of the publication is to elevate practitioner-informed, academically grounded, and forward-looking analysis that can shape real-world outcomes in conflict resolution, accountability, and international law. We aim to bridge the gap between theory and practice, while mentoring the next generation of peacebuilders and legal experts through intentional co-authorship. By centering voices from the field and providing space for emerging professionals, the publication promotes a more inclusive and dynamic vision of global legal scholarship. Upholding high standards of intellectual contribution through peer review and editorial oversight, PILPG Frontline Scholarship is committed to producing work that is both rigorous and relevant. As part of our mission to democratize knowledge, all publications are freely accessible and can be found on this page.
Go to your thematic area of interest to find relevant publications. Themes include:
Accountability | Peace Negotiations | Post-Conflict State Building
Insights from PILPG’s Frontline Scholarship Series
Delivering Justice for Russia’s Brutal War of Aggression: Lessons in Lawfare
By Ambassador Beth Van Schaack
This paper surveys the unprecedented range of justice initiatives mobilized in response to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, illustrating how law can be wielded as a strategic instrument of resistance and accountability.
The United States–Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund as a New Paradigm in Post-Conflict Reconstruction Finance
By Henry T. Scott & Dr. Paul R. Williams
This paper analyzes the United States–Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund Agreement of April 2025, examining its potential to redefine post-conflict reconstruction finance through an innovative equity-based partnership model.
Delivering Justice for Russia’s Brutal War of Aggression: Lessons in Lawfare
By Ambassador Beth Van Schaack
This paper surveys the unprecedented range of justice initiatives mobilized in response to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, illustrating how law can be wielded as a strategic instrument of resistance and accountability.
The United States–Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund as a New Paradigm in Post-Conflict Reconstruction Finance
By Henry T. Scott & Dr. Paul R. Williams
This paper analyzes the United States–Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund Agreement of April 2025, examining its potential to redefine post-conflict reconstruction finance through an innovative equity-based partnership model.
Delivering Justice for Russia’s Brutal War of Aggression: Lessons in Lawfare
By Ambassador Beth Van Schaack
This paper surveys the unprecedented range of justice initiatives mobilized in response to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, illustrating how law can be wielded as a strategic instrument of resistance and accountability. It traces the evolution of international, regional, and domestic efforts to document, investigate, and prosecute atrocity crimes, from the activation of existing mechanisms—the ICC, the ICJ, and the European Court of Human Rights—to the design of new institutions such as the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression. Drawing on Ukraine’s engagement with these mechanisms and the contributions of its allies, the analysis highlights how the pursuit of justice in Ukraine has advanced the field of atrocity accountability and reinvigorated the post–World War II legal order. The paper also considers the limits of this response, including enduring challenges of enforcement, political will, and selective justice, while underscoring the enduring importance of maintaining a principled commitment to the rule of law amid war.
The United States–Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund as a New Paradigm in Post-Conflict Reconstruction Finance
By Henry T. Scott & Dr. Paul R. Williams
This paper analyzes the United States-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund Agreement of April 2025, examining its potential to redefine post-conflict reconstruction finance through an innovative equity-based partnership model. Unlike traditional foreign aid mechanisms relying on grants or sovereign lending, the Agreement establishes a co-governed limited partnership between the U.S. Development Finance Corporation and Ukraine's Agency on Support Public-Private Partnership, converting possible military assistance into capital contributions that may generate equity stakes in Ukraine's critical mineral extraction projects. The framework leverages Ukraine's estimated $12 trillion in natural resources as collateral for reconstruction financing while addressing U.S. strategic mineral security concerns. This article identifies three key mechanisms for analysis: transformation of military aid into deemed capital contributions, market-based investment rights, and offtake arrangements for critical minerals.
Meet the Editorial Board
Submissions to PILPG Frontline Scholarship are by invitation only. We do not accept unsolicited articles.