Images of brutal violence were at the forefront in the media and in public memory in 2014—which ironically marked a century since World War I was fought ostensibly to end global conflicts.
The proliferation of violence also raises questions about the ability of the United Nations—70 years old in 2015—to meet its mandate of mitigating disputes across the world; the UN has not yet been reformed to address current global challenges.
Even as inter-state wars continue, the last century has also taught the world a lot about peace—primarily through successful non-violent transitions from totalitarian regimes to democracy in Eastern Europe, Latin America, and Asia.