Reconstructing a failed state is a complex endeavor with countless facets, from political shifts to ethnic reconciliations. Branka Marijan, a Ph.D. candidate in Global Governance at the Balsillie School of International Affairs (BSIA), joins podcast host and CIGI Chair of Global Security David Welch for a discussion on the evolution of approaches to peacebuilding. Shifting away from the institutional perspective, new scholarship suggests a need for local knowledge and context in rebuilding efforts. Following a review and comparison of the situations in Bosnia and Northern Ireland, Branka closes with a comment that while it will always be a challenge to tackle the "messy" cultural and identity aspects involved in peacebuilding, engaging at the local, grassroots level is the best hope for successfully facilitating a rebuilding process.