Token Forces: How Tiny Troop Deployments Became Ubiquitous in UN Peacekeeping: by Katharina P. Coleman and Xiaojun Li, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2022, £17.00 (paperback), ISBN 9781009048835.

"Token Forces: How Tiny Troop Deployments Became Ubiquitous in UN Peacekeeping" by Katharina P. Coleman and Xiaojun Li explores the phenomenon of token troop contributions in international peace operations. The authors argue that token forces, defined as military deployments of less than 40 troops within larger coalitions, have become the dominant form of troop contributions in UN peace operations since the early 2000s. The book provides insights into the motivations of states to offer token forces and the interest of the United Nations in accepting such contributions. It also examines the diffusion of token participation and the reasons why UN coalition builders accept token forces despite potential impacts on mission effectiveness. The book includes a dataset on token forces and offers valuable facts and figures on the subject. While the analysis of norm diffusion could be stronger, the examination of UN coalition builders' reasoning is more convincing. Overall, the book provides essential insights into the motivations behind tiny troop deployments in peacekeeping and the dynamics between states and international organizations in this context. [Extracted from the article]