Functionalism and the Pursuit of International Peace: "Building Peace by Pieces" in Theory and Practice The functionalist paradigm, most notably captured in the phrase "building peace by pieces," presents a distinct vision of international cooperation that diverges from realist, power-centric models of international relations. Rather than prioritizing military alliances or political federations, functionalism posits that … Continue reading How does the functionalist paradigm, encapsulated in the maxim “building peace by pieces,” conceptualize international cooperation as a pathway to sustainable peace, and what are its theoretical foundations, mechanisms of integration, and limitations in contemporary global governance?