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With almost half of the world’s poor, and a combination of weak government and divided societies, fragile states contribute disproportionately to the world’s instability and violence.
This forum seeks to understand them and address their core challenges. It is edited by Seth Kaplan and welcomes guest writers.
Books
Publications
Fragile States Alerts
Featured Posts
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Transitions often struggle due to underlying fault lines that divide socie
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It is important to ask pointed and thoughtful questions if you want to better un
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After over two years of research, interviews, and expert workshops, I am pleased
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Two years ago I wrote an article outlining what the OECD does not understand abo
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Religion’s influence can be a blessing or a curse in fragile states. Sometimes i
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International observers have great difficulty identifying genuinely fragile stat
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When presenting my recent book on poverty and inclusive development in fragile s
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One of the biggest mistakes the development community makes is to confuse the ne
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Transitions away from conflict or authoritarianism test states more than any oth
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I am pleased to announce the publication of my new book on fragile states -- Bet
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International development organizations often make the social contract and state
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Nigeria is arguably the worst run of the world’s seven most populated countries.
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Discussions about how to fix fragile states usually start and end with national
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By Tom Goodfellow, Dennis Rodgers & Jo Beall For a fleeting moment during
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State legitimacy lies at the base of any stable political order; it is an essent
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A number of noteworthy reports on institutional change, development, and foreign
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In its 10-year history, the World Bank’s Doing Business Report has achieved enor
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The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Development As
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Political theorists have for the most part focused on the state when thinking ab
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Language is one of the most neglected areas in the development field. It barely
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Many fragile states suffer from incoherent legal systems. Whereas in developed c
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The term “fragile states” is much abused. Policymakers, development researche
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Nigeria is not known for strong governance. On the contrary, it is arguably one
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What type of ethnic divisions and political circumstances are most likely to pro
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Social cohesion is an underappreciated but crucial element in development, state
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Although Robert Zoellick pushed the World Bank to open its much-prized treasure
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For a long time the development community was fixated on the state as the answer
Fragile States
Pathways for Peace : Inclusive Approaches to Preventing Violent Conflict
The most important report on conflict prevention since the World Development Report of 2011 will appear in February. The first ever joint flagship report of the United Nations and World Bank, it is entitled Pathways for Peace : Inclusive Approaches to Preventing Violent Conflict. It will be path-breaking in its emphasis on: identifying and addressing […]
The Return of the “Old Normal”: How the Rise of Non-State Actors Affects Fragile States
Ever since Europeans used their superior technology to colonize virtually the entire world between the 16 and early 20 centuries, power on a more or less global scale has been concentrated in the hands of the state. Of course, large swathes of territory always remained beyond the reaches of weak states and para-states, like the […]
Social Cohesion
How sustainable is the peace agreement in the Central African Republic? – Yvan Yenda Ilunga
The narrative and discussion of promoting peace among nations is not a new phenomenon in the conduct and planning of foreign policies, or international engagement for both governmental and international non-governmental actors. This narrative of peace and its many articulations were and remain the master pieces in the framing of today’s unilateral, bilateral or multilateral […]
China’s Reform Era Turns 40
Forty years ago this week one of the most momentous events of the 20th century took place—to little fanfare. During a December 1978 meeting, the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee called for “Reform and Openness,” sparking the country’s rise. But China has stepped back from this bold agenda in recent years, and the Party’s power […]
Can the City Save the State?
Promoting Urban Change: It is Time for an African Cities Governance Award
It is widely acknowledged that a major constraint for fragile and low-income states is the lack of good governance. The lack of good governance contributes to jurisdictions not having legitimacy and capacity to handle occasional shocks and challenges resulting in a near perpetual cycle of fragility. The majority of fragile states also happen to be […]
Preventing Fragile Cities From Becoming Failed Cities – By Robert Muggah
The sheer pace and scale of urbanization is precipitating one of the most dramatic demographic shifts in human history. More than half of the world’s population now resides in cities. At least 500 cities have populations greater than one million, including over 28 megacities with ten million or more inhabitants. In 1950 there were just 83 cities […]
Recent Posts
Converting Illicit Financial Flows into African Youth Job Creation -- Victor Odundo Owuor
The Conflicting Narratives The story of Africa’s burgeoning youth population...
How sustainable is the peace agreement in the Central African Republic? - Yvan Yenda Ilunga
The narrative and discussion of promoting peace among nations is not a new phenomenon...
China’s Reform Era Turns 40
Forty years ago this week one of the most momentous events of the 20th century took...
Forging inclusive social contracts in fragile contexts
The OECD’s ‘States of Fragility’ report was published over the summer. Besides...
Democracy and political transitions: The risks of elections for the implementation of peace agreements
Ivan Duque took office as the new president of Colombia on August 7th. With his arrival...
Pathways for Peace : Inclusive Approaches to Preventing Violent Conflict
The most important report on conflict prevention since the World Development Report...
Understanding Decision-making in Transition and Fragile State Contexts - By Mieczysław Boduszyński and Sabina Henneberg
Tunisia and Libya lie on opposite ends of the spectrum of post-Arab Uprising trajectories....
The Return of the “Old Normal”: How the Rise of Non-State Actors Affects Fragile States
Ever since Europeans used their superior technology to colonize virtually the entire...
Inclusive Social Contracts in Fragile States in Transition: Strengthening the Building Blocks of Success
Transitions often struggle due to underlying fault lines that divide societal...
Transnational Organized Criminal Groups: Models and Political Risk -- By Alexander Borgelt
There are, broadly speaking, three different types of transnational organized criminal...
Popular Posts
Horizontal Versus Vertical Social Cohesion: Why the Differences Matter
Social cohesion is an underappreciated but crucial element in development, state...Somalia's Complex Clan Dynamics
Understanding the failure of Somalia as a state requires understanding the country's...Syria's Ethnic and Religious Divisions
Maps show how divided Syria is and how dangerous a breakdown in public authority...
How Ethnic Divisions Become Political Fault Lines
What type of ethnic divisions and political circumstances are most likely to produce...
Language Policy and Development: Lost in Translation
Language is one of the most neglected areas in the development field. It barely registers...
Do World Bank Country Classifications Hurt the Poor?
Although Robert Zoellick pushed the World Bank to open its much-prized treasure chest...
Social Covenants: The Missing Ingredient in State Building Efforts
Political theorists have for the most part focused on the state when thinking about...Nigeria's Potential for Sectarian Conflict
Maps help explain Nigeria's social divisions and potential for sectarian conflict. The...Where are the Development Political Scientists?
Economists dominate the development field, but politics is more important to promoting...Inequality, Fragile States, and the New MDGs
With the appointment of the United Kingdom’s prime minister, David Cameron,...
Key Posts
Inclusive Social Contracts in Fragile States in Transition:...
Transitions often struggle due to underlying fault lines that divide societal...
10 Questions to Understand Fragile States
It is important to ask pointed and thoughtful questions if you want to better understand...
Major New Publication: Inclusive Transitions Framework
After over two years of research, interviews, and expert workshops, I am pleased...
What the OECD Still Does Not Understand About Fragile...
Two years ago I wrote an article outlining what the OECD does not understand about...
Religion, Development, and Fragile States: A Complex...
Religion’s influence can be a blessing or a curse in fragile states. Sometimes...
Identifying Truly Fragile States
International observers have great difficulty identifying genuinely fragile states....
Inequitable Institutions: Ruining Lives, Blocking Roads...
When presenting my recent book on poverty and inclusive development in fragile states,...
Why LDCs Need Different Strategies From Medium Developed...
One of the biggest mistakes the development community makes is to confuse the needs...
How to Navigate Regime Transitions – A State's Greatest...
Transitions away from conflict or authoritarianism test states more than any other...
Announcing New Book on Poverty and Development in Fragile...
I am pleased to announce the publication of my new book on fragile states -- Betrayed:...
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