What are the likely future trends for fragile states? What policy implications do these trends have for international actors? This paper from Clingendael examines the reasons for international interest in fragile states and past and future trends in state fragility. It argues that state fragility will probably increase in the coming decades and that focusing on statebuilding is ...» more
Library
This e-library contains more than 4500 external publications on governance, social development, conflict and humanitarian issues. It includes academic and grey literature selected for its basis in good quality research and coverage of a range of perspectives. Policy-oriented summaries of each document are provided, plus links to the full text.
Making Democracy a Reality? The Politics of Decentralisation and the Limits to Local Democracy in Ghana
Has decentralisation enhanced local democracy in Ghana? This article from the Journal of Contemporary Africa Studies focuses on the relationship between decentralisation and local democracy through a case study of Ghana. Increased democracy through decentralisation has not occurred, and there are significant democratic deficits in decentralised government. These findings ...» more
Nepal’s Terai: Constructing an Ethnic Conflict
Recent ethnic violence in Nepal has polarised citizens along ethnic issues that were largely unaddressed during the civil war and the subsequent peace agreement. This paper, published by the International Peace Research Institute, traces the history of Nepali post-war ethnic violence and the current difficulties implementing peace agreements. Reducing the risk of future armed ...» more
Who Governs Kabul? Explaining Urban Politics in a Post-War Capital City
Wars, particularly civil wars, are increasingly focused on cities. How can they best be tackled? This study, published by the Crisis States Research Centre, reviews the history of city politics in Kabul and the processes of governance that occur at different levels. Multi-layered conflicts in capital cities can concentrate political attention and overload urban development and ...» more
Towards a New Model of PPPs: Can Public Private Partnerships Deliver Basic Services to the Poor?
This paper from the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific examines the difficulties of reaching the poor through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs). However, case studies show that 'pro-poor PPPs' are possible; they need to incorporate some of the strategies and methods of the informal sector, and include civil society organisations among their ...» more
Reforming Urban Water Utilities in Western and Central Africa: Experiences with Public-Private Partnerships: Impact and Lessons Learned
What has been the impact of public-private partnerships (PPPs) on urban water quality and access in Central and Western Africa? This report from the World Bank examines fifteen countries throughout the region, analysing different models and drawing out lessons learned. It concludes that public-private partnerships have had a positive impact on access, reliability, and cost of ...» more
The Role and Impact of Public-Private Partnerships in Education
How effective are public-private partnerships (PPPs) at improving education in the developing world? This book, published by the World Bank, argues that PPPs can increase equity in education systems and improve education quality. In addition, such arrangements can make service delivery effective and expand possibilities for financing the education sector. Although few rigorous ...» more
Angola: ‘Failed’ yet ‘Successful’
What are the causes of state weakness? How best can the international community help weak states move forward? This research from the Fundación para las Relaciones Internacionales y el Diálogo Exterior (FRIDE) argues that the ranking of states in terms of weakness has little value. Furthermore, the political problems that come with natural resources are more complicated than it ...» more
A Framework for Assessing the Effectiveness of the Delivery of Education Aid in Fragile States
How can the effectiveness of education aid in fragile states be assessed and improved? This paper from the Journal of Education for International Development presents an assessment framework based on OECD principles of coordination, state building and 'do no harm'. The framework is applied to four approaches to education aid (sector-wide approaches, trust funds, social funds, ...» more
A Rethink on the Use of Aid Mechanisms in Health Sector Early Recovery
What role should aid mechanisms play in the early recovery of weakened health sectors? This paper, published by KIT Development Policy and Practice, argues that flexible, experimental solutions are best suited to achieving the multiple objectives and delivery strategies of a developing health system. Aid effectiveness in this area has lagged because of an over-emphasis on ...» more
Introduction to Public Sector Ethics
How can ethics help curb corruption in the public sector? This section of a teaching compendium from the Chr. Michelsen Institute examines a combination of standard-setting, legal regulation and institutional reform (‘the ethics infrastructure’) that can help prevent misconduct in the public sector. While there are many ways of setting ethical standards, the necessary reforms ...» more
The Centralization/ Decentralization Paradox in Civil Service Reform: How Government Structure Affects Democratic Training of Civil Servants
What effect does government structure have on the provision of democratic training to civil servants? This paper, published by Public Administration Review, finds that centralised government structure significantly increases the odds of receiving both anticorruption training and policy skills training. The paradox of civil service reform is that democratisation may be best ...» more
Traveling Agents: Political Change and Bureaucratic Turnover in India
How do politicians operating on an election cycle interact with career bureaucrats? This working paper, published by Harvard Business School, argues that politicians can exert harmful pressures on career civil servants, despite constitutional protections. Analysis of data from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) identifies two types of inefficiency. Political influence ...» more
The Political Economy of Accountability in Timor-Leste: Implications for Public Policy
What conditions facilitate corruption in Timor-Leste and what measures should be taken to address it? This article examines the social, economic, political and governance context of Timor-Leste and suggests that it is conducive to state capture and systemic grand and petty corruption. It is also resistant to conventional short-term technocratic anticorruption remedies. ...» more
Rude Accountability in the Unreformed State: Informal Pressures on Frontline Bureaucrats in Bangladesh
How successful are the informal pressures that poor citizens exert on officials to provide services in Bangladesh? This paper from the Institute of Development Studies examines how poor people experience safety nets, schools and health services. Local political and social pressures provide responsiveness to demands for service through shame and the threat of violence. The gains ...» more
Fragile States: Securing Development
How can security, governance and economics be synthesised so as to secure the development of fragile states? This journal article by the President of the World Bank Group argues that in order to address fragile situations effectively, a new framework is required that goes beyond the development model. This new framework involves building security, legitimacy, governance and ...» more
Building the State and Securing the Peace
How can support for state-building and peace-building be integrated? This Emerging Policy Paper from the UK Department for International Development (DFID) outlines a strategic framework for DFID’s engagement in situations of conflict and fragility, plus operational implications. DFID’s integrated approach to state-building and peace-building aims primarily to promote inclusive ...» more
Fragile States
What constitutes a fragile state and how can the concept be operationalised for development policy? This working paper from the Centre for Research on Inequality, Human Security, and Ethnicity proposes a three-pronged definition of fragility: states may be fragile because they lack authority, fail to provide services or lack legitimacy. Reversing these interrelated dimensions ...» more
Carrying out a Joint Governance Assessment: Lessons from Rwanda
Can a joint approach to governance assessment help to improve aid effectiveness? What can be learned from the first Joint Governance Assessment (JGA) undertaken in Rwanda during 2008? A JGA aims to bring government and development partners together to review governance performance based on commonly agreed indicators. This brief from The Policy Practice recommends that such an ...» more
Failures of the State Failure Debate: Evidence from the Somali Territories
Is the literature on state failure failing? This article from the Journal of International Development argues that the state failure debate is based on fundamental conceptual flaws that render its insights and recommendations unconvincing in the light of empirical evidence. Analysis of the different trajectories of Somali political orders reveals that state formation in Africa ...» more
