Making States Work: State Failure and the Crisis of Governance by Simon Chesterman (Editor), Michael Ignatieff (Editor), Ramesh Chandra Thakur (Editor)

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Synopsis

The point of departure for this collection of articles is the idea that there is a link between international peace and "strong states respectful of human rights and robust civil societies." Presented by Chesterman (New York U. School of Law, US), Ignatieff (Harvard U.'s John F. Kennedy School of Government, US), and Thakur (United Nations University, Japan), 17 contributions provide theoretical context, examine policy issues, and explore case studies of efforts aimed at preventing state failure. The use of human rights to justify regime change, the legacy of anti- colonial struggles, the regional contexts and dynamics of states with weak institutions, policy options facing international actors, and "transitional justice options" are some of the major issues discussed. Case study countries include Colombia, North Korea, Afghanistan, Mozambique, Costa Rica, and Singapore. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Foreign Affairs

The Bush administration's 2002 National Security Strategy asserted that "America is now threatened less by conquering states than we are by failing ones." Unfortunately, a coherent and sustained way of responding to failing states remains elusive. This volume assembles a large cast of experts to map the dimensions of the challenge and explore the disparate experiences of weak and conflict-ridden states. Their key finding is not encouraging: states cannot be made to work from the outside. In cases where state failure has been overcome — Mozambique, Costa Rica, Singapore — history, culture, and the actions of local groups were as important as any international involvement. Thus, the editors conclude, outside actors can do little to shape the fortunes of failing states. What leverage they do have, meanwhile, is most effective when it is tailored to local needs and channeled through local hands.