RSSHandbook Dialogue No 8 now available in hard copy
Handbook Dialogue No 8 – Building Peace in the Absence of States: Challenging the Discourse on State Failure – can now be ordered in hard copy for 7,50 € (+postage) via email at the Berghof Center.
04/2009 – Dialogue Series
04/2009 – Dialogue Series
Berghof Handbook Dialogue No 8
We proudly present Berghof Handbook Dialogue No 8, titled Building Peace in the Absence of States: Challenging the Discourse on State Failure. The exchange between the lead authors and the discussants in this dialogue vividly illustrates the need to shift from a state-centric view, yet without entirely rejecting the notion of state. At the same time it shows the difficulties of integrating concepts of political order that do not correspond with the western-style Weberian/Westphalian state. Instead of advocating ideal-type, off-the-shelf models and blue-prints, the contributors to this dialogue argue that historically well-informed analysis, which leads to a deeper contextualized understanding of the local and regional situation on the ground, has to be the bedrock of any attempts for external assistance aimed at peace and development. They discuss evidence and counter-examples from Somaliland, Afghanistan, Liberia through to the Balkans and East Timor.