Back
| Semester | spring semester 2017 |
| Course frequency | Irregular |
| Lecturers | Dominik Balthasar (dominik.balthasar@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | State fragility has come to lay at the heart of the international community’s engagement in developing countries. This is evidenced by the concept’s centrality in the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee’s agenda, and its inclusion in the World Bank’s 2011 World Development Report as well as the Swiss government’s 2013-2016 Message on International Cooperation. However, Burkina Faso’s huge successes towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Tanzania’s notable political stability, Botswana’s stunning economic progress, Zambia’s completely peaceful development, and the fact that out of 54 African countries more than half have neither experienced internal nor intrastate war between 1947 and 2015, all call such blanket propositions on 'the African state' into question. A central objective of this seminar lies in providing insights into the complexity of state fragility and resilience. In order to do so, the seminar analyses past and present theories underlying these concepts, and looks at the interplay of conflict and governance in the context of particular, individual case studies. Seminar participants will engage with a number of themes, ranging from understanding the role of violent conflict in statebuilding trajectories, to gaining a more nuanced understanding of the the role of corruption in governance, to obtaining a better grasp of the role international actors do and can play in supporting peacebuilding and statebuilding endeavors. |
| Learning objectives | Students will familiarize themselves with key debates on state fragility and resilience, and gain a deepened understanding of their respective causes and consequences. Fundamentally, this seminar is on the state of the African state in a globalized world, shedding light on a number of fundamental social, political and economic aspects of the making and unmaking of African states. Students will critically reflect on different theoretical concepts and gain a historically informed understanding of the trajectory of diverse African states through guided analytical reasoning and analysis of (self-selected) empirical case studies. Students will also become aware of existing challenges faced by national and international actors in (re-)building societies that exhibit greater degrees of peace and stability. |
| Bibliography | The below list contains some initial reading suggestions. However, students will be provided with additional readings and be tasked with identifying additional and alternative pertinent literature pertaining to the seminar’s general topic as well as the students’ particular interest. Ayoob, M. (2007): “State Making, State Breaking, and State Failure.” In Crocker, C., F. Hampson, & P. Aall (eds.), Leashing the Dogs of War – Conflict Management in a Divided World (pp. 95-114). Washington, DC: United States Institute of Peace Press. Barnett, M. & C. Zürcher (2006): The Peace-Builder's Contract: How External State-Building Reinforces Weak Statehood. RPPS Working Paper. Barnett, M., Kim, H., O’Donnell, M., and Sitea, L. (2007): “Peacebuilding: What is in a name?” Global Governance, 13:35-58. Barnett, Michael (2006): “Building a Republican Peace – Stabilizing States after War.” International Security 30(4):87-112. Berdal, M. & D. Zaum (eds.) (2013): Political Economy of Statebuilding: Power After Peace. London & New York: Routledge. Boyce, J. and M. O’Donnell (2007): “Policy Implications: the Economics of Postwar Statebuilding.” In Boyce, J. and M. O’Donnel (eds.), Peace and the Public Purse – Economic Policies for Postwar Statebuilding (pp. 271-99). Lynne Rienner Publishers: Boulder and London. Call, C. (2008): “Building States to Build Peace? A Critical Analysis.” Journal of Peacebuilding and Development, 4(2):60-74. Call, C. and V. Wyeth (Eds.) (2008): Building States to Build Peace. London: Lynne Rienner. Center on International Cooperation (CIC) (2004): New Thinking on State Formation and Peacebuilding. New York: The Century Association. Clapham, C. (2012): “Peacebuilding without a State.” In Curtis, D. and G. Dzinesa (eds.), Peacebuilding, Power and Politics in Africa (pp. 295-309). Athens, OH: Ohio University Press. Cramer, C. (2006): Civil War Is Not a Stupid Thing: Accounting for Violence in Developing Countries. London: C. Hurst & Co. Desch, M. (1996): “War and Strong States, Peace and Weak States?” International Organization, 50(2):237-68. Ero, C. (2012): “Peacebuilding through Statebuilding in West Africa? The Cases of Sierra Leone and Liberia.” In Curtis, D. and G. Dzinesa (eds.), Peacebuilding, Power, and Politics in Africa. Athens, OH: Ohio University Press. Ferguson, J. (2006): Global Shadows: Africa in the Neoliberal World Order. Durham, London: Duke University Press. Grävingholt, J., S. Gänzle & S. Ziaja (2009): Concepts of Peacebuilding and State Building - How Compatible Are They? Bonn: Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik. Hameiri, Sh. (2007): “Failed States or a Failed Paradigm? State Capacity and the Limits of Institutionalism.” Journal of International Relations and Development 10:122-49. Herbst, J.I. (2000): States and Power in Africa: Comparative Lessons in Authority and Control. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. Howard, M. (2001): The Invention of Peace – Reflections on War and International Order. Profile Books Ltd.: London. Kaarsholm, P. (2006): Violence, Political Culture & Development in Africa. London: James Currey Publishers. Keen, D. (2000): “War and Peace: What’s the Difference?” International Peacekeeping, 7(4):1-22. Licklider, R. (1995): “The Consequences of Negotiated Settlements in Civil Wars, 1945-1993.” The American Political Science Review 89(3):681-90. Luttwak, E. (1999): “Give War a Chance.” Foreign Affairs, 78(4):36-44. Menocal, A. (2009): “'State-building for Peace': Navigating an Arena of Contradictions.” Overseas Development Institute Briefing Paper, 52. Paris, R. (2004): At War’s End – Building Peace After Civil Conflict. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge. Said, E. (1995): Peace and Its Discontents: Gaza-Jericho, 1993-1995. Vintage: London (conclusion). Tilly, C. (1992): Coercion, Capital, and European States, A.D. 990-1990. Cambridge, MA: Basil Blackwell. Tull, D. and A. Mehler (2005): “The Hidden Costs of Power-Sharing: Reproducing Insurgent violence in Africa.” African Affairs 104(416):375-398. |
| Admission requirements | keine. |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|
No dates available. Please contact the lecturer.
| Modules |
Modul Culture and Society (Master's degree program: African Studies (Start of studies before 01.08.2013)) Modul Fields: Governance and Politics (Master's degree program: African Studies) Modul Internationales Zusatzwissen (Master's Studies: European Studies (Start of studies before 01.02.2015)) Vertiefungsmodul Global Europe: Friedens- und Konfliktforschung (Master's Studies: European Global Studies) Vertiefungsmodul Global Europe: Staatlichkeit, Entwicklung und Globalisierung (Master's Studies: European Global Studies) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | (1) active participation, (2) presentation. |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: not required |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | 1-6 0,5 |
| Repeated registration | as often as necessary |
| Responsible faculty | University of Basel |
| Offered by | Europainstitut |