‘State-Building for Peace’: Navigating an Arena of Contradictions. By Alina Rocha Menocal. Overseas Development Institute, 2009.
This brief work examines the differences and similarities between “state-building” and “peace-building.” Many international actors often conflate the two, with repercussions on programs intended to assist fragile states. For example, efforts to forge peace often require the acceptance of political arrangements that later undermine state stability, such as working with elites at the expense of forming an inclusive government. The authors offer recommendations for donors, some of which may be useful for field practitioners in state-building efforts. [HTML]
