Illiberal peacebuilding in Angola

Oliveira, Ricardo Soares de

doi:10.1017/s0022278x1100005x

Cited by 92 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…This leads to the case of the “illiberal state-building” of Angola, where the elite is invoking, among others, the lack of human resources to justify a different state-building “in defiance of liberal peace precepts on civil liberties, the rule of law, the expansion of economic freedoms and poverty alleviation” [ 44 ]. De Oliveira, in company with most historians and economists, is doubtful of the real commitment of predatory elites to human resource development.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

State-building and human resources for health in fragile and conflict-affected states: exploring the linkages

et al. 2015

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BackgroundHuman resources for health are self-evidently critical to running a health service and system. There is, however, a wider set of social issues which is more rarely considered. One area which is hinted at in literature, particularly on fragile and conflict-affected states, but rarely examined in detail, is the contribution which health staff may or do play in relation to the wider state-building processes. This article aims to explore that relationship, developing a conceptual framework to understand what linkages might exist and looking for empirical evidence in the literature to support, refute or adapt those linkages.MethodsAn open call for contributions to the article was launched through an online community. The group then developed a conceptual framework and explored a variety of literatures (political, economic, historical, public administration, conflict and health-related) to find theoretical and empirical evidence related to the linkages outlined in the framework. Three country case reports were also developed for Afghanistan, Burundi and Timor-Leste, using secondary sources and the knowledge of the group.FindingsWe find that the empirical evidence for most of the linkages is not strong, which is not surprising, given the complexity of the relationships. Nevertheless, some of the posited relationships are plausible, especially between development of health cadres and a strengthened public administration, which in the long run underlies a number of state-building features. The reintegration of factional health staff post-conflict is also plausibly linked to reconciliation and peace-building. The role of medical staff as part of national elites may also be important.ConclusionsThe concept of state-building itself is highly contested, with a rich vein of scepticism about the wisdom or feasibility of this as an external project. While recognizing the inherently political nature of these processes, systems and sub-systems, it remains the case that state-building does occur over time, driven by a combination of internal and external forces and that understanding the role played in it by the health system and health staff, particularly after conflicts and in fragile settings, is an area worth further investigation. This review and framework contribute to that debate.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

State-building and human resources for health in fragile and conflict-affected states: exploring the linkages

et al. 2015

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“…It is even difficult to argue that power takes the same form in such different (post-)conflict settings as Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the international community is seeking to (re)integrate a middle-income, formerly authoritarian state into Europe's 'core' from its 'periphery', establishing conditions for the abuse of public office though a lack of legitimacy, poorly designed political structures and economic liberalization efforts; 36 Afghanistan, where a highly militarized intervention influences and interacts with a decentralized conflict economy with regional dimensions in a weak state with high levels of poverty; 37 and Angola, where the state directs reconstruction efforts along lines that violate international orthodoxy. 38 Power, like resistance, takes many forms. It must be studied in its specific contexts and manifestations.…”

Section: The Role Of Powermentioning

confidence: 99%

Conceptualizing Resistance in Post-Conflict Environments

Young¹

2015

International Peacekeeping

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While recent efforts to analyse resistance to post-conflict interventions have led to important insights into the nature of contemporary peacebuilding efforts, their failure to adequately problematize the concept of resistance itself and to adapt it to the specific realities of post-conflict neoliberalism has proven to be problematic. This article explores the internal tensions and inconsistencies that define the concept of resistance in postconflict environments, focusing specifically on five topics: the interaction of structure and agency; the presence of intent; the role of power; the nature of markets; and the possibility of emancipation. Key problems are highlighted, and, where possible, potential solutions are proposed. The issues raised by this article demand immediate attention if the conceptual viability and analytical value of resistance are to be maintained in post-conflict contexts.

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“…Similarly, in Angola the MPLA (Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola) won a convincing military victory in 2002 and firmly consolidated its domination. 46 This is not the case in countries where peacebuilding and state reconstruction issues are addressed together in the framework of peace negotiations. Jeremy Weinstein has shown that military victory tends to lead to more stable outcomes than negotiated settlement to conflict.…”

Section: The Developmental and The Illiberal Statementioning

confidence: 99%

“…While a return to conflict in Angola is not likely, there are normative tradeoffs in Angola's statebuilding project and limits to what is politically possible. 50 Illiberal statebuilding models thus do not offer a panacea to African countries emerging from conflict.…”

Section: The Developmental and The Illiberal Statementioning

confidence: 99%

The limits to statebuilding for peace in Africa

Curtis

2013

South African Journal of International Affairs

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Much of the scholarship on peacebuilding in Africa assumes that building Á or reconstructing Á the state is a critical task. Competition over state resources was often an element fuelling hostilities and typically countries emerging from conflict have a weak or fractured state apparatus. It is therefore not surprising that peacebuilding programmes and initiatives have focused on state reconstruction and governance. The peacebuilding as statebuilding template, however, faces severe limitations in Africa. Key questions and tensions emerge over issues of legitimacy, sovereignty, effectiveness and agency, which cannot be resolved though standard approaches to peacebuilding. This article shows that, while the call for statebuilding serves important purposes for external and internal audiences, the practice of statebuilding is a contested project born out of specific historical circumstances. International statebuilding practices are subjected to a thorough reworking as they play out in different African locales, with a variety of consequences. Statebuilding therefore cannot constitute a clear pathway to peace, even when promoted by African institutions such as the African Union. Alternatives like illiberal statebuilding and localised statebuilding also face important limits, with implications for the notion of 'Emerging Africa'.

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Illiberal peacebuilding in Angola

Cited by 92 publications

References 28 publications

State-building and human resources for health in fragile and conflict-affected states: exploring the linkages

State-building and human resources for health in fragile and conflict-affected states: exploring the linkages

Conceptualizing Resistance in Post-Conflict Environments

The limits to statebuilding for peace in Africa

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