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Establishing best practices in governance in countries damaged by war and internal conflict and building environments in which stable democracies can take root is difficult, but essential. The need to support and strengthen effective and legitimate executive institutions; develop legitimate systems of political representation; and create a robust civil society to include traditionally marginalized groups is necessary in order to establish the foundation of an open and stable society. How can this be achieved in states that have collapsed? This course will distill lessons learned, and importantly analyze current troubled areas around the world in order to provide the
set of tools required to help rebuild nation states. The Governance and Democratic Practices Course will help enable practitioners, policy makers, and scholars to develop effective strategies in building democracy and governance in war-to-peace transitions.
A successful strategy in developing effective governance must involve a multidimensional and crosscutting approach in its application. While elections, for example, are an essential component in a democratic transition, without an interim government seen as legitimate in the eyes of the populace and the international community, and without some form of common legitimizing of the electoral process within civil society, the promise of an election can easily be reduced to an exercise in futility. No less important will be the challenges to democracy building such as developing a written constitution, strengthening the justice system, and creating an environment that can prepare for and hold free and fair elections, support an active and engaged civil society, and fight against corruption.
How is good governance achieved in states that have collapsed? Participants will develop effective strategies for establishing stable institutions and supporting a robust civil society. Dynamic modules will address the inter-relationship among issues of corruption, accountability, rule of law, elections, political party development, public administration, and economic reconstruction in divided societies.
Although elections are an essential component in a democratic transition, a successful strategy for effective governance must also include an interim government that is seen as legitimate in the eyes of the people and the international community, a written constitution, a strengthened justice system, and an engaged civil society.
Participants will learn how to develop an action plan for promoting good governance in a particular transition environment, and will apply lessons learned to current war-to-peace transitions.
This course will also pay special attention to the role of the United Nations and the United States in peace implementation and state building.
Governance and Democratic Practices in War-to-Peace Transitions, May 16-20, 2011, Washington, DC. Facilitated by Debra Liang-Fenton, Course Developer of the Governance and Democratic Practices in War-to-Peace Transitions for USIP. She is formerly Executive Director of the U.S. Committee for Human Rights in North Korea, and directed the Human Rights Implementation Project for USIP. She has worked on democracy projects for the NED, and has served as an editor of the Journal of Democracy.
Apply for any course* before February 29, 2012, and receive a 20% discount when you enter ACAD20 in the promotional code box.
Full details here.
