Challenges of Constructing Legitimacy in Peacebuilding

Afghanistan, Iraq, Sierra Leone, and East Timor

Daisaku Higashi

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2015
• Print ISBN: 9781138850408
• eBook ISBN: 9781317531777
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Politics & International Relations
• Subtopic: International Relations
• Index: Politics & International Relations

Peacebuilding is a critical issue in world politics. Surprisingly, however, there has not been a full examination of concrete policies and implementation strategies to generate legitimacy in "host states" by either international relations (IR) theorists or practitioners.

The objective of this book is to develop an understanding of the mechanisms for constructing—or eroding—the legitimacy of newly created governments in post-conflict peacebuilding environments. The book argues that although existing accounts in the literature contend that compliance with key political programs, and constructing legitimacy in peacebuilding, largely depend on the levels of force (guns) and resource distribution (money) aimed at people who are governed, there are other significant factors, such as inclusive governments reconciling with old enemies, and the substantial role of international organizations (IOs) as credible third parties to establish fairness and impartiality within the political process. Highashi focuses on an in-depth analysis of the challenges involved in creating a legitimate government in Afghanistan, focusing on disarmament programs with powerful warlords, and the reconciliation efforts with the insurgency, especially the Taliban. In the conclusion the book also examines three complimentary cases—Iraq, East Timor, and Sierra Leone—which consistently support the argument presented earlier

This work will be of interest to students and scholars of peacebuilding and conflict resolution as well as international relations more broadly.

Index

• Abdel-Jalil, Mustafa 109
• Afghanistan 8, 40–64
  • Bonn Agreement 24, 43, 44, 81
  • Bonn Conference 43, 44, 70, 81
  • civil war 42, 104
  • Constitution (1964 Constitution 8, 4441
  • 2004 Constitution) 43, 65, 85, 91, 96, 97, 108
  • DDR 44–45
  • disarmament of warlords 8, 31, 38, 44, 45
  • donors 44, 46, 95, 112
  • elections 31, 41, 43, 104
  • exclusion (the Pashtuns) 8, 24, 26, 3244
  • history of fighting against foreign troops 40–42
  • horizontal inequalities 37–38
  • ideology 36, 42, 83
  • Loya Jirga 43, 108
  • mujahedeen groups 41–42, 43, 59
  • NATO 29, 100, 145, 153
  • Northern Alliance 42, 43, 44, 51
  • persuasion 51, 61–62
  • policy recommendations 58, 64, 89–91, 111
  • rural areas, extending the Afghan governance into 36
  • Soviet Union 41
  • TA 43, 44
  • UK 40–41, 85, 88; see also the entries below for Afghanistan
  • DIAG
  • ISAF
• Afghanistan, compliance with key political programs 32
  • inclusiveness (and security conditions) 8, 32, 51–52, 89, 95, 96, 11251–52
  • IOs, credibility of 8, 49–50
  • level of force (force ratio) 51, 62, 67, 70–72, 73, 15328–29
  • resource distribution 49, 51–52, 73, 95, 97, 98
• Afghanistan, reconciliation 58, 80–105, 107–108
  • Japan’s New Strategy on Afghanistan (controversy) 89–91, 111...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Half Title Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Table of Contents
• List of illustrations
• Acknowledgments
• Abbreviations
• Introduction
• Constructing or eroding legitimacy in peacebuilding
• Compliance and noncompliance with disbanding illegal armed groups
• Worsening security conditions and reconciliation efforts: insurgency noncompliance with the government
• Conclusion
• Appendix A
• Appendix B
• Appendix C
• Appendix D
• Index
• Routledge Global Institutions Series