Along the continuum: The complexities of humanitarian aid in weak and failed states
LE3 .A278 2012
2012
Brickner, Rachel
Acadia University
Bachelor of Arts
Honours
Political Science
Politics
Humanitarian emergencies throughout the world call for an international response, but the growing prevalence of failed and weak states complicated and inhibits the international response to such emergencies. This thesis analyzes complex humanitarian emergencies in two different states, one representing a failed state and one, a weak state. Somalia continues to be a failed state and has suffered two famines in its recent history. Post-genocidal Rwanda was not only a weak state, but one that saw the emergence of humanitarian crises in the form of a massive refugee and internally displaced person problem. Through an analysis of both these cases is becomes clear that weak states are far more conducive to humanitarian efforts due to specific characteristics of the state which they embody. These include a centralized governing authority, aspects of sovereignty and functioning police and judicial systems. However, this comparison also highlights the continuing importance of the state in today's world in direct regards to international humanitarian efforts. This thesis ultimately argues that the international aid community must adopt a new approach when faced with humanitarian emergencies in failed states. This new approach must look into long term goals of state-building to avoid the common escalation of humanitarian missions, in failed states, to military missions, which have dire consequences as seen in the case of Somalia.
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https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:927