This volume examines international statebuilding in terms of language and meanings, rather than focusing narrowly on current policy practices.

After two decades of evolution towards more integrated, multi-faceted or, simply stated, more intrusive statebuilding and peacebuilding operations, a critical literature has slowly emerged on the economic, social and political impacts of these interventions. Scholars have started to analyse the unintended consequences of peacebuilding missions, analysing all aspects of interventions.

Central to the book is the understanding that language is...

This book investigates the emergence, the dissemination and the reception of the notion of state fragility . It analyses the process of conceptualisation, examining how the fragile states concept was framed by policy makers to describe reality in accordance with their priorities in the fields of development and security. Contributors investigate the instrumental use of the state fragility label in the legitimisation of Western policy interventions in countries facing violence and profound poverty. They also emphasise the agency of actors on the receiving end, describing how the elites and...

This volume examines international statebuilding in terms of language and meanings, rather than focusing narrowly on current policy practices.

After two decades of evolution towards more 'integrated, ' 'multi-faceted' or, simply stated, more intrusive statebuilding and peacebuilding operations, a critical literature has slowly emerged on the economic, social and political impacts of these interventions. Scholars have started to analyse the 'unintended consequences' of peacebuilding missions, analysing all aspects of interventions.

Central to the book is the understanding...