'The African Union and the New Partnership for Africa's Development: Strong Institutions for Weak States?', International Politics and Governance, 4, pp. 138-58.

War and strong states, peace and weak states?

International Organization ◽

10.1017/s0020818300028551 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 50 (2) ◽

pp. 237-268 ◽

Cited By ~ 56

Author(s):

Michael C. Desch

Keyword(s):

Twentieth Century ◽

Cold War ◽

International Security ◽

International Politics ◽

The State ◽

Weak States ◽

The Cold War

For most of the twentieth century, international politics were dominated by World Wars I and II and by the cold war. This period of intense international security competition clearly strengthened states, increasing their scope and cohesion. However, the end of the cold war may represent a “threat trough”—a period of significantly reduced international security competition. If so, the scope and cohesion of many states may likewise change. Although this change will not be so great as to end the state or the states system, the state as we know it surely will change. Some states will disintegrate, many will cease growing in scope and may even shrink a little, and few will remain unaffected.

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Special Issue for GR2P: Africa's Responsibility to Protect Introduction

Global Responsibility to Protect ◽

10.1163/187598410x519525 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 2 (4) ◽

pp. 339-352 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jeremy Sarkin ◽

Mark Paterson

Keyword(s):

International Adoption ◽

Responsibility To Protect ◽

African Union ◽

Weak States ◽

Special Issue ◽

Territorial Integrity ◽

International Obligations ◽

Regional Organisations ◽

External Interventions

AbstractThe introduction sketches the recent development of the 'responsibility to protect' norm and emphasises its African roots, both in terms of its conceptualisation and implementation and with particular respect to two tragedies—the genocide in Rwanda in 1994 and the crisis in Darfur since 2003—that have lent urgency to the norm's formulation and widespread international adoption. The number and extent of R2P cases in Africa are outlined and the roles of the African Union and Africa's regional organisations in implementing the norm are briefly considered. The introduction acknowledges the importance of examining R2P through African perspectives. Referencing the justifications and primary principles for action upon which the norm is founded, the authors also assess the relative strengths of competing notions of sovereignty in Africa. The essay further considers how R2P has come to be seen as a mechanism that can bolster the capacity of weak states to fulfil their sovereign responsibilities to their own citizens, and how new international obligations imposed upon states, and particularly those adopted in Africa, have made significant inroads into the old concept of sovereignty as territorial integrity and freedom from external interventions.

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