Political Economy of Statebuilding

"This is an important book because it focuses on the most critical and, sadly, often-neglected aspect of state building -- the political dimension. The high quality essays in this volume not only illuminate state-building cases and practices, they also make a compelling case that shaping political economies and fostering political settlements conducive to reform are foundational and essential to success." - Brig. H.R. McMaster, US Army.

"This book, which contains a magisterial introduction by Mats Berdal and Dominik Zaum, brings together some of the top thinkers in the world of peacebuilding. It takes the commonly expressed idea that 'development' is a necessary route to peacebuilding, and shows how neo-liberal interpretations of 'development' have often promoted instability, not least by promoting large-scale unemployment."- David Keen, LSE, UK

"Focusing on the interactions between external 'statebuilders' and local power brokers - and how these processes shape post-war developments - Mats Berdal and Dominik Zaum have produced an impressive collection of thematic and country cases that significantly enriches our understanding of the consequences of statebuilding interventions."- Astri Suhrke, Christian Michelsen Institute, Norway

'With a particular focus on economics, the book is a well-written, analytically impeccable and insightful account of the limits of state-building by some of the best scholars in the field.' - Erik Jones, Survival Journal June 2013