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Somalia: An Anti-Thesis of the Western Conception of Failed States?

Ghana Journal of Development Studies

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Title Somalia: An Anti-Thesis of the Western Conception of Failed States?
 
Creator van Gyampo, RE
 
Subject Failed States, Anarchy, Conflict, Safe-Haven, Human Security, Terrorism
 
Description “Failed States” do not necessarily produce terrorists as the evidence from Somalia clearly shows. Regrettably, the fight against terrorists often posits a causal nexus between “Failed States” and terrorism. Even though there may be some iota of truth in this claim, it is essentially a parochial as well as reductionist view that does not allow the emergence of locally evolved legitimate authority like the Union of Islamic Courts to deal with issues of security. This paper reviews the concept of failed states and its supposed results of anarchy, conflict and safe-haven for terrorists. Using the US policy towards Somalia as a case study, it points out the flaws in the concept of “Failed States” and argues that these flaws when not fully dealt with, may affect any meaningful global effort to counter terrorism and to deal with human security issues that arise as a state is classified as “failed” or “collapsed”.Keywords: Failed States, Anarchy, Conflict, Safe-Haven, Human Security, Terrorism
 
Publisher Faculty of Integrated Development Studies, University for Development Studies
 
Contributor —
 
Date 2012-03-12
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
Peer-reviewed Article
 
Format application/pdf
 
Identifier http://www.ajol.info/index.php/gjds/article/view/74656
10.4314/gjds.v8i2.1
 
Source Ghana Journal of Development Studies; Vol 8, No 2 (2011); 1-16
0855-6768
 
Language eng
 
Relation http://www.ajol.info/index.php/gjds/article/view/74656/65265
 
Rights Faculty of Integrated Development Studies, University for Development Studies, Ghana