Islands of achievement: How people are rebuilding after war ends

This book explores lessons that international
peacebuilders can draw from two societies that have
rebuilt after destructive conflict - one in Africa
and one in the Balkans. In Somaliland, local people
developed an innovative, democratic system of
governance that suited their traditions and culture,
and rebuilt their devastated society with little help
from the outside world, which was focused on trying
to rebuild Somalia as a state. Bosnia''s Br ko
District was a key area for all warring parties
during the 1992-5 Bosnian war, and the question of
who would control it almost derailed the Dayton peace
negotiations that ended the war. International
arbitration, supervision, and investment focused on
creating a District in which local people could, if
they wanted to, rebuild a peaceful, sustainable,
multi-ethnic society. Exploring the similarities, and
differences, in locally-driven peacebuilding in these
two ''islands of achievement'' suggests new ways that
international peacebuilders can work with people
living in societies that have been torn apart by
conflict.

Autorentext

Rosemary Cairns studied Human Security and Peacebuilding, after acareer in community development and facilitation, because shewanted to change the international development conversation from"problem-focused" to "capacity-focused". Her book focuses on twodifferent examples of locally-driven peacebuilding, in Africa andthe Balkans.

Klappentext

This book explores lessons that internationalpeacebuilders can draw from two societies that haverebuilt after destructive conflict - one in Africaand one in the Balkans. In Somaliland, local peopledeveloped an innovative, democratic system ofgovernance that suited their traditions and culture,and rebuilt their devastated society with little helpfrom the outside world, which was focused on tryingto rebuild Somalia as a state. Bosnia's BrckoDistrict was a key area for all warring partiesduring the 1992-5 Bosnian war, and the question ofwho would control it almost derailed the Dayton peacenegotiations that ended the war. Internationalarbitration, supervision, and investment focused oncreating a District in which local people could, ifthey wanted to, rebuild a peaceful, sustainable,multi-ethnic society. Exploring the similarities, anddifferences, in locally-driven peacebuilding in thesetwo 'islands of achievement' suggests new ways thatinternational peacebuilders can work with peopleliving in societies that have been torn apart byconflict.