The United Nations and Democracy in Africa: Labyrinths of Legitimacy (Studies in International Relations)

267 Pages·2006·1.59 MB·English

by  Zoe Wilson

Zoë Wilson’s innovative study shows how recent critiques of mainstream
development thinking have been incorporated into the programs and poli-
cies of UN agencies as what she terms “minor discourses,” in a complex
and uneasy jumble with the older, “top-down” models that continue to be
dominant. Her analysis of the political effects of this apparent confusion
sheds a powerful light on how and why UN interventions based on what
seem to be the most benevolent principles so often turn out badly for the
“ordinary people” they are intended to benefit.
James Ferguson

Studies in
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Florida International University
A Routledge Series
Studies in International Relations
Charles MacDonald, General Editor
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The United Nations and
Democracy in Africa
Labyrinths of Legitimacy
Zoë Wilson
Routledge
New York & London
Routledge Routledge
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International Standard Book Number-10: 0-415-97987-0 (Hardcover)
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Wilson, Zoë.
The United Nations and democracy in Africa : labyrinths of legitimacy / Zoe
Wilson.
p. cm. -- (Studies in international relations)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-415-97987-0 (alk. paper)
1. United Nations. 2. Peace-building--Africa. 3. Democracy--Africa. I. Title.
II. Series: Studies in international relations (Routledge (Firm))
JZ4984.5.W55 2006
341.23’6--dc22 2006009431
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Contents
List of Abbreviations vii
Preface and Acknowledgments ix
Chapter One
Power, Politics and Doomed Projects 1
Chapter Two
Policies and Institutions: “Unpopular among some—or even a
majority—of the population” 27
Chapter Three
Human Development Reports: “Universally valued by people of
the world over” 47
Chapter Four
The Millennium Road Map: “Urging states,” “Encouraging
governments” and “Working within the United Nations” 75
Chapter Five
From Global Ideas to Regional Road Maps: “The moderating
role of central authorities” 87
Chapter Six
Country Level: “Systemic dissemination of information so as to
promote universal understanding” 111
v
vi Contents
Chapter Seven
Wishful Thinking, Willful Blindness and Artful Amnesia in Angola,
Botswana, Namibia and Tanzania 139
Chapter Eight
Paradoxes and Dilemmas of Institutional Change: Human Rights
and Livelihoods in Rural War-Torn Angola 177
Chapter Nine
Disorganized Deception and the Performance of Irony 193
Appendix
List of Interviews and Special Libraries 215
Notes 219
Bibliography 233
Index 249
List of Abbreviations
AGF-V—Fifth African Governance Forum
BACONGO—Botswana Council of Non-governmental Organisations
CCF—Common Country Framework
CCM—Chama Cha Mapinduzi
ESRF—Economic and Social Research Foundation
GDH—Good Governance, Democracy and Human Rights
GoA—Government of Angola
GoB—Government of Botswana
GRN—Government of the Republic of Namibia
HDR—Human Development Report
HRC—Human Rights Committee
HRW—Human Rights Watch
ICISS—International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty
IDEA—Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance
IDG—International Development Goals
IDP—Internally Displaced Person
IMF—International Monetary Fund
IO—International Organization
IPPR—Institute for Public Policy Research
vii