We structured class today around two sides of international relations. On the one hand, we spent a lot of time discussing the electoral apparatus that could be used to resolve our differing preferences. The conversation was abstract and, like many of the deliberations shaping world politics today, it was highly removed from any specific problem. On the other hand, the reading material for today’s class was a book that goes into extensive, if a bit imaginative, detail on many of the worst atrocities committed during slavery. The contrast between these “levels” of the world was striking, and I find myself noticing the same distinctions in other areas as well.
In preparation for this reflection I read many of my classmates posts from throughout the week, regarding which issue currently facing the world is “the greatest challenge.” While the ideas ranged from climate change to education to the atrocities committed against the Rohingya, the level of focus remained global, abstract, and sterile. Compare that to this (warning extremely graphic) Reuters report on the Rohingya genocide, which is perhaps the most exhaustive and visceral documentation of a modern-day atrocity I have ever seen. I struggled to put the two sides together. How could thinking of the most-removed order capture human tragedy and how could the feelings brought on by that tragedy turn into change of the highest order. The answer that speaks to me at the moment is that the two worlds are separate for a reason. Both are inescapable, and both can be studied and addressed in due course. Moreover, it is important that policymakers and researchers are tuned in to the human consequences of their decisions, and it is important that the people who suffer such tragedies are involved in the world of high-level institutions. At the same time, I don’t believe it is productive to try and hold everything in your head at once. As to what that balance looks like, I’m not sure just yet.
0 Comments
Question: What is the greatest global challenge at the moment?
The greatest challenge facing the world today is the daunting task of developing fragile states. While the term “fragile states” can involve many different countries depending on the definition, at its core it refers to states that are unable to provide basic services to their people. In addition, fragile states may not have a monopoly over the use of force, functioning state-society bargains, or even the perception of legitimacy among their constituents. The challenge that emerges is how to establish resilient, representative, and effective governance in situations where the existing government is extremely weak. This question plays a role in much of today’s aid policy towards the developing world. Some examples are Syria, Afghanistan, and Somalia, where international actors are trying to encourage the creation of stronger, more centralized governments. Yet progress has proved elusive, which leads me to consider this a global challenge at the present moment. The impacts of this challenge are far reaching. The human cost of fragile states cannot be overstated. One author estimated that one billion people live in fragile states.(1) This matters because fragile states lag behind other poor countries in many areas of development. A world bank report found that fragile states did worse than other low income countries in terms of the number of people who are experiencing extreme poverty, the rate of child mortality, and the number of 12 year olds who did not complete primary school.(2) Many challenges that are considered among the greatest in the world can also be arguably traced back to the issue of governance. Disease, gender equality, racial and ethnic violence, conflict, and most other metrics determining quality of life can be improved by effective state institutions or policies. International aid agencies, non-governmental organizations, and local activists often stress the importance of government action. In fragile states, such action is rarely if ever present. If one problem could be solved to bring the most benefit to the world, I believe it would be the challenge of fragile states. 1. Collier, P., 2007, The Bottom Billion: Why the Poorest Countries are Failing and What can be Done About It, Oxford University Press, Oxford https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=xyKIteKMNXUC&printsec=frontcover 2. World Bank, 2007, ‘Operational Approaches and Financing in Fragile States’, World Bank, Washington http://siteresources.worldbank.org/IDA/Resources/IDA15FragileStates.pdf |
AuthorAmerican University Class of 2021. Interested in state-building and economic governance. Archives
December 2018
Categories |