Unfaithful Allies: Local Resistance and the Failure of Statebuilding
type: CreativeWork
description: Unfaithful Allies: Local resistance and the failure of statebuilding in the Western Balkans Adviser: Professor Susan Woodward International efforts to build strong and legitimate states in developing societies often present a paradox. In many instances they are undermined by the resistance of very local actors with whom the Union partners up. The form that this resistance takes varies by country. In some instances the domestic partners show open defiance. In other cases they formally conform, while working behind the scene to undermine statebuilding. My dissertation examines the factors that shape the domestic resistance to statebuilding projects by examining EU statebuilding in Albania, Kosovo, and Macedonia. I claim that resistance is the product of the interaction between statebuilding and domestic politics, a process which often generates friction. The main cause of friction is the fact that statebuilding affects how power is distributed in a given society. The local partners will be motivated to resist those aspects of statebuilding that they believe will undermine their authority/power, have a negative impact on local populations, or contradict local values. On the other hand, the local partners will support those aspects of statebuilding that provide them with opportunities to enhance their position, are not threatening to important domestic constituencies, and do not challenge local norms or beliefs. I contend that it is this dual aspect of statebuilding, its potential to both strengthen as well as replace local powerholders, that shapes the local reaction to the international mission, i.e., acceptance or resistance. Resistance to statebuilding is puzzling because of the alleged asymmetric interdependence between local actors and international statebuilders. This asymmetric interdependence is presumably caused by structural conditions, such as the local dependence on the military and financial resources of the statebuilders. I will argue in this essay that l…
abstract: Unfaithful Allies: Local resistance and the failure of statebuilding in the Western Balkans Adviser: Professor Susan Woodward International efforts to build strong and legitimate states in developing societies often present a paradox. In many instances they are undermined by the resistance of very local actors with whom the Union partners up. The form that this resistance takes varies by country. In some instances the domestic partners show open defiance. In other cases they formally conform, while working behind the scene to undermine statebuilding. My dissertation examines the factors that shape the domestic resistance to statebuilding projects by examining EU statebuilding in Albania, Kosovo, and Macedonia. I claim that resistance is the product of the interaction between statebuilding and domestic politics, a process which often generates friction. The main cause of friction is the fact that statebuilding affects how power is distributed in a given society. The local partners will be motivated to resist those aspects of statebuilding that they believe will undermine their authority/power, have a negative impact on local populations, or contradict local values. On the other hand, the local partners will support those aspects of statebuilding that provide them with opportunities to enhance their position, are not threatening to important domestic constituencies, and do not challenge local norms or beliefs. I contend that it is this dual aspect of statebuilding, its potential to both strengthen as well as replace local powerholders, that shapes the local reaction to the international mission, i.e., acceptance or resistance. Resistance to statebuilding is puzzling because of the alleged asymmetric interdependence between local actors and international statebuilders. This asymmetric interdependence is presumably caused by structural conditions, such as the local dependence on the military and financial resources of the statebuilders. I will argue in this essay that l…
author: Kallfa, Ervin
keywords: Comparative Politics, International Relations, statebuilding, resistance, international interventions, European Union
date published: 2016-02-01T08:00:00Z
date modified: 2026-07-24T01:59:14Z
provider: City University of New York - Graduate Center
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: The Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New York