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The Realities of Governance: Conflict and Context Across Africa

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Governance and Societal Adaptation in Fragile States

Part of the book series: Governance and Limited Statehood ((GLS))

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Abstract

This chapter debates what governance fundamentally means, and more importantly what it actually delivers as tangible outcomes. Whilst the focus is on the sad African experiences, I dissect global examples of the many failures and rare successes often in a neo-patrimonial post-colonial context. Equity requires disregarding the expectations of donors and the World Bank, to reflect on the hopes and fears of men and women villagers in remote and violence-plagued regions long neglected by national agencies. Since honesty can rarely be spread, whilst corruption is highly infectious, I explore whether democracy and a free press are requirements for good governance, or the outcomes where national systems and local cultures combine to provide the services which citizens require, beginning with the rule of law. Case studies include governance in war zones, in Sierra Leone, Colombia and Rwanda.

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  1. University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia

    Helen Ware

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  1. University of New England, Armidale, Australia

    John Idriss Lahai

  2. Development Practice, University of New England, Armidale, Australia

    Helen Ware

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Ware, H. (2020). The Realities of Governance: Conflict and Context Across Africa. In: Lahai, J., Ware, H. (eds) Governance and Societal Adaptation in Fragile States. Governance and Limited Statehood. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-40134-4_2

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