Bloomsbury Failed States and Institutional Decay: Understanding Instability and Poverty in the Developing World

What do we mean by failed states and why is this concept important to study? The “failed states” literature is important because it aims to understand how state institutions (or lack thereof) impact conflict, crime, coups, terrorism and economic performance. In spite of this objective, the “failed state” literature has not focused enough on how institutions operate in the developing world. This book unpacks the state, by examining the administrative, security, judicial and political institutions separately. By doing so, the book offers a more comprehensive and clear picture of how the state functions or does not function in the developing world, merging the failed state and institutionalist literatures. Rather than merely describing states in crisis, this book explains how and why different types of institutions deteriorate. Moreover, the book illustrates the impact that institutional decay has on political instability and poverty using examples not only from Africa but from all around the world. Review What constitutes a failed state? And what are the early warning signs of a governance failure? Drawing on examples from Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and Asia, Ezrow and Frantz skillfully describe how declines in state power are closely associated with success of insurgent groups, warlords and other non-state forms of governance. -- Lisa Blaydes, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Stanford University, USThis is one of the most important books on the failed state, which has had its share of criticisms (some justified, some not). By focusing on specific state institutions (i.e., political, administrative, judicial and security institutions), and by demonstrating how these institutions affect political stability and economic performance, the authors help to transform the failed state from a generalized abstraction to a measurable construct. This is an immense contribution to an evolving field of study. -- Jean-Germain Gros, Professor of Political Science and Public Policy Administration, University of Missouri-St. Louis, US About the Author Natasha M. Ezrow is Senior Lecturer at the University of Essex, UK, where she also serves as the Director of the International Development Studies Programme.Erica Frantz is Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, USA.