Re-thinking State Fragility

This publication offers insights by independent analysts and seasoned practitioners on a range of issues related to state fragility. It developed from an international conference which the British Academy held to explore post-conflict transitions, enduring political settlements, and engagement with so-called fragile states. The conference examined the lessons learnt from conflict prevention interventions, stabilisation operations and state-building exercises. It also explored the UK’s engagement with conflict, stability and security; differing approaches and perspectives, particularly from emerging powers; dilemmas which engagement with conflict, stability and security can create, including resistance to the fragile states terminology; and had a particular focus on Somalia and the Horn of Africa, Ukraine, the DRC, and Lebanon, and how to achieve enduring political settlements and transitions.