Somalia works: Police development as state-building

Hills, Alice

doi:10.1093/afraf/adt068

Somalia works: Police development as state-building

Hills, Alice

Authors

Alice Hills

Abstract

Somalia is an exceptionally insecure state that nevertheless offers an arena in which police officers and institutions can – and do – function. This article argues that Somalia's three regional police forces offer insight into the dynamics that result when locally driven institution-building projects interface with international state-building projects. The resultant picture is nuanced because police negotiate with private actors even as they develop their state-based authority, and their achievements are limited by Somali power brokers sharing a political understanding of security provision, valuing external assistance as a business opportunity, and adapting international models of governance accordingly. Consequently, while the prospects for institution building are favourable, stabilization is unlikely to shift into state building or development.

Citation

Hills, A. (2014). Somalia works: Police development as state-building. African Affairs, 113(450), 88-107. https://doi.org/10.1093/afraf/adt068

Journal Article Type	Article
Online Publication Date	Jan 6, 2014
Publication Date	Jan 1, 2014
Deposit Date	Jun 29, 2013
Publicly Available Date	Jul 21, 2014
Journal	African Affairs
Print ISSN	0001-9909
Electronic ISSN	1468-2621
Publisher	Oxford University Press
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	113
Issue	450
Pages	88-107
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1093/afraf/adt068

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Copyright Statement
This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in African Affairs following peer review. The definitive publisher-authenticated version Hills, Alice (2014). Somalia works: Police development as state-building. African Affairs, 113 (450): 88-107 is available online at: http://afraf.oxfordjournals.org/content/113/450/88.