The surge and connected strategy are logical when viewing the situation through Westernised lense... more The surge and connected strategy are logical when viewing the situation through Westernised lenses but pose a number of issues. General McChrystal explained the strategy of expanding bubbles of security that the surge will support in a recent interview. NATO/ISAF forces would provide a slowly expanding security presence and gradually be replaced by Afghan forces. Under this security umbrella farmers would chose to grow wheat instead of poppy and go to the market instead of to the gun. This makes perfect sense in a Western perspective. The war however is in Afghanistan.
A physical and psychological separation between intent and outcome of aid programmes in Afghanist... more A physical and psychological separation between intent and outcome of aid programmes in Afghanistan makes aid and development increasingly at risk of capture by alternative interests and less tied to actual outcomes. Physical risk mitigation has led to a partial insulation from a surrounding perceived threat but consequently also from recipient communities. In many cases, it has become doing things ‘to’ and ‘at’, rather than ‘with’ and ‘for’ – in other words output over outcome. Building on extensive fieldwork in Afghanistan, this article seeks to explain how remoteness develops in the Afghan aid context and highlight some of its implications. The primary problem is the creation of ‘demonitored space’ – a section of the operational environment that contains the illusion of monitoring and control but that in reality has been surrendered to alternative interests. This space requires closing with context-specific solutions and increased contact with the point of implementation – not increased isolation and remoteness.
About the authors Sarah Collinson is a Research Associate at the Humanitarian Policy Group (HPG).... more About the authors Sarah Collinson is a Research Associate at the Humanitarian Policy Group (HPG). Her recent research has focused on the nature of the humanitarian system and the challenges of humanitarian action in difficult political and security environments, including trends affecting humanitarian space, the implications of stabilisation and risk management policies and the political economy of livelihoods and displacement. Her recent publications include Acknowledgements This study was made possible by the financial and other support of the ESRC/DFID Joint Fund for Poverty Al-leviation under a research project entitled Achieving Policy Coherence in Challenging Environments (RES-167-25-0439), for which we are greatly appreciative. The authors would like to express their special thanks to Dr Karl Sandtrom, Dr Carol Berger and Diana Felix da Costa for their field observations in Afghanistan and South Sudan. Thanks are also due to the staff of the Peace Research and Training Organi...
Introduction 1. Strategies and assumptions 2. Towards a framework for viewing socio-political dyn... more Introduction 1. Strategies and assumptions 2. Towards a framework for viewing socio-political dynamics 3. Somalia and Somaliland - In the Shade of the Meeting Tree 4. Afghanistan - In the Shadows of Mountains 5. Conclusions
Page 1. SHADOW LANDS Responding to Terrorism in the International Community Karl Sandström Peace ... more Page 1. SHADOW LANDS Responding to Terrorism in the International Community Karl Sandström Peace and Conflict Studies 61-80 Malmö University Autumn 2004 Supervisor: Dr Mikael Baaz Page 2. 2 Abstract of Shadow ...
The surge and connected strategy are logical when viewing the situation through Westernised lense... more The surge and connected strategy are logical when viewing the situation through Westernised lenses but pose a number of issues. General McChrystal explained the strategy of expanding bubbles of security that the surge will support in a recent interview. NATO/ISAF forces would provide a slowly expanding security presence and gradually be replaced by Afghan forces. Under this security umbrella farmers would chose to grow wheat instead of poppy and go to the market instead of to the gun. This makes perfect sense in a Western perspective. The war however is in Afghanistan.
A physical and psychological separation between intent and outcome of aid programmes in Afghanist... more A physical and psychological separation between intent and outcome of aid programmes in Afghanistan makes aid and development increasingly at risk of capture by alternative interests and less tied to actual outcomes. Physical risk mitigation has led to a partial insulation from a surrounding perceived threat but consequently also from recipient communities. In many cases, it has become doing things ‘to’ and ‘at’, rather than ‘with’ and ‘for’ – in other words output over outcome. Building on extensive fieldwork in Afghanistan, this article seeks to explain how remoteness develops in the Afghan aid context and highlight some of its implications. The primary problem is the creation of ‘demonitored space’ – a section of the operational environment that contains the illusion of monitoring and control but that in reality has been surrendered to alternative interests. This space requires closing with context-specific solutions and increased contact with the point of implementation – not increased isolation and remoteness.
About the authors Sarah Collinson is a Research Associate at the Humanitarian Policy Group (HPG).... more About the authors Sarah Collinson is a Research Associate at the Humanitarian Policy Group (HPG). Her recent research has focused on the nature of the humanitarian system and the challenges of humanitarian action in difficult political and security environments, including trends affecting humanitarian space, the implications of stabilisation and risk management policies and the political economy of livelihoods and displacement. Her recent publications include Acknowledgements This study was made possible by the financial and other support of the ESRC/DFID Joint Fund for Poverty Al-leviation under a research project entitled Achieving Policy Coherence in Challenging Environments (RES-167-25-0439), for which we are greatly appreciative. The authors would like to express their special thanks to Dr Karl Sandtrom, Dr Carol Berger and Diana Felix da Costa for their field observations in Afghanistan and South Sudan. Thanks are also due to the staff of the Peace Research and Training Organi...
Introduction 1. Strategies and assumptions 2. Towards a framework for viewing socio-political dyn... more Introduction 1. Strategies and assumptions 2. Towards a framework for viewing socio-political dynamics 3. Somalia and Somaliland - In the Shade of the Meeting Tree 4. Afghanistan - In the Shadows of Mountains 5. Conclusions
Page 1. SHADOW LANDS Responding to Terrorism in the International Community Karl Sandström Peace ... more Page 1. SHADOW LANDS Responding to Terrorism in the International Community Karl Sandström Peace and Conflict Studies 61-80 Malmö University Autumn 2004 Supervisor: Dr Mikael Baaz Page 2. 2 Abstract of Shadow ...
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