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Global Future of Development

Global Future of Development

February 8, 2015

Week 3: The Conundrums about Governance

This week we began to see some dialogue on earlier conversations, and we hope that such exchange will be a feature in the coming weeks as well. The posts below touch on a range of topics. The central theme, however, is the conundrum about governance. Often cited as THE most important factor for success and translation of ideas and ideals into action, the term itself is elusive, and practical measures are not always well-defined.

  • Jonas Bergmann responded to Susan Martin's reflections on migration and development. He highlights the complexity of linkages, their positive and negative aspects, and some gaps in understanding. Above all, he asserts that migrants must be seen as human beings, rather than simply economic assets.
  • Lauren Corke presents an idealistic view of the contemporary potential for civil society as an asset for governments and leadership in the internet age. Focused on what she sees as the critical role of civil society in strengthening governance, her theme is working together for the common good. She points to some of the ways in which civil society can be more of an asset even for autocratic leaders than the threat they too often perceive.
  • Alejandra Aponte addresses what she sees as the too popular and perhaps facile instrument of debarment of firms as a weapon against corruption. She argues that instead a more knowledge-based approach to understanding the processes that allow corruption to occur could yield better results.
  • Arunjana Das begins to delve into the very different ways that the term governance is used both in academia and in practice. Clearly, sorting out what is meant is an important first step in bringing more clarity into the many debates about what governance means and how "good governance" can be measured and achieved.
  • Georgetown student Spencer Crawford responds to Jim Yong Kim's repeated focus on the preferential option for the poor with a suggested addition: a preferential option within that focus for women. Women, he argues, suffer disproportionately in an epidemic like Ebola, and the response should take that far more into account.

Responses