International Aid, Administrative Reform and the Politics of EU Accession : The Case of Albania

This book provides a detailed analysis of the dimensions and dynamics of the role of international aid in the reform and capacity development of public service in post-communist Albania. It challenges the technocratic, results-based management frameworks used by aid organizations and reports of official donors operating in the country context, and offers a qualitative and critical assessment of the role of aid in administrative reform and capacity building. Secondly, the book highlights the specificity of the national politico-administrative context and its ability to modify the process of policy transfer from aid organizations to the Albanian bureaucracy. In doing so, it illustrates the domestic challenges in the transfer process towards policy learning and makes a valuable contribution to the debate over the (voluntary vs. coercive) administrative reform in Southeast Europe in relation to the politics of EU accession. Artan Karini is Assistant Professor in the Department of Public Policy and Administration at the American University in Cairo, Egypt, and Adjunct Research Professor at EURUS (European, Russian and Eurasian Studies), Carleton University, Canada "This book provides a detailed analysis of the dimensions and dynamics of the role of international aid in the reform and capacity development of public service in post-communist Albania. It challenges the technocratic, results-based management frameworks used by aid organizations and reports of official donors operating in the country context, and offers a qualitative and critical assessment of the role of aid in administrative reform and capacity building. Secondly, the book highlights the specificity of the national politico-administrative context and its ability to modify the process of policy transfer from aid organizations to the Albanian bureaucracy. In doing so, it illustrates the domestic challenges in the transfer process towards policy learning and makes a valuable contribution to the debate over the (voluntary vs. coercive) administrative reform in Southeast Europe in relation to the politics of EU accession"--Back cover Front Matter ....Pages i-xvii Scope, Design and Framework (Artan Karini)....Pages 1-32 Albania: A Pre- and Post-1990 Snapshot (Artan Karini)....Pages 33-52 Aid-Supported Policies and Programmes (Artan Karini)....Pages 53-87 A Paris Declaration ‘Success Story’? (Artan Karini)....Pages 89-112 Lessons Learned from the Case Study of Administrative Capacity in Albania Voluntary or Coercive Transfer? (Artan Karini)....Pages 113-128 Conclusive Remarks (Artan Karini)....Pages 129-148 Back Matter ....Pages 149-161 Artan Karini. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 149-161).