The United Nations and Democracy in Africa: Labyrinths of Legitimacy (Studies in International Relations)

This book explores UN bureaucracy and the development dysfunction it sows in four 'most different' African countries: Angola, Botswana, Namibia, and Tanzania. Wilson's original purpose for researching this book was to uncover new solutions to some of the United Nations' most vexing implementation problems. Yet, as research unfolded, it became clear that the reasons for those problems lay tangled up in bureaucratic and philosophical quagmires of a much more fundamental nature. The United Nations and Democracy in Africa is the documentation not only of these bureaucratic and philosophical absurdities that find expression through development practice, but also the journey of the author from ardent defender of the UN to profound sceptic. Interdisciplinary Studies Book Cover 1 Title 6 Copyright 7 Contents 8 List of Abbreviations 10 Preface and Acknowledgments 12 Chapter One Power, Politics and Doomed Projects 16 Chapter Two Policies and Institutions: “Unpopular among some—or even a majority—of the population” 42 Chapter Three Human Development Reports: “Universally valued by people of the world over” 62 Chapter Four The Millennium Road Map: “Urging states,” “Encouraging governments” and “Working within the United Nations” 90 Chapter Five From Global Ideas to Regional Road Maps: “The moderating role of central authorities” 102 Chapter Six Country Level: “Systemic dissemination of information so as to promote universal understanding” 126 Chapter Seven Wishful Thinking, Willful Blindness and Artful Amnesia in Angola, Botswana, Namibia and Tanzania 154 Chapter Eight Paradoxes and Dilemmas of Institutional Change: Human Rights and Livelihoods in Rural War-Torn Angola 192 Chapter Nine Disorganized Deception and the Performance of Irony 208 Appendix: List of Interviews and Special Libraries 230 Notes 234 Bibliography 248 Index 264 In The United Nations and Democracy in Africa, Wilson tells the story of the UN bureaucracy and the development dysfunction it sews in four 'most different' African countries (Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Tanzania). Wilson's original purpose for researching for this book was to uncover new solutions to some of the UN's most vexing implementation problems. Yet, as research unfolded, it became clear that the reasons for those problems lay tangled up in bureaucratic and philosophical quagmires of a much more fundamental nature. The book is the documentation not only of these bureaucratic and philosophical absurdities that find expression through development practice, but also the journey of the author from ardent defender of the UN to profound skeptic Power, Politics And Doomed Projects -- Policies And Institutions -- Human Development Reports -- The Millennium Road Map -- From Global Ideas To Regional Road Maps -- Country Level -- Wishful Thinking, Willful Blindness, And Artful Amnesia In Angola, Botswana, Namibia And Tanzania -- Paradoxes And Dilemmas Of Institutional Change -- Disorganized Deception And The Performance Of Irony. Zoë Wilson. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 233-247) And Index. This book explores UN bureaucracy and the development dysfunction it sews in four 'most different' African countries: Angola, Botswana, Namibia, and Tanzania