ISE has developed a set of tools and techniques to assess and drive the state-building process. Moving beyond the conventional myriad of oft-uncoordinated humanitarian, security, development, and trade interventions, ISE proposes that domestic leaders and the international community ought to agree on a common, long-term strategy to create effective polities.

This framework aligns internal and external actors behind a common agenda, thereby harnessing energies, creating efficiencies, and establishing a joint definition of success. Such a shared framework provides the basis for the development of metrics that allow learning and benchmarking to take place, both across countries and in international organizations.

ISE provides country-level support to state-building processes, brings together networks and organizations to further refine thinking on issues of state effectiveness, and supports training for managers and leaders of state transitions. ISE searches for innovative approaches that have practical relevance for donors and national governments, and is uniquely placed to translate these approaches across country contexts. ISE's distinct programs constitute a comprehensive strategy for effective state building and include the development of:

i) Frameworks to define and understand the functions that a state must perform in today's interdependent world;

ii) A sovereignty index to measure state-effectiveness and allow for precise diagnosis of the drivers or constraints of state capacity;

iii) Toolkits and manuals to codify and illustrate successful
approaches to state-building from across the globe;

iv) Training and the formation of a community of practice to equip leaders and managers with the analytical and diagnostic tools to lead their countries through transformative processes; and

v) Communications and outreach to catalyze a deeper understanding of the issues involved in effective state-building through publications, online activities, and conferences.

Recent Activities

March 2009

ISE recently collaborated with the Sustainable Security Program at the Center for American Progress to design and run a simulation exercise "to assess the impact of various foreign assistance reforms on the ability of the U.S. government to stabilize countries in crisis," taking Afghanistan as a case study. Documentation of the exercise and its findings can be viewed here.

"In our opinion, this is a very substantial body of effort toward the orderly reconstruction of failed states "

     - Eric Rasmussen, Naval Commander, Director Strong Angel III, Strong Angel III report, Fall 2006

The Ten Functions of the State

 

ISE in the PRESS