9781003265306_10.4324_9781003265306-4.pdf

Whether it is possible to ensure stability, peace and social cohesion in countries with deep societal divisions where identity prevails over other bases of mobilisation is one of the central political questions of our time. What type of institutional design suits deeply mobilised cleavages? This cha...

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Έκδοση: Taylor & Francis 2022
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spelling oapen-20.500.12657-592312022-11-12T03:11:27Z Chapter 4 Federalism, devolution, and territorially-based cleavages in Africa Fiseha, Assefa Federalism, Devolution, Territorially-Based Cleavages, Africa bic Book Industry Communication::L Law::LN Laws of Specific jurisdictions::LND Constitutional & administrative law::LNDH Government powers bic Book Industry Communication::G Reference, information & interdisciplinary subjects::GT Interdisciplinary studies::GTJ Peace studies & conflict resolution bic Book Industry Communication::J Society & social sciences::JP Politics & government Whether it is possible to ensure stability, peace and social cohesion in countries with deep societal divisions where identity prevails over other bases of mobilisation is one of the central political questions of our time. What type of institutional design suits deeply mobilised cleavages? This chapter discusses the different institutional approaches adopted in three federations of Africa to manage politically mobilised cleavages, and examines whether institutional design matters in addressing demands from politically mobilised groups. The main issue is whether such divisions should be treated as building-blocks for political engagement and institutions built around them, or rather be diffused and deliberately divided into several sub-units. It is argued that institutional design does matter, particularly when there are deep territorially-based divisions, and proposes consociational parliamentary federations as opposed to integrationist presidential federations. The latter aim to divide major ethnic groups into many small-size states denying their self-government right, while the former aim to empower groups by redrawing territories to ensure they become a majority at sub-state level. They also bring the major political actors into power and minimise the risks of ‘winner-takes-all’ politics associated with presidential systems. 2022-11-11T13:07:02Z 2022-11-11T13:07:02Z 2023 chapter 9781032207926 9781032207995 https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/59231 eng application/pdf Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International 9781003265306_10.4324_9781003265306-4.pdf Taylor & Francis Contemporary Governance Challenges in the Horn of Africa Routledge 10.4324/9781003265306-4 10.4324/9781003265306-4 7b3c7b10-5b1e-40b3-860e-c6dd5197f0bb 5afaf867-f156-4098-bc3b-7332c21d9465 da07314d-684b-4655-9398-6f7271557ad9 9781032207926 9781032207995 Routledge 50 Addis Ababa University AAU open access
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language English
description Whether it is possible to ensure stability, peace and social cohesion in countries with deep societal divisions where identity prevails over other bases of mobilisation is one of the central political questions of our time. What type of institutional design suits deeply mobilised cleavages? This chapter discusses the different institutional approaches adopted in three federations of Africa to manage politically mobilised cleavages, and examines whether institutional design matters in addressing demands from politically mobilised groups. The main issue is whether such divisions should be treated as building-blocks for political engagement and institutions built around them, or rather be diffused and deliberately divided into several sub-units. It is argued that institutional design does matter, particularly when there are deep territorially-based divisions, and proposes consociational parliamentary federations as opposed to integrationist presidential federations. The latter aim to divide major ethnic groups into many small-size states denying their self-government right, while the former aim to empower groups by redrawing territories to ensure they become a majority at sub-state level. They also bring the major political actors into power and minimise the risks of ‘winner-takes-all’ politics associated with presidential systems.
title 9781003265306_10.4324_9781003265306-4.pdf
spellingShingle 9781003265306_10.4324_9781003265306-4.pdf
title_short 9781003265306_10.4324_9781003265306-4.pdf
title_full 9781003265306_10.4324_9781003265306-4.pdf
title_fullStr 9781003265306_10.4324_9781003265306-4.pdf
title_full_unstemmed 9781003265306_10.4324_9781003265306-4.pdf
title_sort 9781003265306_10.4324_9781003265306-4.pdf
publisher Taylor & Francis
publishDate 2022
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