The Rule of Law and Security Sector Reform
Conceptualising a Complex Relationship
Author(s)
Bleiker, Christoph
Krupanski, Marc
Language
EnglishAbstract
There is a clear need to better understand the relationship between two concepts at the heart of peacebuilding: the Rule of Law (RoL), and Security Sector Reform (SSR). If it is acknowledged in principle that they are interdependent, in practice enduring conceptual ambiguities and contradictions undermine latent synergies. As a consequence, international donor agencies are under increasing pressure to demonstrate the benefits of their RoL and SSR assistance. This SSR Paper moves the RoL-SSR debate forward through examining these activities jointly within a peacebuilding context. It proposes a heuristic framework that helps to rationalize this relationship on a conceptual level, demonstrating that RoL and SSR are interdependent and mutually reinforcing. The resulting framework provides a basis for the development of coherent policies that can support the development of coordinated, complementary programmes on the ground.
Keywords
security sector reform; good governance; rule of law; human rights; peacebuilding; United NationsDOI
10.5334/bbpISBN
9781911529323OCN
1078962902Publisher
Ubiquity PressPublisher website
https://www.ubiquitypress.com/Publication date and place
London, 2012Series
SSR Papers, 5Classification
Politics and government
Warfare and defence