Symposium: Post-war Development in Asia and Africa

Sep 1, 2014 | Centre for Poverty Analysis and Secure Livelihoods Research Consortium
Colombo, Sri Lanka

Africa and Asia have witnessed the most intense and protracted armed conflicts over the past several decades. Wars and armed conflicts in the two regions, whether centred on issues like ethnic-religious nationalisms or natural resources and commodities, are inter-twined with many other complex issues. These include histories of colonial exploitation and underdevelopment, contested post-colonial nation building, structural adjustment, democratic deficits, high levels of debt and poverty, and divergent histories and presents of ‘integration’ into the global economic system.

The symposium approaches the question of post- war/conflict development policy as encompassing distinctive goals and processes but addressing two overarching, inter-related, and equally important imperatives. These include addressing questions of distributive justice, economic reconstruction, and sustainable and inclusive growth on the one hand, and ensuring political inclusion, democratic participation, social cohesion, and rule of law, on the other.

The discussion at the three-day symposium will be organised around two streams with panels and debates alternating between streams. Papers are invited that address themes and issues relevant to the two streams.



Stream 1 (S1): This will focus on questions of distributive justice, economic reconstruction, and sustainable and inclusive growth and will include (but not be limited to) the following policy areas:

• Social protection, welfare and poverty reduction
• Livelihoods and employment
• Basic services/entitlements: health & nutrition, education, housing, roads
• Resource entitlements—land, water, fishing, forests, etc.
• Climate change and disaster resilience
• Gender equality and non-discrimination,
• Minorities and vulnerable groups (IDPs, women & female-headed households, youth, ex-combatants, etc.)
• Macroeconomic policy
• Foreign Aid/Investment

Stream 2 (S2): This will focus on questions of political inclusion, democratic participation, social cohesion, and rule of law and will include (but not be limited to) the following policy areas:

• Democratic governance, political participation, and people’s agency
• Rule of law and access to justice
• Credible and inclusive state institutions
• Social cohesion and pluralism
• Rights, identity and power – inclusions and exclusions
• Political representation of women and minorities
• Strengthening civil society
• Non-discrimination and equality
• Conflict Sensitive Development
• Managing the commons