Cranfield University Christian Dennys The search for stability through stabilisation: Case studies from Afghanistan and Nepal Centre of Security Sector Management Award: PhD Cranfield University Author: Christian Julius Dennys The search for stability through stabilisation: Case studies from Afghanistan and Nepal Centre of Security Sector Management Course title: PhD Award: PhD Academic Year: 2011/2012 Supervisor: Prof. Ann Fitz-Gerald October 2012 "This thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of PhD" © Cranfield University, 2012. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the copyright holder. Abstract This thesis focuses on what stability is, and what interventions have supported stability in four communities in Afghanistan and Nepal. It is the author’s view that this is the first in-depth village level assessment of how populations conceive of stability and stabilisation and thus presents a challenge to existing analysis and research about how to foster stability in contexts in extreme tension and often violent conflict. The thesis argues that international, particularly Western, notions of stability and stabilisation processes have failed to grasp the importance of local political legitimacy formation, which is a vital aspect of contemporary statebuilding of a ‘non-Westphalian’ nature. The interventions, across defence, diplomatic and defence lines, have also at times undermined one another and in some cases contributed to instability. This is particularly acute when the interventions have been motivated by the conflicting demands of statebuilding, counter-insurgency (COIN) and development theories. The thesis argues that the nature of the interventions, their conception of stability and exogenously-driven goals limit the ability to promote stability. Research findings indicate that that local processes of stabilisation have, at times, proven to be more enduring but only in circumstances where a combination of local and national political processes have allowed political legitimacy to be formed and maintained. Research findings also suggest that the more successful stability interventions have been critically supported by humanitarian and security activities which have provided for the immediate needs of the population. Longer term stability has only been embedded in contexts which have also been able to exploit economic opportunities. Acknowledgments There are many people who have provided their time and support during this research, most importantly the respondents who spent time talking with me often at great length and in difficult situations. Without their input the research would not have been possible. I have tried to represent their views as fully and correctly as possible and any errors are solely my responsibility. In addition, a number of other individuals and organisations supported the research; in Afghanistan Mirwais Wardak former Director of CPAU now running PTRO, Lawrence Devlin and my assistants Salahuddin Darwish and Jawad Shahabi. In Nepal; the Jan Jagaran Youth Club in Bara and Alliance for Peace in Kathmandu and my indefatigable interpreter Daya Raj Subedi. I would also like to thank Jacob Rinck and Mike Martin for peer reviews of selected chapters and Maneesh Pradhan and Orzala Ashraf Neamat for reviewing my data. Prof. Trevor Taylor and Dr. Brian Watters OBE for their comments and, and finally, my supervisor Prof. Ann Fitz-Gerald for her support and encouragement. Dedicated to my parents, S. & Z. M. D-M. Table of Contents Chapter 1 - Introduction ................................................................................................... 1 Managing the global system ..................................................................................................... 2 The Liberal state and the failure of fragility .............................................................................. 4 Different lenses of stability and stabilisation ............................................................................ 6 The evolution to stabilisation interventions .................................................................... 8 Stabilisation: a new term for old practices? ........................................................................... 10 Outline of the thesis ................................................................................................................ 14 Chapter 2 – Literature Review ........................................................................................ 18 Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 18 The Liberal state and Western state formation ...................................................................... 21 Culture, context and the Liberal state................................................................................. 24 From the Liberal state to Liberal interventionism and statebuilding ..................................... 28 The emergence of stabilisation ............................................................................................... 33 Stabilisation practice ............................................................................................................... 38 Structures to implement stabilisation ................................................................................. 38 Politics: The state and stabilisation ..................................................................................... 41 Security: Defence and stabilisation ..................................................................................... 45 Development and humanitarian action .............................................................................. 51 The stabilisation gaps .............................................................................................................. 58 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 59 Chapter 3 - Methodology ............................................................................................... 62 Rationale and hypothesis ........................................................................................................ 62 Methodology ........................................................................................................................... 64 Alternative methods............................................................................................................ 67 Methods applied in field work ............................................................................................ 69 Interviews ................................................................................................................................ 72 Interview structure .............................................................................................................. 74 Sample ................................................................................................................................. 76 Access - Afghanistan ............................................................................................................ 79 Access - Nepal ..................................................................................................................... 81 Navigating language and power in the research design ..................................................... 82 The case studies and field sites ............................................................................................... 87 Afghanistan – Kalakan and Nahr-i Sarraj ............................................................................. 87 Nepal – Rolpa and Bara ....................................................................................................... 89 Comparability between the case studies and field sites ..................................................... 90 Data analysis............................................................................................................................ 95 Ethics ....................................................................................................................................... 97 Assumptions ............................................................................................................................ 99 Limitations ............................................................................................................................. 100 Chapter 4 – Indigenous Stabilisation ............................................................................ 102 Prelude .................................................................................................................................. 102 Kalakan and indigenous stabilisation .................................................................................... 103 Conflict History ...................................................................................................................... 104 Stabilisation interventions .................................................................................................... 111 Political interventions to support stabilisation ................................................................. 111 Security interventions to support stabilisation ................................................................. 117 Development interventions to support