ABSTRACT
Local politics does not stop in the absence of formal institutional structures, and the place of common social patronage that underpins more formalised networks and groups provides an important backdrop for how local power structures are shaped. the logic which presumes that institutional 'fixes' can lead to predictable societal outcomes fails to reflect the mutual shaping that takes place, in which broader societal dynamics can also work to structure how the institutions work in communities. In addition to government programmes, civil society also has an important place in communities, with the Catholic Church playing a central role. The Catholic influence in Timorese communities is strong, reflecting in part the important role that it played in the Timorese struggle for independence, as well as the length of time that the Church has existed in Timor-Leste. Violent disputes within communities are often multi-faceted as underlying fracture lines are expressed in different ways, and can be inter-generational.
