ABSTRACT
The concept of a ‘fragile state’ is rooted in the end of the cold war and has been evolving constantly since; it is now used in such differing ways by a growing range of development agencies and academics that it is increasingly difficult to pin down. Nevertheless, the term ref lects important ongoing efforts in recent decades to understand the relationship between patterns of violent conf lict and the nature of the state in less developed countries. Today even market-oriented donor agencies such as the World Bank acknowledge that effective states fundamentally matter for development. The civil conf licts ravaging many parts of the globe not only cripple the capacities of states, but according to some analyses are caused by the weakness or fragility of state structures and institutions. State fragility is therefore likely to remain a relevant concept; however, clearer specification and more rigorous analysis are necessary to maximise its utility for development researchers and practitioners.
