ABSTRACT
In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the Western world has become increasingly concerned with ‘failed states’ in the global south. Reframing existing conflicts, humanitarian crises, or pockets of instability according to a failed states framework—building on a presumed link between failed states and terrorism—has provided a basis for Western policymakers, analysts, and advocates to access, re-channel, or increase military and financial resources. This chapter argues that the use of the failed state label is inherently political, and based primarily on Western perceptions of Western security and interests. The failed states concept seems to privilege ill-informed and unhelpful analyses and policy interventions. Afghanistan’s history exemplifies the ‘failed state as security threat’ scenario, and how this has been acted upon by Western powers. Nigeria and Sudan highlight how similar attributes of state functioning are overlooked—the ‘failed state as good for business’ model.
