ABSTRACT
In the previous chapters we gathered the building blocks for nation-building: The nation and the state, the contested concept of fragility, the citizen as the fundamental principle of sovereignty, the different elements of national identity. Can a coherent program for nation-building that is relevant for fragile states be designed based on these elements? Yes it can. Nation-building in fragile states is doable as long as we start from a constructivist viewpoint and do not expect to achieve a log-frame, lineair model. Nation-building is a complex and open-ended process, but that does not mean we should shy away from embracing the challenge. This final chapter presents some building blocks for nation-building without pretending to offer a straightforward intervention scheme: Every context is specific and requires a tailor-made approach. The first part of this chapter discusses the content of nation-building: What are the elements of national identity that need to be worked on? We have argued that homogeneity is not an achievable goal, nor a desirable one. Out of respect for the diversity of identities present in fragile states, we have to build a sense of national belonging that is overarching and which leaves room for group-identities to exist alongside the national identity. Secondly, I will focus on the processes that are necessary to make nation-building a successful undertaking. A consistent, carefully designed and inclusive multistakeholder approach is the core of this process.
