About CRU
The Conflict Research Unit (CRU) conducts research on the nexus between security and development with a special focus on integrated/ comprehensive approaches on conflict prevention, stabilisation and reconstruction in fragile and conflict-affected situations. Specialising in conducting applied, policy-oriented research and developing practical tools, the CRU aims to assist national and multilateral governmental and non-governmental organisations in improving their engagement in these complex situations. CRU is an integral part of the "Clingendael Security and Conflict Programme (CSCP).Read more »
The Political Economy of State-building in Situations of Fragility and Conflict: from Analysis to Strategy
February 14, 2012. Fragile states have been at the heart of Western development and security strategy for over a decade. Bringing together the findings of five case studies of states that show clear signs of illegitimacy or a weak capacity to govern, including Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Guatemala, Kosovo and Pakistan, this paper examines the roots and dynamics of state fragility by placing the spotlight on the way political power works. The paper highlights the aspects of political economy that give rise to weak or fragile state institutions, freeze or reverse attempted reforms, create public insecurity and paralyse economic development. The paper concludes with suggestions that may help guide a pragmatic and realistic approach. Above all, donors must be constantly sensitive to the structures of power, interests and incentives that can capture and subvert new formal governance arrangements. Read more»
Breaking the wave: critical steps in the fight against crime in Guatemala
January 17, 2012. With a new president taking power in January 2012, the paper examines the huge challenges facing Guatemala as it seeks to fight new waves of criminal violence, reduce one of the world's highest murder rates and save its institutions from corruption. On the basis of a review of the history of Guatemalan and Central American security and justice reforms, the paper highlights the three outstanding issues that must be tackled if any long-lasting reduction in the crime rate is to be achieved: technical sophistication, internal institutional oversight and sustainability. It also explores the prospects and dangers of a more combative, military-led approach from the incoming government, whose head was a leading member of the counter-insurgent campaign of the 1980s. Read more
Seminar on the Sudans, 19 January 2012
January 12, 2012. For Sudan, the year 2011 marked a momentous chapter in the country's history. In a referendum on 9 January, the population of Southern Sudan voted for separation from the North, leading to the establishment of an independent Southern state in July. On Thursday 19 January 2012, the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Sub-Saharan Africa Department (DAF) and the Clingendael Conflict Research Unit (CRU) jointly organize a seminar that brings together a divergent group of researchers, policy makers, military officials and civil society practitioners to explore and discuss the main implications of Sudan's partition. Read more»
Recent publications
| EN | The Political Economy of State-building in Situations of Fragility and Conflict: from Analysis to Strategy (Summary), Louise Anten, Ivan Briscoe and Marco Mezzera |
| EN | Hawks and fishermen, Ivan Briscoe |
| EN | Breaking the wave: critical steps in the fight against crime in Guatemala (Summary), Ivan Briscoe and Marlies Stappers |
| EN | Local justice and security providers in South Kivu: going local to support youth-neighborhood watch-community development groups (Summary), Eric Scheye |
| EN | Local justice and security development in Burundi: workplace associations as a pathway ahead (Summary), Eric Scheye |
| EN | Linking Security System Reform and Armed Violence Reduction - Programming note (Summary), Maria Derks and Megan Price |
| EN | Consolidating Libya's New Dawn: the Importance of Supporting Early Security and Justice (Summary), Kevin Steeves |
Media
| ES | Las elecciones en Colombia: una perspectiva europea, Ivan Briscoe |
| ES | La Guerra contra las Drogas en el mundo andino: La Unión Europea Y El Tráfico de Drogas proveniente De Los Andes, Ivan Briscoe |
| ES | A cambiar de amigos, Ivan Briscoe |