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Advancing the Rule of Law Abroad: Next Generation Reform
Book

Advancing the Rule of Law Abroad: Next Generation Reform

A growing movement of second-generation reformers view the rule of law not as a collection of institutions and laws that can be built by outsiders, but as a relationship between the state and society that must be shaped by those inside the country.

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By Rachel Kleinfeld
Published on Apr 18, 2012

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iTunes - $15.99Paperback - $19.95Hardback - $49.95Kindle - $9.99Nook - $15.99
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Democracy, Conflict, and Governance

The Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program is a leading source of independent policy research, writing, and outreach on global democracy, conflict, and governance. It analyzes and seeks to improve international efforts to reduce democratic backsliding, mitigate conflict and violence, overcome political polarization, promote gender equality, and advance pro-democratic uses of new technologies.

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Source: Washington, DC: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 2012

In the modern era, political leaders and scholars have declared the rule of law to be essential to democracy, a necessity for economic growth, and a crucial tool in the fight for security at home and stability abroad. The United States has spent billions attempting to catalyze rule-of-law improvements within other countries. Yet despite the importance and the hard work of hundreds of practitioners on the ground, the track record of rule-of-law promotion has been paltry.

In Advancing the Rule of Law Abroad, Rachel Kleinfeld describes the history and current state of reform efforts and the growing movement of second-generation reformers who view the rule of law not as a collection of institutions and laws that can be built by outsiders, but as a relationship between the state and society that must be shaped by those inside the country. Based on research in countries from Indonesia to Albania, Kleinfeld makes a compelling case for new methods of reform that can have greater chances of success at helping these internal reformers and improving the rule of law.
 

Advance Praise

“Rachel Kleinfeld not only assesses past efforts to support the rule of law abroad, but offers innovative approaches for future assistance. The work of scholars and practitioners alike will benefit measurably from her insights.”
—Kenneth Wollack, President, National Democratic Institute


“While policymakers increasingly recognize the risks to U.S. national security when the rule of law breaks down abroad, there is far less consensus on what to do about it. Advancing the Rule of Law Abroad tackles this question head-on with timely and powerful insight. Full of careful analysis and accessible prose, Kleinfeld brings conceptual clarity to an emerging field.”
—Jeremy Weinstein, Stanford University, Former Director for Development and Democracy, National Security Council


“This book is impressive, thoughtful, and full of practical wisdom. Kleinfeld analyzes many of the challenges we faced in helping civilian rule-of-law development experts in Iraq and Afghanistan. This should be on the reading list of anyone preparing to perform rule-of-law work in a post-conflict setting.”
—Brigadier General Mark Martins, U.S. Army


Advancing the Rule of Law Abroad was named by Foreign Affairs as one of the best books of 2012 on political and legal topics. “Kleinfeld brings together a good grasp of the scholarship on law and society with the sensibilities and hard-earned experience of a field practitioner. The result is essential reading for the foreign policy community.”
—G. John Ikenberry, Foreign Affairs

About the Author

Rachel Kleinfeld

Senior Fellow, Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program

Rachel Kleinfeld is a senior fellow in Carnegie’s Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program, where she focuses on issues of rule of law, security, and governance in democracies experiencing polarization, violence, and other governance problems.

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iTunes - $15.99Paperback - $19.95Hardback - $49.95Kindle - $9.99Nook - $15.99
North AmericaUnited StatesMiddle EastNorth AfricaSouth AsiaSoutheast AsiaCaucasusEastern EuropePolitical ReformDemocracyForeign Policy

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

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