Testimony
Rachel Kleinfeld
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.
Published on Apr 18, 2012
Source: Washington, DC: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 2012
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.
- Civil Society Repression Internationally and Historically Within the United States
- For Expertise to Matter, Nonpartisan Institutions Need New Communications StrategiesPaper
Renée DiResta, Rachel Kleinfeld
Recent Work
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.
More Work from Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
- Protests Like No Kings Can Only Go So Far to Stem AuthoritarianismCommentary
Lessons from other backsliding democracies show that mass mobilization needs to feed into an electoral strategy.
Saskia Brechenmacher, Shreya Joshi
- Southeast Asia’s Agency Amid the New Oil CrisisCommentary
There is no better time for the countries of Southeast Asia to reconsider their energy security than during this latest crisis.
Gita Wirjawan
- Fuel Crisis Forces Politically Perilous Trade-Offs in IndonesiaCommentary
As conflict in the Middle East drives up fuel costs across Asia, Indonesia faces difficult policy trade-offs over subsidies, inflation, and fiscal credibility. President Prabowo’s personalized governance style may make these hard choices even harder to navigate.
Sana Jaffrey
- Europe Doesn’t Like War—for Good ReasonsCommentary
The wars in Ukraine and the Middle East are existential threats to Europe as a peace project. Leaders and citizens alike must reaffirm their solidarity to face up to today’s multifaceted challenges.
Marc Pierini
- In Its Iran War Debate, Washington Has Lost the Plot in AsiaCommentary
The United States ignores the region’s lived experience—and the tough political and social trade-offs the war has produced—at its peril.
Evan A. Feigenbaum
