Comments on: A tale of two indexes http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2006/05/03/a-tale-of-two-indexes/ EthanZ's musings on Africa, media and international development Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:45:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Dawn in the Heart of Africa » Looking for Regional Support in Somalia http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2006/05/03/a-tale-of-two-indexes/comment-page-1/#comment-15481 Dawn in the Heart of Africa » Looking for Regional Support in Somalia Tue, 16 May 2006 23:49:37 +0000 http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/?p=527#comment-15481 [...] Ethan Zuckerman hits it on the head on his post Wednesday in My Heart's in Accra when he said that failed states have a "ripple effect" on their neighbors….like concentric circles in a pond. This is magnified by the fact that 11 of the 20 failed states are in Sub-Saharan Africa. "Failed states have the potential to export violence beyond their borders - think Sudan and Chad, or eastern DRC and Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi. A quick glance at the map provided by FP gives a sense for how state failure has a “neighborhood” effect - we’re hard pressed to find an island of stability in Central Africa, and Ghana, Mali and Senegal begin to look like bulwarks against West African instability." [...] [...] Ethan Zuckerman hits it on the head on his post Wednesday in My Heart's in Accra when he said that failed states have a "ripple effect" on their neighbors….like concentric circles in a pond. This is magnified by the fact that 11 of the 20 failed states are in Sub-Saharan Africa. "Failed states have the potential to export violence beyond their borders – think Sudan and Chad, or eastern DRC and Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi. A quick glance at the map provided by FP gives a sense for how state failure has a “neighborhood” effect – we’re hard pressed to find an island of stability in Central Africa, and Ghana, Mali and Senegal begin to look like bulwarks against West African instability." [...]

]]> By: Alice B. http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2006/05/03/a-tale-of-two-indexes/comment-page-1/#comment-11761 Alice B. Thu, 04 May 2006 19:36:22 +0000 http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/?p=527#comment-11761 <blockquote>The government can lose control and find itself unable to control its territory, vulnerable to refugees, invading armies and illegal trade across borders. </blockquote> that would be haiti now. (not sure how haiti did in the index but i'm guessing is not too good.) <blockquote>Or a government - often fearing loss of control - can clamp down on the press, human rights, freedom of expression and maintain power through repression.</blockquote> that would be haiti under papa and baby doc.(1957-1986). interesting swing of the pendulum. i'm sure something more can be made of that but not sure what. any ideas?

The government can lose control and find itself unable to control its territory, vulnerable to refugees, invading armies and illegal trade across borders.

that would be haiti now. (not sure how haiti did in the index but i’m guessing is not too good.)

Or a government – often fearing loss of control – can clamp down on the press, human rights, freedom of expression and maintain power through repression.

that would be haiti under papa and baby doc.(1957-1986).

interesting swing of the pendulum. i’m sure something more can be made of that but not sure what. any ideas?

]]> By: Thomas http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2006/05/03/a-tale-of-two-indexes/comment-page-1/#comment-11723 Thomas Thu, 04 May 2006 09:20:59 +0000 http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/?p=527#comment-11723 My Ivorian fiance who is in Abidjan right now, doesn't see anything that could be called stabilising. No, no. She's desperately trying to get the visa to leave, she will not visit her parents in Bouake, as it's simply considered too dangerous (or at least too expensive -- bribewise) and she's genuinely afraid of having to stay until 15/05 or even longer as there are plans of some sort of demonstration that many people expect to become outright dangerous. As much as I'd love to believe the "Failed State Index"'s indirect statement that Cote d'Ivoire is improving, to me it looks more like Sudan and DRC have managed to overtake Cote d'Ivoire because they've got incredibly worse, not because the situation in Cote d'Ivoire has changed for the better. My Ivorian fiance who is in Abidjan right now, doesn’t see anything that could be called stabilising. No, no. She’s desperately trying to get the visa to leave, she will not visit her parents in Bouake, as it’s simply
considered too dangerous (or at least too expensive — bribewise) and she’s genuinely afraid of having to stay until 15/05 or even longer as there are plans of some sort of demonstration that many people expect to become outright dangerous.

As much as I’d love to believe the “Failed State Index”‘s indirect statement that Cote d’Ivoire is improving, to me it looks more like Sudan and DRC have managed to overtake Cote d’Ivoire because they’ve got incredibly worse, not because the situation in Cote
d’Ivoire has changed for the better.

]]> By: Annaliis http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2006/05/03/a-tale-of-two-indexes/comment-page-1/#comment-11676 Annaliis Wed, 03 May 2006 22:57:51 +0000 http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/?p=527#comment-11676 I have some problems with the methodology for the CAST program. The woman who put this together taught a class of mine this semester. I'd be happy to elaborate more privately. I have some problems with the methodology for the CAST program. The woman who put this together taught a class of mine this semester. I’d be happy to elaborate more privately.

]]> By: Pablo H. http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2006/05/03/a-tale-of-two-indexes/comment-page-1/#comment-11637 Pablo H. Wed, 03 May 2006 16:56:13 +0000 http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/?p=527#comment-11637 More data and maps on the relationship b/w press freedom, corruption and development - with an Africa focus: http://www.worldbank.org/wbi/governance/pdf/press_freedom_day_colombo_5_06.pdf Also, these you might like these reporter's w/o borders posters: http://blogger.xs4all.nl/marcg/archive/2006/05/02/90798.aspx More data and maps on the relationship b/w press freedom, corruption and development – with an Africa focus:

http://www.worldbank.org/wbi/governance/pdf/press_freedom_day_colombo_5_06.pdf

Also, these you might like these reporter’s w/o borders posters:

http://blogger.xs4all.nl/marcg/archive/2006/05/02/90798.aspx

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