Title
Reconstructing a Divided Society: Development of Self-Government and Judicial Reform in Kosovo
Date of Award
2001
Document Type
Thesis
Abstract
For the past decade the Kosovo has been a subject of conflict. Since June 1999 the Province is undergoing the reconstruction of civil society under the direction of the United Nations in the form of the United Nations Interim Administration in Kosovo (UNMIK). This thesis analyzes the prospects of developing democratic government in a post-conflict Kosovo. On a larger scale, the Kosovo study serves the basis for the analysis of the techniques available for the international community to build democracy in ethnically divided societies. The argument of this thesis rests on the premise that in ethnically divided societies traditional democratic means are not always able to provide equally meaningful participation of minority and majority ethnic groups in government. The lack of inclusiveness will contribute to the perpetuation of constant political struggle and general instability in a post-conflict zone. Based on the Kosovo study, this thesis argues for the need for a conceptual framework for peace-building in ethnically divided societies. The framework must channel all international activities in a coherent and comprehensive manner towards the goal of democracy-building and stabilization.
Recommended Citation
Sasha Baglay, Reconstructing a Divided Society: Development of Self-Government and Judicial Reform in Kosovo (LLM Thesis, Dalhousie University, 2001) [unpublished].
