The rise of policy coherence for development: a multi-causal approach

In recent years policy coherence for development (PCD) has become a key principle in international development debates, and it is likely to become even more relevant in the discussions on the post-2015 sustainable development goals. This article addresses the rise of PCD on the Western donors’ aid agenda. While the concept already appeared in the work of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in the early 1990s, it took until 2007 before PCD became one of the Organisation’s key priorities. We adopt a complexity-sensitive perspective, involving a process-tracing analysis and a multi-causal explanatory framework. We argue that the rise of PCD is not as contingent as it looks. While actors such as the EU, the DAC and OECD Secretariat were the ‘active causes’ of the rise of PCD, it is equally important to look at the underlying ‘constitutive causes’ which enabled policy coherence to thrive well

Deeper Roots: Strengthening Community Tenure Security and Community Livelihoods

Utilizes concrete experiences from Bolivia, Colombia, Brazil, South Africa, Tanzania, India, Nepal, Indonesia, and the Philippines to highlight emerging issues, and offers strategies for advancing community forest tenure security

Human rights, state wrongs, and social change: the theory and practice of emancipation

This article demonstrates the significance of human rights for challenging state violence and terrorism. It is intended to enhance understanding of the concept of emancipation. Critical Security Studies has tended to focus on the individual as the agent of her/his own liberation. Yet many victims of oppression are not able to free themselves. Drawing on historical materialism, it is argued that collective agency on behalf of the oppressed has a necessary role to play in emancipatory politics. Emancipation is contingent on the capacity of specific agents, located socially and historically, to identify practices that might bring about change, structures that might be transformed, and appropriate agents that are in the best position to facilitate such change. This article shows how such collective social action has forced a reversal of some of the Bush administration’s repressive policies, and has partially succeeded in curtailing the arbitrary use of US state power. This has been achieved through the national and international human rights architecture. Therefore, Marxian claims that human rights should be eschewed are mistaken, since they fail to acknowledge the emancipatory potential of human rights, the opportunities they provide for collective social action, and the role they can play in transformative social change

Indonesia country strategy

This strategy outlines a vision of where Australia\u27s relationship with Indonesia should be in 2025 and how Australia should get there.IntroductionThis country strategy takes forward the objective of the Australia in the Asian Century White Paper: for Australia to build stronger and more comprehensive relationships with countries across the region. Because of their size, economic links with Australia, and strategic and political influence in the region and globally, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, and the Republic of Korea were identified as the initial priority countries for the development of country strategies.Each strategy outlines a vision of where Australia’s relationship with the country should be in 2025 and how we, the Australian community, intend to get there. The strategies identify opportunities for community, business and government to participate in and contribute to the process of deepening and strengthening our regional engagement. They reflect the views of Australians, collected during nationwide consultations, and in doing so continue the national conversation initiated by the White Paper, to better identify whole-of-Australia objectives and priorities for the Asian century.These are challenges for all of us.Consultations to develop this strategy were held from 4 April to 31 May 2013. During this period, Australian Government officials led by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade undertook face-to-face consultations in each state and territory capital. Officials met all state and territory governments and engaged with business representatives, community and academic stakeholders. Consultations were also held overseas and in regional Australia. In all, 1,300 Australians attended meetings, roundtables and ‘town hall’-style public forums. The Government also received over 250 formal written submissions.This strategy will be tabled in Parliament and regularly evaluated and updated.The Government extends its deep appreciation to all who participated in developing these strategies, and will continue to draw on the views expressed in Australia’s ongoing engagement with these countries

Young refugees talk about well-being: a qualitative analysis of refugee youth mental health from three states

[Abstract]: Young people from refugee backgrounds face enormous challenges in the settlement process within Australia. They must locate themselves within a new social, cultural, geographic and adult space, yet also try to find security within the spaces of their own families and ethnic communities. Traumas of the past can mix with painful experiences of the present. The stresses on the lives of these young people can be both complex and diverse. This paper explores the nature of the stresses among young people from refugee backgrounds living in Australia. It is based on in-depth interviews with 76 young people from refugee backgrounds now living in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. A qualitative analysis of the impact of these stressors as well as the coping strategies employed are discussed. It is argued that trauma exists within a life continuum and that approaches to supporting young people in these circumstances should be wary of limiting their focus to biomedical categories such as Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder or Acculturation Stress and instead focus on a wider social context

India country strategy

This strategy outlines a vision of where Australia\u27s relationship with India should be in 2025 and how Australia should get there. Australia and India entered into a strategic partnership in 2009. By elevating the relationship to this level, both countries confirmed a strong commitment to expand and deepen collaboration. India is a major regional power, and one that is rising globally. Of Australia’s significant bilateral relationships in Asia, that with India has perhaps the greatest potential to grow and develop towards 2025. India can contribute to Australia’s vision of a more productive and resilient economy through greater trade and investment. Closer people-to-people, migration and travel links will benefit both countries, as will stronger bilateral and multilateral cooperation. With a population of 1.2 billion people, India is a large and complex country. In 2012, India became the third-largest economy in the world in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP), following 10 years in which average annual gross domestic product (GDP) growth was more than 7 per cent. The Indian economy is projected to grow at an average annual rate of 6.75 per cent between 2012 and 2025. According to the United Nations Development Programme, over half of India’s population faces multidimensional poverty. Future growth and reduction in poverty will require a sustained effort to create jobs, improve skills, develop infrastructure and deliver better public services. The opportunities and challenges Australia faces when engaging with India could vary significantly depending on India’s rate and quality of growth, and the scale of its reform. Australia can supply the resources that India needs to develop, whether this is coking coal for steel, or copper for construction. India is our fifth-largest export market and 10th-largest two-way trading partner. The two-way investment relationship is also growing. In 2012, India invested $10 billion in Australia, while Australia invested$5.7 billion in India