Comments on: Failed States Index 2007 http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/failed_states_index_2007/ Online Journal of Politics and Foreign Affairs Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:16:33 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Bandit http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/failed_states_index_2007/comment-page-1/#comment-134132 Bandit Tue, 19 Jun 2007 13:47:57 +0000 http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/2007/06/failed_states_index_2007/#comment-134132 I'm with you Charles - NK isn't in the top 10? I'm with you Charles - NK isn't in the top 10?

]]> By: charles austin http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/failed_states_index_2007/comment-page-1/#comment-134080 charles austin Tue, 19 Jun 2007 02:33:39 +0000 http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/2007/06/failed_states_index_2007/#comment-134080 So Iraq is 0.3 worse than Somalia. What an amazing measurement tool they must have at <em>Foreign Policy</em>. So Iraq is 0.3 worse than Somalia. What an amazing measurement tool they must have at Foreign Policy.

]]> By: anjin-san http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/failed_states_index_2007/comment-page-1/#comment-134055 anjin-san Mon, 18 Jun 2007 22:44:08 +0000 http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/2007/06/failed_states_index_2007/#comment-134055 <blockquote>The poor, it seems, are always with us</blockquote> Iraq is not a poor country. Much of the blame for the misery of its citizens lies with us...

The poor, it seems, are always with us

Iraq is not a poor country. Much of the blame for the misery of its citizens lies with us...

]]> By: David Carment http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/failed_states_index_2007/comment-page-1/#comment-134042 David Carment Mon, 18 Jun 2007 22:01:34 +0000 http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/2007/06/failed_states_index_2007/#comment-134042 One of the things I like to do is use google to push all news stories using the search terms "failed states" and "state failure." You would be surprised by the number of stories that come out of indigenous news sources that are critical of the term but also sensitive to the fact that "other" countries are monitoring them. All this to say that the more I look at the revamped Fund For Peace index - which uses the term failed throughout its reports and is widely criticized for this reason - the more it is troubling.. Despite having expanded its list this year - the FFP index is extremely problematic for a couple of reasons: all the measurements they use select heavily on the DV (that is they are measurements that correlate strongly with "failure" and conflict - eg refugee flows, etc) so there is likely to be little if any significant shift in the countries that are at the bottom except when they experience a decline or increase in violent conflict. In essence, FFP has boxed itself into a conceptual and methodological corner. Is Sudan really more of a failed state than say Somalia or Niger or Burundi which rank much lower on the HDI scale? This relates to my second point: the FFP index is really trying to do two things simultaneously: tap into some indicators of state performance AND identify reasonably rapid changes in events. As a result it doesn't really provide a way to drill down to tell us how a state is performing in areas of strength as well as weakness. One of the things I like to do is use google to push all news stories using the search terms "failed states" and "state failure." You would be surprised by the number of stories that come out of indigenous news sources that are critical of the term but also sensitive to the fact that "other" countries are monitoring them. All this to say that the more I look at the revamped Fund For Peace index - which uses the term failed throughout its reports and is widely criticized for this reason - the more it is troubling.. Despite having expanded its list this year - the FFP index is extremely problematic for a couple of reasons: all the measurements they use select heavily on the DV (that is they are measurements that correlate strongly with "failure" and conflict - eg refugee flows, etc) so there is likely to be little if any significant shift in the countries that are at the bottom except when they experience a decline or increase in violent conflict. In essence, FFP has boxed itself into a conceptual and methodological corner. Is Sudan really more of a failed state than say Somalia or Niger or Burundi which rank much lower on the HDI scale? This relates to my second point: the FFP index is really trying to do two things simultaneously: tap into some indicators of state performance AND identify reasonably rapid changes in events. As a result it doesn't really provide a way to drill down to tell us how a state is performing in areas of strength as well as weakness.

]]> By: Ugh http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/failed_states_index_2007/comment-page-1/#comment-134031 Ugh Mon, 18 Jun 2007 21:06:13 +0000 http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/2007/06/failed_states_index_2007/#comment-134031 Dang, here I was hoping I had visited one and could claim credit for its place on the list. Dang, here I was hoping I had visited one and could claim credit for its place on the list.

]]> By: Dave Schuler http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/failed_states_index_2007/comment-page-1/#comment-134014 Dave Schuler Mon, 18 Jun 2007 19:41:42 +0000 http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/2007/06/failed_states_index_2007/#comment-134014 I'm always relieved to see that the U. S. isn't on the list. I'm generally the last to know about these things. I'm always relieved to see that the U. S. isn't on the list. I'm generally the last to know about these things.

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