The role of donors in supporting political settlements in Melanesia - Political development stream | Political settlements- evaluating a new concept in development thinking

Technical approaches to institutional reform and development following liberal-democratic and market economy blueprints have generally had disappointing outcomes. Recent years have seen a growing acknowledgement among development actors of the need for a much better understanding of how power, structure and agency combine to shape, constrain and compromise the workings of (formal and informal) institutions, with a view to facilitating more successful development outcomes in recipient countries. The new catch-cry of 'thinking and working politically' has been accompanied by growing investment in political economy analyses and other analytical tools. As a concept, 'political settlements' provides a potentially valuable instrument for enhancing understanding of the organisation and exercise of power in particular local contexts and for enabling the crafting of more appropriate and effective development interventions. In this session, we will examine the concept in the specific contexts of Timor-Leste and Solomon Islands with a view to considering its broader value to development theory and practice.