What happens when the state's vision and expanding reach bring it into contact with traditional value systems and governance structures? In what circumstances can the distribution of resources in a fragile society prevent-or exacerbate-conflict within and between communities? How do state...

In pursuing a decentralization policy that sets out to devolve elements of state authority to municipalities, the Government of Timor-Leste faces a key challenge: how to combine different types of governance systems that have legitimacy at local and state levels. In order to inform this process,...

When the prime minister requests further sacrifice to strengthen the 'fragile' state, one might ask how much more determined and tolerant of hardship are the people of Timor-Leste willing to be? Even as the government has been working with international agencies towards a more concerted effort...

The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste is a young, post-conflict nation endowed with significant oil revenues. Timor-Leste has one of the highest birth rates in the world (2.41 percent population growth) with over 44 percent of the population below 15 years of age (Timor-Leste Census, 2010)....