Pauline Baker

“Failed” and “Near-failed” States

[audio:http://dissentradio.com/charles/aw2007-07-10drpaulinebaker.mp3]

Dr. Pauline Baker, president of The Fund for Peace, discusses the recent report on “failed states,” the factors which qualifies one as such, why Iraq is in second place on the list, Zimbabwe’s inflationary tyranny, Pakistan and Afganistan’s precarious positions.

MP3 here. (17:34)

Pauline H. Baker is President of The Fund for Peace, a research and educational organization that works to prevent war and alleviate the conditions that cause war. The FfP specializes on the diagnosis and resolution of conflicts associated with weak and failing states and on foreign policy responses. Dr. Baker pioneered the development of CAST, the Conflict Assessment System Tool, that provides a model for the early warning and assessment of post-conflict policies. CAST was the basis for the Failed States Index, published by Foreign Policy magazine and the FfP. A political scientist with over 40 years of experience working, Dr. Baker also taught at the University of Lagos in Nigeria, the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and Georgetown University’s School of Advanced International Studies. She was also a professional staff member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and staff director of the African Affairs Subcommittee. She has published over 80 articles, essays and books. She received her Doctorate from UCLA and her undergraduate degree from Douglass College, Rutgers University.