Institutional Engineering and Hybrid Power-sharing in Divided Societies

Many societies are strongly divided, especially in ethnic, religious, racial, and ideological terms. Such divisions are usually related to the existence of divergent interests that may lead to severe conflicts between groups and between them and state authorities. In order to limit them, there is often a need to enable participation in decision-making processes by members of different groups. However, it is extremely difficult to establish and maintain effective power-sharing arrangements. This book examines the cases of Indonesia, Nigeria, Kenya, and Burundi, where a hybrid model of power-sharing has emerged, combining specific elements of consociational and centripetal types. It also explains the specificity, life cycle, and performance of different hybrid systems.