State-building and Acculturation: local institution building in East Timor

This book chapter analyses the way in which localized systems of governance have interacted with the ‘international model’ of governance in the East Timor. International state-building in East Timor commenced in 1999 and was a critical leverage in setting up standards, mechanisms, and institutions of governance in the violence-torn society. This chapter explores the designing and implementation processes of village-level governance institutions, and examines the way in which the idea of electoral democracy and women’s political participation are received and negotiated by the local community. On the one hand, the examination demonstrates the resilience of the local customs and community lives, and the significance of local cultures of governance over the community’s relationship with the new governance norms and institutions. On the other hand, the examination reveals the significant role played by the new institutions in opening a space for positive changes to the local culture of governance.