In his book The Bottom Billion, Oxford University’s Paul Collier identified four “development traps” which can block economic and social turnaround for many countries—a conflict trap, a natural resource trap, a geographic trap, and a bad governance trap.

To help identify ways to avoid or escape the “bad governance” trap, the National Academy of Public Administration has joined with Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of International and Public Affairs and Bobst Center for Peace and Justice, part of an international collaboration with Collier’s initiative at Oxford and the London School of Economics, Improving Institutions for Pro-Poor Growth, which addresses the other development traps.

Under “Topics,” this website attempts to respond to requests from institution builders in difficult and post-conflict environments for more convenient, systematic access to practical, operational knowledge and country experiences they might be able to adapt to help construct or re-construct accountable and responsive governance at home. Much such information exits on the web, but lies buried in long documents, or is difficult to find. Where information on a topic does not exist, or is inadequate, the Academy attempts to either find or capture it, or to develop it in collaboration with Princeton and other affiliates of the initiative.

The “Forum” affords an opportunity for institution-builders around the globe to communicate with each other, share ideas and “lessons learned,” post inquiries, and find contacts. Participants are invited to submit case studies or accounts of their own experiences for possible inclusion in the information available on the website, as well as to correct, comment upon, or update information already posted.

This site is under construction and therefore incomplete. Information-gathering for the site formally began July 1, 2007 and will be posted as developed.