Date of Award
Spring 5-2025
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
International Studies
First Advisor
Angela Lederach
Second Advisor
Crystal Murphy
Third Advisor
Andrea Molle
Abstract
In 2019, the U.S. Congress passed the Global Fragility Act with bipartisan support. (GFA). The act aimed to reform U.S. foreign aid and development, focusing on stabilization initiatives that proactively address the root causes of conflict before they escalate into full-blown violence. Despite the significant implications of the GFA for both domestic and international foreign policy, extant research examining the novel legislation remains limited and disjointed in its examination. This paper builds on previous studies by combining content analysis and qualitative interviews with a diverse group of professionals within the foreign aid sector to offer a comprehensive analysis of the origins of the GFA, its current state of implementation, and what possibilities the future holds for its success. I conclude by asserting that, despite setbacks like the slow rollout under the Biden administration and the effective elimination of USAID during the Trump administration, the GFA remains a crucial and promising initiative. Furthermore, I explain how the GFA’s reform goals align with those of the Trump administration and argue that the administration should reaffirm its commitment to the GFA, continuing to work toward its implementation by undertaking the challenging, albeit not impossible, task of shifting more foreign aid and development responsibilities to the Department of State and the Department of Defense.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Coakley, Declan F. “A Fragile New World: An Analysis of the History, Present, and Future of the U.S. Global Fragility Act.” Master's thesis, Chapman University, Year. https://doi.org/10.36837/chapman.000669
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