In Iran, desertification is the backdrop to some of the most important social issues of the day. Sierra Ramirez analyzes its connection to new democracy movements, nomadic cultures, gender relations, and more.

August 1st marks the 69th anniversary of the Toyama air raid, one of the forgotten atrocities of the Second World War. In this article, Takuo Namisashi comments on the history and commemoration of the air raid on Toyama city.

Lawal Tsalha talks with Dr Victor Valle, Professor and Vice Rector of the University for Peace, about the future of the university and the meaning of peace.

Diplomacy is an important arena of International Relations, however it is not always well understood. This paper employs a feminist lens to develop a thoughtful response to the question: is diplomacy gendered? Firstly, I develop an understanding of diplomacy, which is then employed to a discussion of the evolution of

Majid Salih, formerly a field monitor for the world food programme in Iraq and currently a graduate student at the University for Peace, explains how his life, family, city, and country have been affected by terrorism and violence. Salih then addresses what he feels are the primary factors motivating terrorist

Jehun Alexander Hong discusses the continued escalation of the Syrian civil war in terms of internal, regional, and international power struggles, in the overlapping sectors of ethnic, religious, political, and economic rivalry. Emphasis is placed on the question of chemical weapons and the high number of child casualties, as well

Independent journalist Atkilt Geleta comments on the UNGA speeches made by Ahmadinejad and Netanyahu and offers some analytical insight on the worsening Syrian crisis and the complex geopolitical structure of alliances and interests that surround it.

Diversity and conflicting interest are both a curse and a blessing in post-conflict and violent societies, subject to the way they are managed within an electoral process, more so during the transition period. Patrick Mugo Mugo looks at the unfolding challenges in Kenya as the date of general elections beckons

Reeyot Alemu has recently been awarded by the International Women's Media Foundation and UNESCO for her inspiring commitment to freedom of speech and opinion, even as she faces severe persecution from the Ethiopian government, and continues to be imprisoned.