Pandora Hopkins reflects on the cycles of history, drawing attention to a parallel between French expectations for a successful invasion of Mexico in 1862 and those of the US shortly before the launch of their 2003 campaign in Iraq -- both believing that they would be greeted as liberators by
Patricia Rich gives a first hand account of the spiritless British elections, which seem all the more bland in comparison to the vibrant 2009 democratic election in El Salvador, which Rich participated in as an international observer.
In Africa, interstate and intrastate wars have hindered economic development and political stability, causing poverty and failures in nation building. The ongoing challenges of European colonial history and ethnic division continue to fuel these conflicts. In contrary to conventional views on the cause of the conflict in Africa, however, this
"Those of my generation who have been struggling in the international system for two or three decades cannot claim to have achieved a world to the measure of our hopes. I fear that, in spite of the undoubted progress made, we will leave to our successors a difficult and dangerous
Matt Kennard finds inspiration in the ground-up democratic movements of Bolivia, and the progress made by Evo Morales' social policies. This article is cross-posted from the thecommentfactory.com
The International Day of Peace Author: David Krieger Originally Published at Peace and Conflict Monitor on: 09/21/2010 THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE On this day, like any other, soldiers are killing and dying, arms merchants are selling their wares, missiles are aimed at your heart, and peace is
This paper aims to analyze the debate over political violence in contemporary Islam from the viewpoint of its historical roots. At the heart of the matter are two currents that have existed in the Muslim community since its very beginning: a dialectic between the intellectual and the martial, and competing
Alex Powell tackles the logical problem of Just War theory, putting time-honoured arguments for war under much needed critical scrutiny. The centerpiece of Powell's argument is relativity, as the absense of a central moral authority, an objective truth, and an unbiased distinction between innocence and guilt undercut the assumptions of