Beyond Tradition: Welcoming the New Year and the Environment
James Lovelock, author of Gaia: A New Look at Life on Earth, smartly points out that, “for each of our actions there are only consequences”. While we understand this concept at face value, rarely do we stop to consider the multifaceted impacts of our actions. Reflecting on the manufacturing, transportation, combustion and solid waste associated with fireworks celebrations, Stephanie Weiss challenges us to consider the following: What kind of consequence does welcoming the New Year with fireworks have on our environment?
Beauty and Politics
Dipo Djungdjungan Summa argues that (female) beauty can’t be “natural”, as it is always related to the preferences of dominant social groups, and therefore an expression of power.
Air Pollution and Climate Change: China’s Policy Options
The Beijing Olympics have become a focus point for environmental policy discussions, including the enormity and complexity of the global climate change challenge. In this article, David Chalmers discusses China’s contribution to climate change and the human security implications of the carbon tariffs that seem likely to result.
Africa for Sale: The Land Grab Landmine
A new phenomenon is taking shape across the developing world, threatening to heighten resource-related conflict, particularly in Africa. Referred to as land leasing, land selling or land grabbing, it affects Africa more than any other region, where land is more than a factor of production, but a lifeline to an individual’s wellbeing, the family unit, the community at large and the stability of the state. In this article, Patrick Mugo Mugo exposes the extent of the land grab phenomenon, arguing that while we debate over whether it is land grabbing, leasing or selling, African countries are already stepping on a potential landmine.
A Special Issue: Violence in Latin America and the Caribbean
A Special Issue: Violence in Latin America and the Caribbean Author: Ross Ryan Originally Published at Peace and Conflict Monitor on: 04/01/2012 In putting together this special collection of articles for the Peace and Conflict Monitor and highlighting the problem of violence in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) we are keenly aware of […]
Address to the National University of Timor-Leste
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s address to the National University of Timor-Leste, 16 August 2012.
Examining the tragedy of New Orleans using Classical Realism, Green theory, and Marxism to champion Climate Debt and Environmental Justice
August 23, 2005 remains in history as a turning point for many of us and specifically for the residents of New Orleans. On this day, the infamous Hurricane Katrina was born in the Bahamas. It swiftly transformed itself into a category one hurricane and crossed over to South Florida, killing some people and caused some floods before it grew into a dangerous monster as it transcended the Gulf of Mexico. Landing as a category three storm in New Orleans, it unleashed extensive terror, environmental and economic damage all the way into Central Florida and Texas. Some critics argued that it was act of God. Others say it was God’s way of “cleaning” New Orleans. Others pondered that it was time for business. While this remains contested, it is undeniable that this tragedy was both a climate problem and extensively theorized.
Main words: Climate debt, climate justice, green theory, Marxism, classical realism.
Education for young people in armed conflict
This paper examines the impact of war on the education of young people in armed conflict and also give a situational analysis of youths and children in armed conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, India, Colombia and Cambodia. The paper also looks at how the life of youth and children can be restored through reintegration activities, provision of formal and informal education, employment, facilitation of psychosocial training and vocational training opportunities. It provides a gender perspective of how girls and women are mostly vulnerable in conflict times and stresses the implementation of the right to education instruments such as the convention on the Right of the Child, the Human Right Convention, MDG-2, Refugee convention of 1951 and the EFA framework to enhance the education of war affected young people.
Educating Refugees and the Internally Displaced Persons
Simmering ethno-religious crises, struggles for political power or natural resources, all of which have led to endless human suffering and consequent loss of lives, destruction of properties and displacement of people, demand that we focus on education. In this article, Blessing Ojone Adejoh talks about the importance of education during emergency response.
Does ideology matter for mass media democratization in Latin America?
This article review’s Kitzberger’s thesis that ideology should be given greater attention in media analyses of Latin America in light of counter examples offered by Gomez Garcia & Terre and Sartoretto. In the end, the article finds that many groups and individuals are calling for media democratization in the region, not only the leftist governments.