Mediators Beyond Borders: Pathways to Peace and Reconciliation
In this timely article, Kenneth Cloke reflects on the potential of mediation to inspire conflict transformation and social development in times of interpersonal as well as international crisis.
Technical aspects of mediation are also discussed, as Cloke draws from his considerable experience in the field, offering practical and accessible advice for the promotion of cooperation and coexistence in our own lives and beyond all borders.
Assessing the Georgian conflict
Richard Falk discusses the recent violence in Georgia in light of the geopolitical context, involving NATO, Russia, the EU, and the US.
Deconstructing Reconstruction
David Ekbladh unravels the real meaning of “post-war reconstruction”.
Nepal’s recovery process since the 2015 earthquake
Tags: Nepal, Earthquake, Disaster Risk Reduction, National Reconstruction Authority (NRA), Hyogo Framework, Resilience, Preparedness
Land of the Golden Pagodas: Checking in on Myanmar’s Peace Process
Monica Paniagua reports on her recent trip to Myanmar to support the ongoing peace process. In this article, she also reflects on the still-troubling human rights situation in the country and the recent economic and political changes that continue to be a source of cautious optimism.
Women’s Political Representation in Sri Lanka: Leading towards Prosperity or Peril
This paper argues that greater representation of women in Sri Lanka’s parliament and local government institutions, and greater gender sensitivity in general, will have substantially positive implications for the country, including accelerating the post-conflict reconciliation and recovery process.
The Tlatelolco Treaty at 50: The Continued Relevance of the Latin American Nuclear Weapons Ban
Latin America and the Caribbean went nuclear weapons free in 1967 with the signing of the Tlatelolco Treaty, an historic accomplishment and an important reference in contemporary International relations.
In 2013, the World Future Council, together with the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs and the Inter-Parliamentary Union, honoured the Tlatelolco Treaty with the Future Policy Award on disarmament for its invaluable contribution to advancing regional peace and security, creating a precedent and inspiration for subsequent Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones and providing impetus to the global elimination of nuclear weapons.
On 13 February, OPANAL together with the Mexican Foreign Ministry will host a high-level seminar to commemorate the treaty’s anniversary and discuss its relevance in addressing current and future nuclear threats.
Teaching Peace from Tales of the City: Peace Education through the Memoryscapes of Nagasaki
To what extent can the memoryscapes of a city contribute to peace education? I argue that narratives both create and destroy the imaginaries of peace. The failure of peace museums to create an effective vision of peace reduces them to the level of historical museums. Using the framework of peace education, I explore the exhibitions, contents, objects, and messages presented in the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum and the Oka Masaharu Memorial Nagasaki Peace Museum. To demonstrate their contributions toward peace education, I analyze the power of narratives contained in these two peace museums and their positioning in the geography of peace education in Japan. Finally, I suggest which factors support the realization of peace education in peace museums.
Has Democracy Enhanced Development in Africa?
Whether democracy guarantees development and whether development depends on democracy remain hard to answer questions to any looking outside the continent for inspirations. From the East, we find examples of significant development without the blue prints of modern state democracy or liberal democracy while in the west we find significant contribution of the values of democracy to development endeavors. This article discusses this paradox and suggests that for Africa it is imperative to take the two on board.
China’s Oil Security: Diplomacy, Economics and the Prospects for Peaceful Growth
How does China’s pursuit of oil security drive its foreign policy and its participation in world markets? Analysis by Sigfrido Burgos Cáceres.