A Case for Civil Disobediences: Embracing the Power of Nonviolent Revolutions
This article discusses the shortcomings of violent social struggles – their relative exclusivity, vulnerability to foreign manipulation for geostrategic goals, and their likelihood (if successful) to establish similarly repressive and violent regimes to the ones they seek to overthrow. These are then juxtaposed with the relative merits of nonviolent struggles – their inclusivity, self-sufficiency, and compatibility with democratic structures of governance.
Deconstructing Reconstruction
David Ekbladh unravels the real meaning of “post-war reconstruction”.
Theatre of Peace: reflections
In the theatre the public gazes at a remarkable event, one based on conflict; but the audience of the theatre of war gazes at violent conflict. Is there some connection between these definitions of theatre that is more than semantic? Could there be a theatre of peace?
Your Power: An Interview with Stic.man of Dead Prez
Stic.man of Dead Prez speaks with Jesaka Saylove about success, art, revolution, nonviolence, education, community values, health, gender, the right to land, inspiration, peace, war, his latest music, books, and projects, and a lot more.
Understanding the 2013 Coup d’état in the Central African Republic
This article explores the political and economic motives behind the March 2013 Coup D’état in the Central Africa Republic, and the formation of the Séléka. This analysis also addresses the many social grievances of the country and looks towards the potential for continued unrest.
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.
ECOWAS and Intrastate Conflict Mediation in West Africa: The Case of Cote d’Ivoire
ECOWAS and Intrastate Conflict Mediation in West Africa: The Case of Cote d’Ivoire Author: Dramane Ouattara Originally Published at Peace and Conflict Monitor on 10/04/2016 “If we all make a small effort, not necessarily on a daily basis but at least on a weekly basis to be nicer to our environment, I think we can […]
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.
Common Things: Communication, Community, Communal Peacebuilding
“I do not have thin fingers, as a farmer, my hands become part of the land and its fruits… I need this thick tombs for nurture the vegetables.” Maria Emma Prada is a “countryside lady” in her own words. A woman which has stood up for the rural women in Colombia.
She is one of the most important leaders in Colombia of ANMUCIC (National association of indigenous, afro -descendent and peasant women of Colombia) a main organization of women of the country.
Maria Emma is a refugee in Costa Rica since 2000. Her life and her family were threatened, on the one hand, by paramilitary groups, fuelled by the false news that emerged about her as part of the guerrilla in the national media. On the other, given her efforts to gain access for her organization to the peasant production and infrastructure government projects, the guerrillas believed that she was a collaborator and informant to the Colombian army. She had no choice but to leave the country.
There is an abysm between the facts and the human rights discourse in Colombia. Despite that the National Constitution consecrates Human Rights as a part of the fundamental rights of Colombian people, reality is way too far of the written laws.
Media is part of this huge gap, owe that, instead of promoting the citizen participation in accordance with an attempt of a negotiation of the armed conflict through peaceful means, it has contributed to the re -victimization of people in the countryside and people of social movements, as well that it has facilitated to all sides – guerrillas, paramilitaries and the government – to legitimate the atrocities of war by focused in heroes and villains actions.
It is necessary that media and journalism help to rethink the country that we are and the country we want to be from a human right´s perspective in the new Colombian post – conflict scenario.
Keywords: Colombian conflict, media propaganda, evil, grassroots media, women organizations, victims, communication.
Strategies for building awareness for the potential of peace education in Cameroon
Peace education is yet to become a reality in Cameroon. This it seems because many persons do not know about it or better still because many persons are not aware of its benefits. Though unaware or ignorant about peace education, there are lots and lots of conditions that warrant the teaching of peace education in Cameroon. The purpose of this paper is to discuss some of the strategies for building awareness about peace education and to show that there are conditions that necessitate the teaching of peace education in Cameroon.
Keywords: Strategies, Building awareness, potentials, Peace, Education, Pedagogy.