Peacekeeping and Gendered Relations
Television pictures of peacekeepers holding babies, handing out sweets to children, and disarming militia combine to portray these individuals as saviours of the war torn citizenry. Peacekeeper’s involvement in the reconstruction of schools, roads and utilities add to the sense that wealthier, more powerful countries wish to assist through their agreement to contribute peacekeeping troops, who in turn, are noted to impact positively on the society in question. However, these representations jostle with others that may evoke a qualitatively different response……
A World Without War
Human Rights Law remains an essential tool in the effort to minimize suffering in war, and stand up for justice in the face of overwhelming injustice. Still, as Theckanath points out, we should not lose sight of the larger struggle: to eradicate war completely.
Theory and Practice for Peacemakers
At its best Contemporary Peacemaking treads the uneasy terrain between theory and practice, forging the types of links that are absolutely essential for the comparative work the editors quite clearly believe is of use for peace processes. There is much work to be done in this zone between the comfortable categorizations of unimpeded theory and the at times ad hoc sensibilities of those used to getting things done in the field with a bit of duct tape and a wire hanger.
John Darby & Roger MacGinty (eds) Contemporary Peacekeeping: Conflict, Violence & Peace Proceses, Palgrave MacMillan, 2003, pp. 296 ISBN 1-4039-0138-4 (Hardback)
There Were Nations That Stayed Away
I recently attended the Nairobi Summit, the First Review Conference of the 1997 Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction. There are nations that stayed away. It is a shame.
Gender and Peacekeeping: a few challenges
Drawing on her extensive experience with UN peacekeeping operations, including serving as Senior Gender Advisor for MINUSTAH, Nadine Puechguirbal discusses some of the ongoing challenges to gender mainstreaming in peacekeeping missions, and ultimately, the creation of a more just society.
How do peacebuilders promote change?
How do peacebuilders promote change? Author: Laura Harms Originally Published at Peace and Conflict Monitor on: 08/09/2008 Category: Comment As our summer program came to an end last week, I asked students to reflect on their role as individuals and members of organizations in promoting change. For me as well as for many students, more […]
La Carpio: exposing the hidden violence of poverty and marginalization in Costa Rica
La Carpio is a poor community in Costa Rica, nestled against a wealthy enclave of North American and European ex-patriots. Lynn Schneider takes a sobering look at the discrimination and inequalities faced by residents of La Carpio, demonstrating that cultural and structural violence are deeply ingrained, even in a country praised for its long standing commitment to peace.
Peace in Kenya Campaign
Peace in Kenya Campaign Author: Peter Ongera Originally Published at Peace and Conflict Monitor on: 04/02/2008 Category: Conciliation Kenya’s post-election violence has been, to say the least, an unanticipated tragedy with far-reaching implications. Even as the country’s calm returns, albeit slowly, underlying tension is evident. With over 1,000 lives lost and over 250,000 people displaced […]
Peacekeping and the New World Order
The collapse and disintegration of the Soviet Union fundamentally altered the structure of international relations and the expression of violent conflict. Where war was once considered the business of nation states, non-state actors and intrastate wars have come to the forefront of global security concerns. Givi Amiranashvili analyses the legal and political aspects of UN peacekeeping operations in this new geopolitical landscape.
Sport as an International Tool for Development and Peacebuilding
Satomi Tsuchiya argues for the greater use of sport in peace and development work, with reference to the great potential of sport to engage youth especially — of both genders — in positive social activities that build trust and community.