Reflections on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
The following excerpts were taken from reflection papers written by the Responsible Management and Sustainable Economic Development class at the University for Peace during a course on Social Responsibility.
Compiled by Professor Nika Salvetti.
The Influence of Judicial Institutions
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the mechanism through which international institutions in general and international courts and tribunals in particular exercise influence. The paper will start with some introductory remarks concerning the philosophical roots of the concept of institution and its link with the idea of law. Using a sociological framework, the discussion will address the relations that exist between institutions and their environment and, therefore, how influence is constructed and exercised upon other entities.
The Criminality of Nuclear Weapons and Nuclear Energy: From Hiroshima to Fukushima
Key Terms: International Association of Lawyers Against Nuclear Arms (IALANA), public health, crimes against humanity, nuclear energy, weapons of mass destruction, International Atomic Energy Agency, abolition, phaseout, International Law, peace, security.
The Arab Spring and the revelation that corruption is a crime against humanity
Kichere Mwita discusses the scale of corruption characterizing the ousted regimes in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya, connects the corruption of political elites with the dissatisfaction and frustration of citizens, and argues that corruption itself should be considered a crime against humanity and prosecuted by the international community.
The Absence of Women in the Development of International Law: A Critical Women’s Rights Issue
Jerry M’bartee Locula sheds light on the development of international law from a gendered perspective, emphasizing the lack of women’s involvement in the patriarchal global system. Highlighting ways to strengthen the international women’s rights movement, he calls on men to become advocates of gender equality by being outspoken in demanding the inclusion of women’s rights at all levels of international lawmaking.
Testing Veto Power before the UN General Assembly: Mahmoud Abbas and International Law Perspectives on Palestinian Statehood
Kichere Mwita draws on theories of statehood in international law to analyze the recent bid presented by Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestine Liberation Organization, for full membership of the State of Palestine before the United Nations General Assembly.
Terrorism and Moral Response
This week marks the 10 year anniversary of the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in retribution for the terrorist attacks of 9/11. In this essay, Hye Young Kim considers alternative responses to the moral outrage of terrorism, and proposes an intercultural dialogue rejecting violence and focusing on justice, humanity, and diversity.
Terrell (Terry) Gardner
The Peace and Conflict Monitor mourns the recent passing of Terrell Gardner, cofounder of Science for Peace, who did much to further the cause of peace through education and life example. The following obituary is reposted from the Globe and Mail.
South Sudanese Independence: Challenges Ahead
The turbulent history of modern Sudan is about to enter a new chapter as South Sudan prepares for its emergence as an independent state in just a few weeks. Highlighting tensions left unresolved by the 2005 peace agreement, recent actions of the Northern government, as well as economic inequalities and the scramble for oil, Patrick Mugo Mugo outlines some of the challenges ahead for this newest member of the international community.
Tor, Anonymity, and the Arab Spring: An Interview with Jacob Appelbaum
The recent revolution in Egypt that ended the autocratic presidency of Hosni Mubarak was a modern example of successful nonviolent resistance. Social Media technologies provided a useful tool for the young activist to orchestrate this revolution. However the repressive Mubarak regime prosecuted many activists and censored a number of websites. This made their activities precarious, making it necessary for activists to hide their identity on the Internet. The anonymity software Tor was a tool used by some bloggers, journalists and online activists to protect their identity and to practice free speech. Jacob Appelbaum, Tor developer, independent computer security researcher, and co-founder of the the San Francisco hackerspace Noisebrige has conducted a number of Tor trainings in the Middle East. In this comprehensive interview, Appelbaum explains the concept of Tor and how it was used by the people of Egypt. Furthermore he discusses the possibilities and limitations of anonymity on the internet and explains why he believes an anonymous person can be a credible source of information.