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.
Humanitarian Assistance and Peacebuilding: Congruence as a By-product of Incompatibility
Mahmoud Abdou discusses the differences and similarities between humanitarianism and peacebuilding in both operational and ideological terms, and shows how they have increasingly supported each other in the post-Cold War era as instruments of the liberal peace approach to global governance.
Global Governance for Security and Peace: The Role of Peace Education
This is excerpt from the speech delivered by Dr. Prasad at the International Academic Peace Conference on the eve of UN International Peace Day at Hotel Lotte, Seoul organized by Institute of International Peace Studies, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Is Global Media Setting the Agenda for UN Peace Keeping Operations: Revisiting the UNOSOM Debacle
Is Global Media Setting the Agenda for UN Peace Keeping Operations: Revisiting the UNOSOM Debacle Author: Dominic Pkalya Originally Published at Peace and Conflict Monitor on: 11/30/2006 The United Nations Peace Keeping Operations have received ambivalent reactions. Many have welcomed it as a necessary precondition and process for not only mediating in a nascent […]
Teachers for Maintaining Peace and Security: The Goals of the United Nations
Suman Shukla on the important and oftentimes under-appreciated role of teachers in peace building and prevention of violent conflict worldwide.
The Power of Empathy in Conflict Resolution
Empathy has a profound ability to transform the way in which we resolve and understand conflicts. Empathy enables individuals to open their hearts and minds to not only see and understand the world from the perspective of others, but also to act in a way that is more likely to lead to a peaceful solution. In order to better understand empathy and its impact on conflict resolution, this paper will first address conflict, then empathy, how the two relate to one another, and finally, the essential nature of empathy in conflict resolution.
The Essence of Good Governance in Maintaining Sustainable Peace and Security in Cameroon
This paper aims at highlighting the shortcomings of institutions that do not uphold the principles of good governance in Cameroon and how they have led to a series of conflicts and uprising that nearly paralysed the country and threatened the peace and integrity of the nation.
Transforming Systemic Inadequacy in International Peacebuilding
Since the end of the Cold War, the outbreak of new wars has generated an extensive need for international peacebuilding missions. Most of these peacebuilding missions, however, have proved to constitute operational and systemic failures (e.g. Rwanda, Tajikistan, Somalia, Sri Lanka). On top of that, owing to the current New World Order and its implied structural changes, the traditional conceptions of peacebuilding will provide even more inept responses for failed and fragile States. Through a bipartite structure, this paper exploits the underlying reasons for the failure of peacebuilding by categorizing it into three main models. As a response to this failure, Alexandra Dobra develops a new model, the Meta->Micro Evolutionary System, which aims to systemically improve the conduct of peacebuilding, through substantiating the existence of a self-sustained and mutually-alternating dyad. The Meta-Micro Evolutionary System codifies ex-ante the conduct of peacebuilding and therefore constitutes a prescriptive tool.
To be a drop of peace
Kerstin Zettmar reflects on the difficulties that many of us face when we are confronted with thoughts, ideas, institutions, or policies that we strongly disagree with, and considers different ways through which we may be able to strengthen our personal resolve and coherence while remaining open and responsive to the perspectives of others, ultimately recognizing the importance of effective and respectful communication as a step towards building a culture of peace.
The Theory and Practice of Humanitarian Intervention and the Interest of Western Powers: Liberia, Darfur, Rwanda, Iraq, and Libya
After arguing for the importance and potential of humanitarian intervention to bring about a more just world, Jerry M’bartee Locula critically reviews its application (or lack thereof) by the United Nations Security Council in relation to political and economic interests, particularly those of the permanent five members — USA, UK, France, Russia, and China. As such, the discussion draws on the experiences of Liberia, Sudan (Darfur), Rwanda, Iraq, and, most recently, Libya.