Female Inclusion in Afghan Security Forces: “Get on board or get out — it’s happening”
Militarism, warfare, and the military itself all depend on gender hierarchies—the privileging of masculinity and its associated traits over femininity and its associated traits—to function. Women in Afghanistan are especially aware of this of sexism and inequality as they seek to join their country’s military and police force.
EPA Considers Rolling Back Radiation Exposure Protections
The EPA is considering rolling back regulations on radiation exposure. This is a horrible idea, just ask the victims of nuclear weapons testing in the Pacific.
Special Issue: Gender & Conflict
If there is a silver lining to the current political situation in the U.S., it is the way that polarization can bring latent conflict—in the form of extreme inequality and oppression—to the surface to be addressed. In 2018, one would hope that we would not still be living in a sexist, gender-unequal society (or a racist society, for that matter). But, whereas a few years ago, well-meaning people of all genders might have been able to overlook the ways in which gender (and racial) inequalities still permeate our daily existence, today it is difficult to do so any longer. The courageous revelations of hundreds of women across professions have exposed the insidious ways in which sexual assault and harassment still very much structure power dynamics in the workplace and beyond. Comparisons between world leaders about the size of their nuclear “buttons” have made evident how the desire to look more masculine assists in escalating international conflict. In other words, it is no longer possible to ignore the “work” gender does in politics—from the bedroom to the boardroom to the battlefield.
Weaponized Sexuality: Sexist and Homophobic Propaganda During the Russo-Ukrainian War
When supplemented with the promise of reseating Russia as a great world power, propaganda infused with state-sanctioned homophobia and praise for the traditional “macho” masculine ideology has successfully maintained public support for Russian military action against Ukraine.
Global/Local Interactions and Women’s Participation in Conflict and Peacebuilding in Bougainville
In the case of Bougainville, women leaders emphasized their peacebuilding role in the conflict, drawing on both local customs and norms—like their “maternal responsibility”—and global norms enshrined in UNSCR 1325 to buttress their participation in peace work.
Challenges Implementing the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda in EU Peacekeeping
Planning staff in EU peacekeeping and crisis management missions maintain traditional understandings of security as a gender-neutral domain in relation to which “gender issues” are seen as an afterthought—not as essential to security work itself
How Military Rivalries Impact Female Political Representation
When democratic countries are involved in an international rivalry, average female political representation is cut in half, from nearly 20% to 10%; when they are involved in two rivalries, female representation falls to 4%.
Critical Feminist Insights on Security, Militarism, and the Inclusion of Women in the Military
Militarism, militarized security, warfare, and the military itself all depend on gender hierarchies—the privileging of masculinity and its associated traits over femininity and its associated traits—and “gendered myths and images” to function.
Successful Peace Agreements Are Built On Trust And Clarity
Recent studies have shown that “complex” peace agreements with long lists of provisions are more likely to lead to a return of violence within five years. This research is important to the ongoing Korean peace process: focus should be placed on peace agreements built on trust with clear, actionable provisions.
“Fort Trump” Military Base Proposed in Poland
Poland has been pushing to host a permanent U.S. military base for years- proposing it be named “Fort Trump” may have sealed the deal. Poland is looking to shore up relations with the U.S. and defend against an increasingly aggressive Russia, but increased defense spending and the presence of foreign troops has a measured effect on human rights practices and the economy.
UN Peacekeepers Play A Key Role In Peacebuilding, But There Are Risks
The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, calls for members to support UN Peacekeeping operations with greater monetary, equipment, and personnel commitments. Peace Science shows that the militarization of peacekeeping forces may protect civilians in the short-term but also carry unintended consequences.
