Investment In Local Businesses Can Help Peacebuilding In Afghanistan
Investment in medium-sized enterprises can play a central role in building sustainable peace in Afghanistan. Previous research on local business and entrepreneurial investment in post-conflict communities support this claim.
Contagious Nonviolence Defeats School Segregation
A student-led movement in Bosnia and Herzegovina successfully defeated a government plan to segregate their school. The contagious nature of nonviolent movements may have contributed to their success.
UN Peacekeepers Need Peacekeeping Training
The United Nations doesn’t have Peacekeepers, they have soldiers deployed as Peacekeepers. Peacekeeping missions are not military operations, therefore, Peacekeeper training should better reflect the peaceful mandate of the UN and abandon the militarized culture and tactics present in today’s Peacekeeping forces.
How “Liberals” Can Sustain Militarism & Enable War
Its been over a year since a major US news network has mentioned any U.S. participation in the Yemen war. Such inattention normalizes U.S. military action and contributes to the greater indifference to militarism throughout U.S. society.
Near Patagonia, Protests Begin Over New U.S. Military Base
In Argentina, protests erupt over a new U.S. “humanitarian” military base near Patagonia. Locals believe the base’s real purpose is to protect U.S. interests in the region’s natural resources.
The 20 Year War Between Ethiopia and Eritrea Has Ended, Restoring Contact Between Separated Families.
Last week, thousands of Ethiopians placed phone calls they had dreamt of making for two decades. Following the end of the 20 year war between Ethiopia to Eritrea, phone lines have been restored allowing family members separated by the conflict to speak once again. Peace Science shows that access to phones decreases the occurrence of violent conflict.
Using Humor As Nonviolent Action
During Donald Trump’s recent state visit to the UK, protesters carried an inflatable baby Trump blimp to bring humor to their protest of his domestic and foreign policy. Humor, in various forms, has a long tradition in protest movements.
Trump Jeopardizes Denuclearization Talks By Taking Early Credit & Alienating China
Peace agreements are not helped by boasting about policy successes that have not yet happened and weakening relationships with strategic allies. Peace science points to more effective roles mediators and negotiators can play to achieve durable peace.
Volume 3, Issue 3
Inside this issue, you will find analysis of research highlighting the importance of one of the Digest’s primary goals: making academic research more accessible and relevant to those beyond the academic community. Four additional analyses look at the relationship between people’s beliefs on masculinity and honor, on the one hand, and their attitudes towards aggressive policies and war, on the other; the complex attitudes of people in a post-conflict setting “after the smoke clears” by looking at how different conflict narratives contribute to reconciliation; how to influence nonstate actors to comply with humanitarian norms, laws, and treaties; and, lastly, we analyze a study examining the methods by which liberal democracies create and sustain militarism and hence enable war.
Sustaining Militarism and Enabling War in Liberal Societies
Liberal democracies often justify their reliance on military force as necessary to maintaining freedom, as well as frame security threats in terms of the dangers posed to the everyday lives of regular people, such that individuals will be willing to give up some freedom for personal security.
Influencing Armed Nonstate Actors to Comply with Humanitarian Norms
Signing a commitment banning landmines appears to influence armed nonstate actors (ANSAs) away from the use of landmines, suggesting that deeds of commitment can influence ANSAs’ behavior.
