Global Health Leaders Rally Behind Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty
The International Committee of the Red Cross and the World Medical Association have issued important and very timely calls for states to join and implement the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
Volume 3, Issue 2
In this issue of the Peace Science Digest, we present research highlighting the everyday violence and coping mechanisms of Afghan civilians amidst nearly 40 years of war. Next, we look at the important work of Christian Peacemaker Teams in Palestine/Israel and the tension that exists between their dual accompaniment and solidarity roles in the West Bank. We then turn to the significance of a largely overlooked distinction between borrowing money to fund war versus imposing a war tax—and how the latter vastly reduces public support for war. In the fourth analysis, we examine a study that looks back on North Korean-Western relations to reveal interesting conclusions on how the parties react to triggers and provocations. Finally, we look at research on the Arab Spring, and why civil resistance movements in some countries were more successful than in others.
An Interactive Approach to Explaining Success and Failure in the Arab Spring
The success or failure of a civil resistance movement is best understood within a dynamic framework that can account for the interactions between movement activists and the regime, particularly the bearing their respective tactics have on the unity and coherence of the other side.
North Korea and the International Community: Triggers and Provocations
Anecdotal assumptions by government officials, academics, and the media about North Korean provocations as responses to U.S./Western triggers are not supported by data.
War Finance Methods and Public Support for War
War support is significantly reduced when war is financed through taxes instead of through borrowing money.
The Lived Experience of Violence in Afghanistan
In response to the regular occurrence of violence in Afghan society, Afghans have expressed helplessness, fear, widespread insecurity, and traumatization but also have learned to cope by normalizing violence, desensitizing themselves from it, and integrating it into their daily lives.
Christian Peacemaker Teams’ Protection and Solidarity Work in Israel/Palestine
Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) combines accompaniment work to protect vulnerable Palestinians with solidarity activities to support Palestinian nonviolent resistance movements.
Can Intergovernmental Organizations Help Prevent Civil War?
In a new book, evidence is presented on how intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) can help prevent civil wars. IGOs can be costly to violent governments and rebels. They can impose sanctions or withdrawal from the region, bringing staff, resources, and other benefits with them. IGOs can also reward peace, providing resources/benefits if violence doesn’t escalate.
Media Outlets Have A Choice – Why Do So Few Choose Peace Journalism?
In a survey of the 100 largest newspapers in the US, not a single editorial board opposed the recent airstrikes on Syria. Of the top ten papers, seven openly supported the strikes.
In Colombia, A Rise in Political Representation Has Decreased Violence
In Colombia, opposition groups were granted increased access to political representation as part of the ongoing peace process–successfully reducing violence at the polls.
Can We Fight And Broker Peace Agreements At The Same Time?
There is an ongoing debate over armed United Nations peacekeeping forces and whether their use of force is beneficial or detrimental to building sustainable, positive peace.
