CHAPTER 4 CASE STUDIES + EXTRA CONTENT: PEACE AND CONFLICT Flashcards
Religious Perspectives
- Christianity: Promotes peace through love, forgiveness, and reconciliation,
drawing from the teachings of Jesus Christ. Peacebuilding is often seen as
part of a moral and spiritual duty. - Islam: Emphasises comprehensive peace — personal, communal, and
political, grounded in the principles of justice (Adl) and beneficence (Ihsan). - Buddhism: Views peace as starting from within each individual, stressing
mindfulness and compassion. Peace in the Buddhist context transcends mere
absence of conflict, incorporating the idea of a peaceful mind and peaceful
society.
Feminist Interpretations of Peace
- Feminism questions the traditional, often patriarchal, views of peace, arguing
for more inclusive and representative definitions. - Peace is not just the absence of war, but also the presence of conditions like
gender equality, justice, and freedom from oppression. - Feminist scholars point out that women and children are disproportionately
affected by conflict, and their experiences and voices should shape
peacebuilding. - Influence: These perspectives have influenced international policies, including
UN Security Council Resolution 1325, which addresses the impact of war on
women and the importance of their participation in peace processes.
Greed Driven Conflict
- A focus on material interests, often involving economic gains, territorial
control, and resource exploitation. - A disregard for ethical or moral constraints, where the pursuit of self-interest
takes precedence. - In such conflicts, parties may engage in actions that prioritize their
own material well-being, regardless of the broader societal or ethical
implications. - Examples of greed-driven conflicts include territorial disputes,
resource wars, and economic rivalries.
Grievance Driven Conflict
- The presence of historical, social, political, or economic grievances, which
often go unresolved over extended periods. - A strong sense of injustice, oppression, or discrimination, which fuels the
conflict and drives individuals or groups to seek redress - parties perceive themselves as victims of systemic injustice and may
mobilize to address these grievances. These conflicts are often
characterized by social unrest, protests, and resistance movements.
Greed and Grievance Conflict: Columbia(FARC)
- Greed: The FARC’s involvement in the illegal drug trade illustrates a stark
manifestation of the greed-driven aspect of the conflict. By controlling drug
production and distribution networks, the FARC secures a substantial source
of revenue and power. This financial gain sustains their operations and
contributes to their influence. - Grievance: Grievances related to land reform, social injustice, and
government oppression have driven communities to support the FARC and
other rebel groups. These grievances are fueled by historical injustices,
creating a fertile ground for opposition and resistance
Key Elements of Positive Peace
- Economic and social justice: addressing inequality, social welfare
- Political Inclusion and participation: democratic governance, participation and
accountability - Sustainable development and environmental care: resource
management(Equitable) and climate action
Common Challenges in Achieving Positive Peace
- Structural challenges: ingrained injustices(Take time to address), systemic
changes(also, take time, and may be impossible to address) - Measurement and evaluation: assessment difficulties(subjective in nature),
indicators and metrics(are essential, but not perfect)
Possible Responses to Structural Violence
- Policy intervention: legal reforms and resources redistribution
- Societal Changes: building awareness and advocacy and creating cultural
shifts - International Cooperation: aid and development and human rights advocacy
Structural Violence Example: Racial Inequality
- Context: In many countries, racial minorities face systemic barriers in various
aspects of life. USA in particular. - Manifestation: These barriers manifest in forms like higher unemployment
rates, poor healthcare outcomes, and disproportionate incarceration rates
among racial minorities. - Outcome: Such systemic disadvantages perpetuate cycles of poverty and
marginalisation.
Territorial Conflict: Russian Annexation of Crimea
- Russia annexed Crimea in March 2014, following the Ukrainian Revolution.
- Motivations: Strategic: Control over the Black Sea and its naval fleet stationed
at Sevastopol. Cultural-Historical: Crimea’s long association with Russia,
being part of Russia until 1954. Political: Demonstrating Russia’s regional
dominance and countering Western influence in Ukraine. - Global Implications: Western Sanctions: Led to significant economic sanctions
from the EU, USA, and others. Security Tensions: Increased NATO presence
in Eastern Europe and a rekindling of Cold War-type rhetorics.
Psychology Theories of Structural Violence
- Cognitive Biases: Explores how societal biases and stereotypes contribute to
institutionalised discrimination. - Mental Health Impact: Studies the psychological effect of living in a society
marked by structural violence
Territorial Conflict: Russia Ukraine War
- Dynamics: Support for pro-Russian separatists in the Donbas region.
- Motivations: Buffer against NATO, protecting Russian-speaking minorities,
historical ties. - Impact: Ongoing conflict causing thousands of deaths, massive displacement,
and heightened global tensions.
Territorial Conflict: South China Sea Dispute
- Geographic and economic significance: Strategic Location: Crucial for
international maritime trade, linking the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Resource
Rich: Hosts vast fisheries and is believed to hold substantial oil and gas
reserves - Claimants: Major Claimants: Include China, the Philippines, Vietnam,
Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan. China’s Nine-Dash Line: Asserts historical
rights over most of the sea, conflicting with other nations’ claims and violating
UNCLOS principles. - Recent developments and tensions: Chinese Activities: Construction of
artificial islands, installation of military bases. International Response: Legal
challenges, particularly by the Philippines; U.S. naval patrols; regional
diplomatic efforts. - Global Implications: Potential for Conflict: Actions by China seen as
militarisation, raising fears of direct confrontations.International Law and
Maritime Security: Challenges to the freedom of navigation and overflight
rights; undermining the UNCLOS framework. Wider Geostrategic Implications:
Becomes a stage for U.S.-China rivalry; impacts ASEAN unity and regional
order.
General Motivations Behind Territorial Conflicts
- Historical and cultural claims Deep-rooted Histories: Often involve
centuries-old borders and cultural links to the land. National Identity:
Territories can be symbolic of national pride and heritage. - Strategic importance: Military Advantages: Control over territories can offer
significant military or geostrategic advantages. Economic Resources:
Territories rich in resources like minerals, oil, or natural gas are particularly
contested. - Nationalism and Political Strategy: Domestic Politics: Leaders might stoke
nationalist sentiments or use territorial claims to divert attention from internal
issues. Electoral Incentives: Territorial claims can be used to rally public
support during political or economic crises. - Economic Resources: Direct Access: Control over territories ensures direct
access to their natural resources. Trade Routes: Significant for controlling
major maritime trade paths and chokepoints.
Global Implications of Territorial Conflicts:
- International relations: diplomatic strains, global power dynamic shifts
- Security and Regional Stability: refugee flows and humanitarian crises, arms races
- International law and governance: challenges rule of law, requires UN and IGOs
- Economic effects: trade disruptions, investment and development
Economic Interests in Conflict: weapon sales, global arms trade
- Global Arms trade: Driven by profit, strategic influence, or geopolitical alliances
this activity may lead to regional arms races, heightened tensions, and
conflicts. - Controversies and consequences: US companies selling weapons to
Myanmar, sales to place with poor human rights records. There is an ethical
and political debate about if the profit, is worth the risks.
Political Interests in conflict
- Political conflicts stem from struggles over governance, power,
territorial control, and political ideologies. - Election Disputes: Such as conflicts following allegations of election
fraud, voter suppression, or manipulation. - Governance Conflicts: Disagreements over control of government
institutions, policy direction, or corruption. - E.g. Territorial disputes(overlap with territoral conflict) e.g. south
china sea
Social Interests in conflict
- Social conflicts arise around the aspirations, needs, and identities of
social groups. These often involve issues of rights, representation,
and social justice. - Labour Disputes: Including conflicts over wages, working conditions,
and employees’ rights. - Group Rights: Conflicts where ethnic, religious, or other social groups
seek recognition, rights, and autonomy.
Social Interests in conflict: workplace disputes
- Causes: Often related to unfair labour practices, pay discrepancies, and lack
of workers’ representation. - Resolution: Can involve negotiations, legal action, strikes, or even
international advocacy - Example: Movements like the Fight for $15 campaign can influence broader
social policies and international labour standards.
Crosscutting themes in interest based conflicts
- Conflicts rarely exist in isolation and often intertwine economic, political, and
social factors. - The arms trade, for instance, impacts political alliances and can ignite social
unrest. - Global interconnectedness means local conflicts can have worldwide
implications, especially in economically linked issues. - Economic conflicts can disrupt global supply chains, influencing international
economic stability and relations.
Managing and Resolving interest based conflict
- Role of IGOs and agreements: Organisations such as the WTO, IMF, and
World Bank help manage and mitigate economic conflicts through policy
frameworks and interventions. International treaties and agreements address
conflicts over global issues like environmental conservation, climate change,
and resource management. - Diplomacy and negotiation: Diplomacy is a crucial tool in resolving political
and social conflicts, often through bilateral or multilateral discussions.
International mediation and dialogue, facilitated by organisations like the UN,
play a significant role in peaceful conflict resolution. - Influence of Non state actors: Non-governmental organisations (NGOs),
multinational corporations (MNCs), and other non-state actors increasingly
impact interest-based conflicts by offering unique resources, perspectives,
and solutions.
Ideological conflict:
- Ideological Conflict: Involves disputes originating from opposing sets of
beliefs, values, or ideologies. - Characteristics: Deep-rooted, extensive, and often emotional; difficult to
resolve due to their entwinement with personal and collective identities - E.g Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Represents a blend of territorial, religious, and
cultural ideological clashes.
Political Ideologies in conflict:
- Political Ideology: A system of beliefs outlining how a society should operate,
influencing governance, policy, and social structure. - Arab Spring (2010-Present): Triggered by demands for democratic reforms,
impacting several Arab countries with varying outcomes, from regime
changes to civil wars
Economic ideologies in conflict:
- Economic Ideology: Shapes views on economic policy and management,
including capitalism, socialism, and mixed economies. - Globalisation vs Economic Nationalism: Involves debates between advocates
of global free trade and supporters of protective tariffs and national industries. - Capitalism vs Socialism: Central to political discourse, affecting debates on
social welfare, public services, and wealth redistribution.