peace & conflict: nonviolence->justice

Question 1

nonviolence

Answer 1

Generally, nonviolence is the idea that a conflict party’s interests or goals can be achieved without the use of violence. This sets up a dichotomy between the use of violence as a method of achieving stated goals, and the use of nonviolence to do the same.

Question 2

Johan Galtung’s 3 approaches to obtaining peace

Answer 2

peacekeeping, peacemaking, peacebuilding

Question 3

peacekeeping

Answer 3

keeping people from attacking each other by putting some kind of barrier between them. Often this barrier is made up of neutral soldiers– peacekeepers–from the UN or neutral groups of nations.
Their role is to establish the most narrow form of peace (negative peace- the absence of direct violence)

Question 4

3 principles of UN peacekeepers

Answer 4

Consent of the parties
Impartiality
Non-use of force except in self defense and the defense of the mandate.

Question 5

Fisher and Keashly six nonviolent methods for third-party mediation

Answer 5

1. Conciliation- provides a communicative link (identify issues, lower tensions & encourage interaction)
2. Consultation- facilitate creative problem solving through communication and analysis
3. Pure mediation- facilitate a negotiated settlement through reasoning, persuasion and suggestions
4. Power mediation- use leverage or coercion in the form of rewards or threats - mediator is the guarantor of the agreement
5. Arbitration- third party renders a binding judgement and imposes a settlement which is deemed to be fair and reasonable
6. Peacekeeping- provides military personal in order to monitor a ceasefire.

Question 6

peacemaking

Answer 6

• Peacemaking is the process of forging a settlement between the disputing parties.
• While it can be done in direct negotiations with just the two disputants, it is also often done with a third party mediator, who assists with process and communication problems and helps the parties work effectively together to draft a workable peace accord.
• Usually the negotiators are official diplomats.

Question 7

peacebuilding

Answer 7

• creating positive peace
• Peacebuilding is the process of establishing harmony between the conflict parties. In this state the contradictions and attitudes (latent elements of conflict) have been resolved and no longer exist. In other words, the conditions for future conflict have been removed and a state of positive peace has been achieved.

Question 8

peacebuilding defined by Johan Galtung

Answer 8

Peacebuilding is the process of creating self-supporting structures that “remove causes of wars and offer alternatives to war in situations where wars might occur.” Conflict resolution mechanisms “should be built into the structure and be present there as a reservoir for the system itself to draw upon, just as a healthy body has the ability to generate its own antibodies and does not need ad hoc administration of medicine.”

Question 9

retributive justice

Answer 9

a theory of punishment that when an offender breaks the law, justice requires that they suffer in return, and that the response to a crime is proportional to the offence.

Question 10

advantages of retributive justice

Answer 10

diminishes individual vengeance
Avoid a continuing cycle of violence
Enhance respect for the rule of law

Question 11

disadvantages of retributive justice

Answer 11

Can be seen as justice imposed by the victors on the defeated
They can be slow, partial and narrow
Individuals are prosecuted for acts attributable to governments
They are expensive

Question 12

truth and reconciliation

Answer 12

Truth commissions are non-judicial inquiries established to determine the facts, root causes, and societal consequences of past human rights violations. Through their focus on the testimony of victims of atrocity, truth commissions provide acknowledgement and recognition of suffering and survival to those most affected.
The findings and recommendations of commissions can contribute to criminal justice, reparations, and institutional reform processes to redress past abuses and prevent new ones from occurring. In doing so, they provide an opportunity for divided societies to begin the process of rebuilding civic trust among citizens and in the institutions in place to serve them.
Truth and reconciliation commissions understands the difference between justice through retribution (revenge) and through restoration (repairing the harm done).

Question 13

Criticisms of Truth and Reconciliation Commissions

Answer 13

High costs involved in research
Trauma for the victims of being repeatedly faced with questions about their abuse.
Feeling that justice has not been served when perpetrators of crimes return to their homes.

Question 14

restorative justice

Answer 14

estorative justice is commonly defined as an approach to justice that focuses on addressing the harm caused by crime while holding the offender responsible for their actions, by providing an opportunity for the parties directly affected by the crime – victims, offenders and communities – to identify and address their needs in the aftermath of a crime.
Restorative justice is based on an understanding that crime is a violation of people and relationships. The principles of restorative justice are based on respect, compassion and inclusivity. Restorative justice encourages meaningful engagement and accountability and provides an opportunity for healing, reparation and reintegration. Restorative justice processes take various forms and may take place at all stages of the criminal justice system.