Northeast India has a history of being strategically populated with non-tribal people since colonialism, leading to resentment among the indigenous population and the emergence of sub-nationalism rooted in local culture and history. This sub-nationalism asserts the insider-outsider dichotomy, (native tribal v/s non-native settler), resulting in ethnic conflicts and demands for secession. Amidst the region’s rich cultural diversity and the presence of numerous smaller ethnic groups, the contemporary literature from Northeast India, including poetry, fiction, nonfiction and drama, serves as a critical lens to unravel the dynamics of ethnic boundaries. Integrating Fredrik Barth’s notion of “ethnic boundaries,” which posits that migration and mobility, with their accompanying social processes of exclusion and incorporation, maintain distinct ethnic categories, this article attempts to analyze how contemporary literature from the region unveils the myth of the insider-outsider dichotomy at play. This will be examined through a nuanced interpretation of two contemporary novels from Northeast India, Mamang Dai’s The Black Hill (2014) and Anjum Hasan’s Lunatic in My Head (2007). By foregrounding Barth’s theoretic framework, the select novels decipher the underlying dynamics of exclusion and incorporation, challenging the conventional binary of “insider” and “outsider.” This study makes a noteworthy contribution to the discussions around society, ethnicity, and peace in Northeast India, using textual analysis method where literary narratives are interpreted in their sociopolitical contexts. It highlights the importance of challenging existing suppositions regarding ethnic identity and adopting a comprehensive and inclusive approach toward promoting peace in the region.

Using the frameworks of reparative, restorative and reconciliatory justice, this article explores the impact of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Land Reform Programme on harms caused to the ≠ Khomani San of the Southern Kalahari. These harms included dehumanisation, fragmentation and genocide during the colonial and Apartheid periods. We show that, despite its objectives, the TRC failed to acknowledge the dignity and humanity of the San, reaffirming their erasure. Land restitution by restoring rights offered the community the means to address deep structural harms, restore human relationships and re-claim the narrative about themselves for a broader emancipation. The broader cultural space of reconciliation opened up by the TRC and the restoration of land rights to the ≠ Khomani San enable them to re-claim the truth about themselves and their contemporary belonging in South Africa’s landscape.

The concept of autochthony or ‘indigeneity’ has been employed in multiple contexts across Africa and refers to people with historical connections to particular territories. It can be manipulated by political elites who demonize perceived ‘allochthonous’ minorities or ‘outsiders’. Though autochthony-related violence is often considered to constitute or resemble genocide or ‘ethnic cleansing’, the contested nature of these concepts necessitates further consideration of the impact of such violence beyond the genocide lens. This essay explores the potential implications of such hostilities and violence for ‘restorative’ or ‘reparative’ justice. It focuses on the examples of the protracted violence in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Central African Republic (CAR), where both peace and justice seem elusive for many communities, and the missed opportunities to foster reparative justice for victims of the last major conflict in Côte d’Ivoire (2010–11). In focusing on victims of autochthony-related violence, this essay considers the potential specific, multilayered, and intersecting needs of such victims and the challenges they may face within the context of any broader, comprehensive processes of reparative justice. Given the challenges that this essay highlights, it concludes by recommending that scholars further consider a conceptualization of reparative justice encompassing the multilayered experiences of autochthony-based victimization.

May 2024 An interview with Samuel Munderere and David Russell of Survivors Fund (SURF) conducted by Noam Schimmel for Peace Review. Survivors Fund (SURF) is the principal international non-governmental organization dedicated to supporting survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. Established in 1997, it is a UK registered charity with its head office in Kigali, Rwanda. For further information please visit https://survivors-fund.org.uk/ or https://x.com/survivorsfund/ An interview with Samuel Munderere, Chief Executive, and David Russell, UK Coordinator, of Survivors Fund (SURF) on reparative justice for survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. This interview presents the views of Survivors Fund (SURF), the principal international non-governmental organization dedicated to supporting survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, on key questions and issues relating to reparative justice specific to Rwanda.

Iraq has a long history of social unrest, sectarian violence, and ethnic conflict. Various Iraqi governments have used the education system to push their political goals, worsening these internal conflicts. After these difficult times, there is a strong need to create real peace through major changes in education. However, because of Iraq’s violent and divided past, achieving lasting peace through education is a tough challenge. This study looks at Iraq, including the Kurdistan Regional Government, and their efforts to reform the education system since 2003. Despite these efforts, one crucial element is missing: the deliberate inclusion of peace studies in the curriculum. Using a qualitative approach, this research explores Iraq’s attempts to integrate peace education programs into the higher education system. It explains both the strategies used and the challenges faced in implementing peace education. Additionally, this paper highlights possible ways for Iraq to advance peace education at all levels, from primary schools to universities.

Iraq has a long history of social unrest, sectarian violence, and ethnic conflict. Various Iraqi governments have used the education system to push their political goals, worsening these internal conflicts. After these difficult times, there is a strong need to create real peace through major changes in education. However, because of Iraq’s violent and divided past, achieving lasting peace through education is a tough challenge. This study looks at Iraq, including the Kurdistan Regional Government, and their efforts to reform the education system since 2003. Despite these efforts, one crucial element is missing: the deliberate inclusion of peace studies in the curriculum. Using a qualitative approach, this research explores Iraq’s attempts to integrate peace education programs into the higher education system. It explains both the strategies used and the challenges faced in implementing peace education. Additionally, this paper highlights possible ways for Iraq to advance peace education at all levels, from primary schools to universities.

May 2024 An interview with Samuel Munderere and David Russell of Survivors Fund (SURF) conducted by Noam Schimmel for Peace Review. Survivors Fund (SURF) is the principal international non-governmental organization dedicated to supporting survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. Established in 1997, it is a UK registered charity with its head office in Kigali, Rwanda. For further information please visit https://survivors-fund.org.uk/ or https://x.com/survivorsfund/ An interview with Samuel Munderere, Chief Executive, and David Russell, UK Coordinator, of Survivors Fund (SURF) on reparative justice for survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. This interview presents the views of Survivors Fund (SURF), the principal international non-governmental organization dedicated to supporting survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, on key questions and issues relating to reparative justice specific to Rwanda.

In this tribute to Johan Galtung, I reflect on Galtung’s groundbreaking work in peace studies, particularly his focus on structural violence and the concept of positive peace. Galtung’s ideas have profoundly influenced scholars and activists, inspiring a shift toward holistic approaches to peacebuilding. Despite initial skepticism, peace studies has gained widespread recognition and integration into academic disciplines. In this essay, I also introduce the concept of ‘hyper’ form of negative peace, emphasizing the need to address historical grievances in peacebuilding efforts. Inspired by Galtung’s vision, the essay advocates for inclusive and participatory approaches to peace formation, envisioning a future where peace is synonymous with justice and human flourishing.

India and Pakistan are neighboring countries in the South Asian region, bearing centuries of united history, culture and collective struggle against colonial rule. The end of the colonial era of this subcontinent with partition to adhere to the separate nation demanded for Hindus and Muslims created massive havoc to these countries that were once united. Furthermore, the partition of the sub-continent has become the genesis of the severed relationship between these nations. This article delves into discussing the idea of the India and Pakistan border visualized in Ashvin Kumar’s critically acclaimed Hindi short film Little Terrorist (2004). The film presents an alternative viewpoint to the presence of borders and the separation of humans based on nationality by showing the border villages of India and Pakistan. The short film forges a path for friendship between the two nations by reminiscing the shared history through the characters Jamal and Bhola. The film, by showing the border village, is subverting the idea of the Indo-Pak border for the people who once lived together. This article analyzes the concept of borders in the film using the research on Indo-Pak border studies.

Political violence and conflicts have been predominant features in Northeast India which comprises the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, Tripura, and Sikkim. Resistances in many states arose to counter the perceived loss of land, demographic change, and political, cultural, and economic marginalization of indigenous communities. Some of the resistances had arisen due to the harboring of national visions by groups in Northeast India which were inimical to the visions held by those in the centers of power in the country. There have also been interventions, either official or unofficial or both to resolve these conflicts and violence. Some of these interventions are inspired by Gandhian principles of conflict resolution. This paper intends to provide an insight into one of the Gandhian interventions in Northeast India and discusses Irom Chanu Sharmila’s sixteen years long fast to have AFSPA repealed.