Peaceful Relations Research Articles

Secession, self-determination and territorial disagreements: Sovereignty claims in the contemporary South Pacific

AbstractThis article maps the legally varied sovereignty claims in the contemporary South Pacific; whether secessionist, self-determination based, or consisting of territorial disputes or lesser disagreements. The analysis reveals that Pacific practice in this domain is consistent with general international law; that despite any fractures at the domestic level, relations between the states and territories of the region is peaceful, that their shared values have instead given rise to innovative solutions to legal problems concerning territory, either through the leveraging of regional institutions – so vital to the region’s identity – to pursue claims against metropolitan powers, or through innovative arrangements to alleviate territorial problems left by colonial powers. Indeed, the region is replete with innovative legal solutions based on shared values and peaceful international relations. As such, Pacific practice and engagement with international law can provide a blueprint for others around the globe.

Advancing Peace through Human Rights in UN Peace Operations

Abstract The integration of human rights in United Nations peace operations has witnessed remarkable progress during the past fifteen years. This article analyzes the evolution of human rights integration in the peace and security architecture in relation to peace operations, focusing on the achievements and shortcomings of Headquarters-led policies and reforms of the last decade, as well as the impact of recent Security Council dynamics. The article reviews the significant realizations on both the substantive and structural fronts and argues that ownership of the human rights agenda and policies, as well as accountability and leadership for their implementation, warrants a greater commitment of the organization. Such commitment should translate into institutionalizing Headquarters’ cooperation mechanisms, creating further space for human rights in decision-making, allocating adequate resources, and strengthening accountability for risk-mitigation policies, inter alia. A stronger political will is equally required to better articulate human rights issues in relation to conflict analysis, prevention and peacebuilding, in support of political objectives of peace operations.

Social dominance orientation and ethnocentric bias: ingroup identification and group status differentials

ABSTRACT In this study, social dominance orientation (SDO) was examined in relation to ethnocentric bias while ingroup identification and group status were tested as moderator variables. With a survey research design, data were collected via standardised psychological scales from a sample of 1050 participants drawn from majority and minority ethnic groups using a multistage sampling procedure. Findings showed that SDO was a significant positive predictor of ethnocentric bias. In addition, the predictive strength of SDO on ethnocentric bias was stronger for majority ethnic group. Also a preference for social hierarchy was associated with less devotion to one’s ingroup. Results further showed ingroup identification to be a moderator of the relationship between SDO and ethnocentric bias such that it reduces the strength of the relationship between the two variables. Likewise, ingroup identification was directly related to higher pro-ingroup and lower anti-outgroup attitudes. Going by the findings of this study, SDO proves to be a significant variable that consistently influences social/political attitudes. Equally, ingroup identification shows potential as a useful tool in brokering peaceful relations within a multi-ethnic setting in which interacting groups are competitive but interdependent. Findings were discussed within the tenets of extant literature and the social context of the study.

Christian foundations of the concept of natural international law

Christian values have played an important role in shaping the concept of natural international law and legal culture in general,which contributes to improving existing legal knowledge, as well as rethinking the importance of ethical and religious component inraising legal awareness, which is important to minimize negative manifestations in society and develop moral and legal thought. Carryingout a philosophical and legal analysis of the role of moral and ethical principles of Christianity in shaping the concept of naturalinternational law, we found that the basis of this religion are such moral and ethical values as human dignity, freedom, equality and justice,which are major components of natural international law and serve as key factors in building the social and moral order of democraticstates.The Christian idea that each person was created by the Creator, who gave humanity the absolute moral and ethical law of love,justice and freedom, formed the basis of the assertion that each person is endowed from birth with his inherent inalienable rights.According to this theory, the foundation of natural international law is an objective (independent of our knowledge or perception) morallaw that reflects the good nature of the Creator. Society does not create a moral law, but discovers it, just as society discovers objectivelyexisting laws of nature. The laws of society are secondary to this absolute moral law. They serve as its state legislative fixation for thefurther development and maintenance of observance in various concrete spheres of social relations. The idea of humanism as a principleof Western law matured either directly within Christian ideology with its idea of the divinity of man and his redemption by the suffe -rings of Christ, or on the basis of ideas that are a secularized continuation of Christianity.Christian principles of truth, justice, goodness, love, equality and freedom underlie the peaceful relations of world powers. Therefore,the conformity of the social and legal laws of any state to the absolute and unchangeable norms of God’s moral law serves notonly as a reliable criterion of their justice, but also as a necessary condition for the prosperity of these states and lasting peace betweennations.

Gustav Mannerheim in the XXI Century Studies (on a New Book by Henrik Meinander)

The article-review is an analysis of the book by a major Finnish researcher H. Meinander about the life and work of the most prominent military and political figure of Finland, Gustav Mannerheim. Following the author, the reviewer goes through the milestones of Mannerheim's life, analyzing both the convincing and the controversial statements of the historian. The book is written on the basis of various sources and contains polemics with other authors who were engaged in the same subject. The author strove for objectivity, neither embellishing the thoughts and actions of his hero, nor detracting from their meaning and significance, and in many ways achieved his goal. The monograph is divided into chapters that characterize particular periods in Mannerheim's life and consist of separate thematic sections-essays. The result is a dynamically developing picture of the formation of the hero's personality against the background of the most important events in the history of the world, Finland and Russia. The author traces how one of the most important European politicians, who has learned the contradictory experience of the history of the twentieth century, grows out of an aristocrat and a dandy officer. Central to the narrative is the theme "Mannerheim and Russia". Conscientious military service in the Russian Empire, the struggle with Soviet Russia, and, finally, the realization of the need to look for ways to form peaceful relations with a powerful neighbor - this is the evolution of Mannerheim's attitude to our country. A lot of space is also devoted to the problem of Finland's relations with other countries – Sweden, Germany and the United Kingdom. "The lessons of Mannerheim", as they are presented in the book, will be useful for the current and future generations of Finnish and Russian political scientists and political practitioners.

The symbolic meaning of Lulo dance: Tolaki tribe culture as communication medium

Indonesia consists of various ethnic groups; the traditions and culture of each are different and have meaning. One of them is the Lulo dance from Southeast Sulawesi, which provides meaning and benefits to its supporters. This study aims to describe the Lulo dance movements’ meaning in the culture of the Tolaki tribe and its use as a traditional communication medium in maintaining harmonious and peaceful relations amid Indonesian society’s situations with so many different. This research used qualitative methods with descriptive analysis. The symbols of dance movements are analyzed with Barthes’s semiotic theory through two stages of signification to get Lulo dance’s meaning. Based on this study’s results, the symbolic messages conveyed in this dance have a meaning that identifies unity, harmony, and mutual respect for differences. The message is packed with movements displayed in dance performance: the hands hold each other, the movements of the hands and feet, and the formation in a circle. Lulo dance, which is also called social dance, can be followed by everyone without exception. Therefore, this dance can strengthen the relationships between every human being. The Lulo dance performance is one of Southeast Sulawesi traditions used to achieve a harmonious and peaceful social life.

Labor Segmentation and Dualisation in Hong Kong

With a strong adherence to liberalism, the labor market in Hong Kong is character-ized by a low level of external regulation and an emphasis on self-adaptation as coping. The government mainly attend to the quality of manpower supplied meet-ing the market need, as well as peaceful industrial relations. Segmentation of labor is a natural result of this lowly regulated liberal market. Benefited from a relatively stable economy, unemployment in the past two decades mainly contained, but dualisation observed with widening income gap, as well as an emerging sector of insecure labor. The recent COVID-19 pandemic is leading to a sudden and unex-pected economic crisis. Though with more ad hoc measures, cautious in regulating the labor market maintained. While we are waiting for further government initia-tives, the ending of the employment subsidy from December will certainly worsen the situation. Further dualisation will be the result.

The Political Economy of Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado Insurgency and its Impact on Southern Africa’s Regional Security


 
 
 This article investigates the political economy of Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado insurgency and its implications on the regional security of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC). The conflict in Cabo Delgado has drawn attention to the SADC’s vulnerability to conflict, specifically with respect to Islamic extremism. Southern Africa has enjoyed relative peace in comparison to other regions on the continent, but studies on intrastate conflicts have indicated that conflict is likely to spill over into neighboring countries. Secondary data was used to analyze how natural resource governance practices have contributed to intrastate conflicts and how this has driven Islamic extremism and insurgent behavior in Mozambique. This study argues that the SADC must actively intervene by providing humanitarian and military assistance through training and deployment of military personnel to restore peace and security in Mozambique, and that the consequences of inaction have escalated the conflict, as illustrated by the humanitarian crisis. Unless the SADC deploys military personnel and training, there remains a risk of conflict spreading to vulnerable neighboring countries, consequently destabilizing the region.
 
 

The Cyclical Relationship of Peace and Trust

ABSTRACT This paper examines many instances of the same investment game to explore the questions of how violence affects trusting and trustworthy behaviors and how those behaviors affect a country’s level of violence or peacefulness. Average responses of players in the investment game are compared across countries experiencing varying degrees of peacefulness or conflict. The primary finding is that a macroeconomic peace index can predict trusting behavior but has no effect on trustworthy behavior. Trustworthiness, on the other hand, affects peacefulness. It is necessary, then for policymakers to foster trust and trustworthiness among individuals in order to maintain peace, and they must work to rebuild macroeconomic institutions to restore trust, to repair communities, and to revitalize economies after conflict.

Egyptian-Israeli Relations during the Government of Mohamed Morsi (2012-2013)

The article highlights the details of the foreign policy of the Arab Republic of Egypt and its impact on the regional security of the state of Israel in between 2012-2013. After the Islamists came to power, they began to dominate expectations that the political force led by Mohamed Morsi would initiate an active anti-Israel policy, however, with active anti-Semitic rhetoric, the "Muslim brotherhood" was able to maintain peaceful relations with Israel. The purpose of this study was to characterize the relationship between M. Morsi's government and the state of Israel during the period 2012 to 2013while revealing the impact of various factors on the preservation of peace in the region, especially in the face of the conflict situation that intensified in neigh boring countries such as Libya and Syria. The main approaches to the study of the problem under consideration were analytical method and content analysis. It is concluded that the article can also contribute to the study of the history of the Middle East within the framework of Arab-Israeli relations against the deterioration of the political situation and the strengthening of religious radicalism in the region.

‘I Respect My Imam, But I Can’t Fight Even if He Tells Me to Fight. I am Peaceful for Myself and My Family’: Are We Overestimating Religion in Peace Dynamics?

ABSTRACT Religious actors and works on religious peacebuilding largely hold that religion can have an impact, either positive or negative, on peace between members of different religious groups. However, questions about the extent of this impact remain. Guided by an interpretive research paradigm, using a case study design, and observing relevant tenets of other qualitative approaches, the author conducted fieldwork in Abuja, Nigeria, from January to August 2019, in an attempt to understand the impact of religious leaders, religious peace norms and religious peace activism on the relative peace existing there. Primary data were collected through in-depth interviews with 17 religious leaders, as well as observation, focus group discussions and interviews with over 73 lay Christians and Muslims. The study shows that religious factors impact on interreligious peace, but not in the manner that religious elites and some commentators on religious peacebuilding often hold. Consideration of evidence from other (conflict and post-conflict) settings shows that the impact of religious factors varies with context and so a key question is the reasons for such variations. After highlighting this, the article considers other major implications of the study for interreligious relations and religious peacebuilding.

Morpho-physiological features of Stephanotis floribunda inconditions of greenhouse culture

Stephanotis floribunda Brongn. is an ornamental pot-plant characterized with intensive growth, profuse flowering, stability in interior conditions. We studied the growth and developmental rhythm of the shoot system of the experimental plant, investigated its biomorphological features, compared the physiological and biochemical characteristics of the assimilating organs of Stephanotis floribunda during the growing season in phases: budding, mass flowering, flowering end, single flowering, slow growth and relative peace. The system of stephanotis shoots is characterized by a plagiotropic growth direction and all its vegetative-generative areas are structurally homogeneous. Due to its ability to take root in each node, the structural unit – metamer – retains autonomy and is able to restore the entire individual. The indicators of the pigment composition throughout the whole observation period indicate the stability of the photosynthetic system, and confirm the significant adaptation potential of Stephanotis floribunda in protected ground conditions.

The Genesis of Socio-Philosophical Understanding of the Peace and War Relationship in the Social World Development

The article is devoted to research the genesis of the relationship between peace and war in the development of the social world was determined. It was found that the social world in concrete historical manifestations was considered by philosophers through the functioning of state-building processes of government and self-organization, and the absolutization of one of them led to war, and harmonization – to peace. The stages of formation of the problem were traced and the traditions of understanding the social world were determined. The first stage was characterized by the study of the world as a cosmic phenomenon – in the natural philosophical, mythological and cosmogonic traditions – and social – in the socio-organic, polis, paternalistic-subject traditions. The second stage – the dominance of the theocentric position – was characterized by the distinction between Heaven and Earth. The third stage – modernism – was marked by the dominance of the objectified world in connection with the invention of printing, the development of the institute of education, institutionalization of science. The fourth – stage of industrial institutionalization and world institutions, which was characterized by the consideration of peace and war as a world phenomenon, marked by ideological, idealistic, materialistic, managerial, psychological and peacekeeping traditions. In the fifth – the stage of information and virtual worlds formation, which took place in the integrity of the relationship “society – technology”, it was highlighted the system-holistic tradition. The sixth is the modern stage of the synergetic world, defined by the phenomena of hybrid and network war and peace and connected with the hybrid, network and synergetic traditions. Here the problem of the world as a whole in the dynamic uncertainty and technological aspect of the subjects’ activity is actualized.

Societies within peace systems avoid war and build positive intergroup relationships

A comparative anthropological perspective reveals not only that some human societies do not engage in war, but also that peaceful social systems exist. Peace systems are defined as clusters of neighbouring societies that do not make war with each other. The mere existence of peace systems is important because it demonstrates that creating peaceful intergroup relationships is possible whether the social units are tribal societies, nations, or actors within a regional system. Peace systems have received scant scientific attention despite holding potentially useful knowledge and principles about how to successfully cooperate to keep the peace. Thus, the mechanisms through which peace systems maintain peaceful relationships are largely unknown. It is also unknown to what degree peace systems may differ from other types of social systems. This study shows that certain factors hypothesised to contribute to intergroup peace are more developed within peace systems than elsewhere. A sample consisting of peace systems scored significantly higher than a comparison group regarding overarching common identity; positive social interconnectedness; interdependence; non-warring values and norms; non-warring myths, rituals, and symbols; and peace leadership. Additionally, a machine learning analysis found non-warring norms, rituals, and values to have the greatest relative importance for a peace system outcome. These results have policy implications for how to promote and sustain peace, cohesion, and cooperation among neighbouring societies in various social contexts, including among nations. For example, the purposeful promotion of peace system features may facilitate the international cooperation necessary to address interwoven global challenges such as global pandemics, oceanic pollution, loss of biodiversity, nuclear proliferation, and climate change.

Environmental peacebuilding from below: customary approaches in Timor-Leste

Abstract Environmental peacebuilding is the integration of natural resource management into conflict prevention, resolution and recovery so as to support peace and environmental sustainability. Most studies have been of cases where there is significant involvement of external (usually international) actors. They thus provide implicit support for liberal peacebuilding practice, which is itself the subject of much critique. Conversely, documented examples of environmental peacebuilding from below are rare. We analyse an endogenously emerging environmental peacebuilding institution, the customary tara bandu process in Timor-Leste. We explain the way tara bandu is used bottom-up to promote the sustainable use of natural resources and more peaceful relations. Tara bandu proves to be a successful, locally diverse environmental peacebuilding institution. We further show how recent attempts by international peacebuilders and state institutions to employ tara bandu have somewhat ignored the way it is deeply interwoven with local social and spiritual relations, and in so doing have jeopardized its legitimacy and efficacy. This suggests that attempts from outside actors to facilitate environmental peacebuilding may be constrained by a mismatch between theorized norms of social and environmental relations (such as ‘shared interests’) and local cultural particularities.

Beyond the core: Do ethnic parties ‘reach out’ in power-sharing systems?

While power-sharing arrangements are often commended for establishing peaceful relations between major ethnic groups, they are also criticised for excluding ‘Others’. Nevertheless, more complex forms of party competition can emerge in power-sharing systems, including parties representing the dominant communities (‘ethnic parties’) seeking to engage Others (‘non-dominant’ groups). Drawing on semi-structured interviews with parties from Northern Ireland, we examine the extent to which dominant parties reach beyond their core ethnic constituencies, how and why. We consider increasingly salient non-sectarian issues, such as marriage equality and abortion, and explore how ethnic parties have sought to respond to these debates. We consider whether liberal forms of power-sharing influence the willingness of dominant parties to advance inclusion of non-dominant groups. Our findings suggest that under favourable conditions, flexible power-sharing can create space for incremental moves by ethnic parties to reach out to constituencies beyond their core, gradually moving the system towards more inclusive representation.

Assessing Canada’s foreign policy approach to the Palestinians and Israeli-Palestinian peacebuilding, 1979–2019

ABSTRACT Since 1979, Canada has had two distinct foreign policy approaches toward the Palestinians and Israeli-Palestinian Peacebuilding. This article labels those “Pearsonian” and “Harperian”. To understand both approaches, it starts with the Jerusalem Embassy crisis in 1979 and moves on through the Middle East Peace Process, assessing Canada’s policy up to 2019. In response to international fallout from the 1979 Clark Progressive Conservative government pledge to relocate Canada’s embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, a 1980 Stanfield Report helped orient Canadian regional Middle East policy toward a more Pearsonian approach committed to multilateralism and sensitivity for Arab viewpoints. Successive Canadian governments heeded its advice in an attempt to build peace and regional relationships, while remaining Israel’s close friend. By contrast, starting with the Harper Conservative government in 2006, Canada adopted an approach that clearly favours Israel over and at the expense of the Palestinians. It is a foreign policy approach centred on bilateral relationships with what Canadian political leaders consider countries that are like-minded democracies with shared values. This approach mostly describes Canada’s regional approach from the mid-2000s to 2019.

Zaveštanje u Republici Srbiji - pojam i vrste

The family is the basic cell of every society; in it the life of an individual rises, develops and disappears. Family relations are the basis of every social and state system. As a result, all state systems have been trying to keep family relations in peace for centuries. The death of a family member is one of the many factors that can disrupt family harmony, especially under the additional influence of property rights. Centuries ago, the issue of the testator's property was regulated by customary law, and then by legislation. The paper deals with the institute of bequest, as one of the forms of inheritance, with special reference to the types of bequests in the Republic of Serbia. For centuries, bequest has been the institutional of transferring the property and legal relations of the testator to the heirs. The will as we know it today in its form has its basis in Roman law, which had a great influence on the first European civil codes, the Civil Code and the Austrian Civil Code. These codes are still in use today, and their special significance is that they are a panda to all later adopted civil codes, ie to all later established civil legal bases. The Austrian Civil Code had a dominant influence on the settings of the regulation of civil law in the Republic of Serbia. Today, there are nine types of bequests. Each of them follows the life situations, circumstances and circumstances in which it arises.

Changing Dynamics in India- China Relations: A Study of Modi-Jinping Era

After the Galwan Valley crises on 15 June, relations between India and China have reached the lowest level in last 58 years after the Sino-India war 1962. This standoff at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Himalayas border emerged as a serious test and challenge for India’s foreign policy towards China in the age of COVID-19. This has a dangerous consequence not only for both of them, but also for the entire Asian region in particular and world in general. This is also very pertinent as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping have met eighteen times with each other in last six years including two informal summits. This has a very serious threat to Indian security and a major concern of Modi’s foreign policy towards China. These ongoing confrontations along the borders signify a far-reaching crisis, intimidating the tenuous framework that has formerly prevented Sino-India relations from converting into open rivalry. India has recorded several hundred Chinese transgressions across the de facto border annually, but this marks the second prolonged border crisis in last four years after the Doklam standoff in 2017. On the one hand, both have celebrated the 70th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations in this year; on the other hand, the armies of both the states are fighting in Ladakh as well as in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. But, it is not a new phenomenon in their relations, after the study of a long history of their conflictual relationship, which shows a clear gap in their bilateral ties and up and down in their affairs. There are many conflictual issues in their bilateral relations. The issues of Dalai Lama, 1962 war, Sikkim skirmishes in 1967, Sumdorong Chu Valley skirmish in 1987, Doklam standoff in 2017, China security and economic cooperation with Pakistan including CPEC, BRI, China policy of expansionism and geopolitics of South Asia are in case of point. Thus the last ten months, both have been involved in a series of confrontations along their disputed Himalayan border in Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Ladakh that has become the worst crisis in Sino-Indian relations at present, but it is not unprecedented for many scholars not only in India, but world also. It is an important part of Chinese policy namely “two steps forward, one step back” to capture the land of their neighbours and expansions of their own territory. In this research paper an attempt will be made to know Sino-India relations in Modi-Jinping epoch. The main thrust here is to know what strategy has been adopted by the Modi Government regarding Chinese aggression along LAC. Along with an effort will also be made to analyze and explore the various problem areas between India-China relations. Why did this type of standoff emerged again and again in their peaceful relationship? Is there any mechanism developed to counter this confrontation? These and others related questions are the main thrust of this research paper.

Imago Dei and the Tensions of Ethnic Identity

According to the story of creation narrated in the Bible, all human beings are created in the image of God. As God’s image-bearers, all people need equal freedom, dignity, and justice. However, this core value of humanity is being neglected, and people are mistreating, exploiting, and killing others based on their ethnic origins. A country with a multiethnic society faces the worst challenge in this regard. This essay offers biblical and extrabiblical evidence for addressing the tensions between ethnicity and humanity in the image of God from a systematic theological standpoint, whereby attention is called to a harmonious and peaceful relationship between people of different ethnic heritages.