Abstract This article explores the enduring tension between the human impulse for reciprocity and the legal prohibitions against it within international humanitarian law. It argues that reciprocity’s “negative” application in armed conflict – justifying violations because an adversary has committed the same violations – creates destructive cycles of violence that undermine both humanitarian protections and the long-term prospects for peace.

The 21st century has witnessed a significant shift in the dynamic of Sino-Indian relations, marked by a complex interplay of cooperation and competition. This paper examines the evolving policies of China and India towards each other, with a focus on the political dimensions of their bilateral relationship. As China rises as a global power, its policy towards India has become increasingly assertive, while India with its growing economic and military clench, is recalibrating its strategy towards the people’s republic of China PRC. Geographically, China and India are crucial to each other’s security and economic interests, with shared borders and overlapping spheres of influence in South Asia and the Indian. This study employed a qualitative methodology, drawing on primary sources including official documents, Speeches, and press releases, as well as secondary sources such as academic articles and books. Key developments in their relationship, including boundary disputes, agreements like the 2005 Border settlements, and high-profile visits such as Narendra Modi’s 2015 China visit and Xi Jinping’s 2014 India visit are analyzed. Important works consulted include “The Dragon on the World Stage” by Deng Xiaoping, “India- China Relations: “Post 9/11 Indian Foresight Policy Challenges and Opportunities” by Sodhir Kumsr Singh , “China and India Prospects for Peace” by Jonathn Holslage, “India and South Asia Economic Development in the Age of Globalization” by Anjum Siddiqui The Paper argues that while both countries have made efforts to strengthen economic ties, their continue to shape the trajectory of their relationship, with implications for regional stability and global governance.

This study examines both processes of migration and immobility in Afghanistan by focusing on two groups: Afghans currently residing within the country and Afghan migrants living abroad in Türkiye, Australia, the United States, Pakistan, India, Kyrgyzstan, and France. Utilizing a quantitative methodology, a purposive snowball sampling strategy was employed; two separate 20-question surveys were developed to assess demographics, drivers of migration or immobility, and the resulting impacts on participants’ lives. The questionnaires were provided in English and Dari to maximize accessibility, and data were collected from 56 respondents aged 18 and above (n=34 residing in Afghanistan; n=22 residing abroad) during May and June of 2023. The study concludes that both migration and immobility significantly impact employment, income, social life, mental health, well-being, and access to public services, including healthcare, education, and legal services. Furthermore, migration and immobility influence the sending and receiving of remittances, the overall living situation of Afghans, and the broader prospects for peace. This study fills the gap in immobility literature within the context of Afghanistan and contributes to a deeper understanding of the drivers and consequences of population movement and its implications for peace. In light of the post-August 2021 migration wave, this study provides data for policymakers and academics in the fields of migration, immobility, and peace studies, while advocating for support for both migrants and those who remain in the country.

The ongoing war in Sudan since April 15, 2023, has resulted in the worst humanitarian crisis in the world today, one characterized by famine, insecurity, genocide, and displacement. In addition to the obvious contemporary toll on the country, this war has overshadowed future generations by severely damaging the physical infrastructure of higher education, jeopardizing long-term prospects for peace, development, and intellectual sovereignty even in the post-war era.

Local civil society organizations (CSOs) play a vital yet underrecognized role in disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) efforts. Traditionally limited to vocational training or dialogue facilitation, their potential as key actors in sustainable DDR programming is overlooked. This paper examines how CSOs in Tripoli, Lebanon, contributed to post-conflict reintegration following clashes between Sunni and Alawite groups from 2011 to 2014. Using social network analysis (SNA), it explores how CSOs build ties for effective DDR strategies. Findings show that CSOs’ strong local embeddedness allows them to act as trusted brokers between ex-combatants across sectarian lines. Furthermore, SNA offers valuable tools to analyze these networks and assess program impact. The study concludes that CSO-led initiatives leveraging community trust and local social capital not only improve reintegration outcomes but also enhance prospects for long-term peace. It highlights the need to reconceptualize CSOs as central agents in DDR design and implementation.

The objective of this article is to analyse Nawal El Saadawi’s critical ideas regarding gender mediation in The Hidden Face of Eve: Women in the Arab World. It is to show how she negotiates discourse to encourage dialogue between men and women to construct a balanced society that encourages participatory development. It specifically explores her ideas that level criticism against the unjust/inhuman treatment of women in the Egyptian society thereby calling for a change of attitude towards women, aiming to end sexism, oppression and exploitation of women by patriarchy. As methodological and theoretical approaches, the study is a textual analysis sustained by an African Feminist critical approach developed by Molara Ogundipe-Leslie and Flora Nwapa.

Since the outbreak of intense hostilities in Gaza, repeated cycles of fighting and fragile truces have underscored both the urgency and the difficulty of securing a durable ceasefire. Multiple regional and international actors - most prominently Egypt, Qatar, the United States, the United Nations, and Turkey - have played mediating roles at different moments, each bringing distinct leverage and constraints. This article maps the main mediators and their tools, identifies the core political, military, and humanitarian obstacles that have repeatedly derailed ceasefire efforts, and assesses short- and medium-term prospects for a lasting cessation of hostilities. It concludes with policy recommendations intended to make negotiations more durable: (1) sequencing and verifiability around hostage releases and withdrawals, (2) stronger, neutral monitoring and humanitarian guarantees, (3) parallel regional confidence-building measures, and (4) attention to post-ceasefire reconstruction and governance that can reduce incentives for renewed violence.

Despite the strong will of the leaders who signed the Prespa Agreement for an auspicious prospect of cooperation and peace, the naming dispute may not be definitely settled. Recent political changes in the Republic of North Macedonia reintroduced items questioning the Agreement to the bilateral agenda. Although the current ruling party in Greece had voiced dissent as the then loyal opposition, hardly any proposals for revision have emerged. The current context has notably shifted from the early 1990s, characterized by nationalist rhetoric and populist excesses. This article focuses on the discourse of the loyal opposition in Greece regarding the naming of the Republic of North Macedonia during 1991–1993. Using primary material and analytical tools to examine alignment with established categories of populism and nationalism, we present conceptual schemes for analyzing discourse and its influence on the formation of social representation and symbolic boundaries. These representations and boundaries emerged amid intensified political rivalry, restricting reasonable options and leading to a self-reinforcing cycle of nationalist and populist referentiality. Within this framework, discourse contributed to the construction and reproduction of hegemonic meaning, shaping interpretations of national identity and legitimacy. Reading contemporary articulations through this lens may help avoid new inward-looking impasses.

The study evaluates the nature of emerging terrorism threats in post-2021 Afghanistan and their geopolitical implications for regional security while focusing on Pakistan and China as a major case study. Using a structured scoping review approach, the research systematically identified and analyzed academic, policy, and institutional literature to synthesize current patterns in militant activity, regional security responses, and the evolution of multilateral counterterrorism dynamics. Following a thematic synthesis to extract insights from diverse sources, the findings further identified the core security challenges and response frameworks. The findings reveal that, in the wake of the foreign military withdrawal from Afghanistan, the nation has witnessed a renewed presence of militant actors, most notably Islamic State Khorasan Province, al-Qaeda, and a resurgent Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan with extended cross-border reach. While the Taliban has established firm territorial control, it has yet to dismantle external jihadist networks which is a situation that continues to cause unease among the neighboring states. Pakistan specifically has faced an intensified insurgency along its western frontier further disrupting internal security and slowing its economic recovery. For China, developments in Afghanistan are viewed primarily through the risks of extremist spillover into Xinjiang and potential threats to Belt and Road Initiative infrastructure which is linking the two countries. Regional countermeasures, however, have been hindered by limited institutional coordination, enduring political frictions and differing perceptions of the threat’s urgency. As a result, security policies have tended to remain nationally focused and reactive, with minimal collective engagement. More so, the study concludes that durable stability will require a fundamental shift in regional security thinking-moving beyond militarized containment toward integrated strategies that combine intelligence cooperation, inclusive governance and economic resilience. Hence, without such a recalibration, Afghanistan’s security volatility is likely to persist, destabilizing its neighbors and undermining long-term prospects for peace and cooperation.

Abstract: The South China Sea (SCS) conflict involves complex disputes over territorial waters, jurisdictional boundaries, and maritime entitlements among littoral states with overlapping claims. Despite decades of tension, these parties have generally managed to avoid major crises or war while advancing conflicting positions shaped by divergent national interests. Taiwan, though geographically proximate, economically significant, and a vibrant liberal democracy, has been marginalized in the core debates over the SCS. In this study, we explore the strategic implications of Taiwan’s deeper integration into regional maritime governance, emphasizing its democratic contributions. We argue that Taiwan’s inclusion could promote greater transparency, adherence to international law, and multilateral cooperation, enhancing the prospects for sustainable peace and development in the region.

This paper examines the values of democracy and democratic governance, arguing that while many countries, including Nepal, have long practiced democracy, democratic systems alone are insufficient to ensure peace, development, and effective governance. It highlights how governments that do not prioritize democratic governance risk internal and external conflicts, as evidenced by ongoing conflicts in countries such as Ukraine and Russia, despite their democratic frameworks. By analyzing secondary literature on democracy, governance, and conflict, the paper contends that the quality and practice of democratic governance—beyond the mere existence of democratic institutions—shape the prospects for peace and development. Using governance indices and secondary data, the paper evaluates the successes and challenges of local democracy globally, with a particular focus on Nepal’s post-2006 democratic transformation. It finds that institutional structures, political participation, public accountability, and service delivery mechanisms have often fallen short of meeting the needs and aspirations of the people. Political instability, corruption, and weak institutional capacity continue to undermine effective democratic governance in Nepal and elsewhere. Additionally, the paper explores fiscal decentralization and federalism as important frameworks for improving economic efficiency, managing ethnic diversity, and addressing regional disparities. Drawing on classical theories such as Oates’ Theorem of Decentralisation and Tiebout’s model of local preferences, it emphasizes the benefits of tailoring public services to local contexts, especially in large, diverse countries. The Nigerian federal experience is discussed as a case study illustrating the persistent challenges of centralized power, ethnic tensions, and political instability despite constitutional reforms aimed at decentralization.

The 2025 Pahalgam incident, which killed 26 people including 25 tourists, ignited fears of renewed India-Pakistan tensions. Within hours, Indian media accused Pakistan of orchestrating the attack without credible evidence or forensic proof. This paper examines whether India’s diplomatic and media response was based on hard intelligence or driven by political motives. Indian mainstream and digital media quickly blamed Pakistani-backed militant groups, fueling a narrative of “cross-border terrorism” before any official investigation. This narrative laid the groundwork for Operation Sindoor, an overnight airstrike on alleged militant camps across the LOC, which Indian officials claimed was a “decisive message” to Pakistan. However, independent verification of targets or casualties was lacking. The timing coincided with domestic instability in India, raising questions about whether the operation aimed to deflect from mounting disaffection in Jammu and Kashmir and declining faith in security measures ahead of state elections. Meanwhile, Pakistan denied involvement, condemned the attack as terrorism, and demanded a joint or third-party investigation under the UN or a neutral body. Islamabad also reached out to China, Turkey, and OIC members, criticizing Indian media’s role in stoking tensions without proof. This study investigates the objectivity of India’s claims, analyzes diplomatic reactions from regional neighbors and global powers, and considers the implications of unsubstantiated accusations for regional stability and prospects for peace in South Asia.

Abstract This paper explores the impact of qiṣāṣ on justice and social harmony in Nigeria, a nation known for its rich cultural and religious diversity. Qiṣāṣ, which underscores the principle of fair retribution in Islamic law, provides a framework for resolving conflicts and addressing grievances, thereby fostering community trust and collaboration. By analyzing its historical context and current applications, the study illustrates how qiṣāṣ can reduce cycles of violence and support restorative justice in Nigeria. The paper aims to identify the challenges and opportunities of integrating qiṣāṣ into Nigeria's legal system, incorporating perspectives from various stakeholders. Utilizing a blend of historical and descriptive research methods, the paper gathered data through interviews, observations, and literature analysis. Findings of the paper suggest that effective implementation of qiṣāṣ could greatly enhance social cohesion and improve the prospects for peace and sustainable development in Nigeria's diverse society. The paper therefore, advocates for genuine enforcement of the law in areas where it is practiced and its integration into the broader Nigerian legal framework.

ABSTRACT United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16 embraces comprehensive peace: social justice, inclusion, accountability, and socio-economic development. Comprehensive peace is a prerequisite for sustainable development. One constraint in post-conflict areas is the failure to analyse the contexts for the peace-making. Karamoja in Uganda experienced armed conflicts for decades. This study investigated disarmed warriors’ pre- and post-disarmament experiences regarding peacebuilding in the Karamoja region. A phenomenological design was used, and the data collected were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Four themes emerged: warrior life as a norm, gains and losses, post-disarmament dilemmas, and a set for a new start. Using the Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) and the Integrative Theory of Peace (ITP), the study identified conflicts and contradictions in warrior activities and disarmament that influence the region’s peace prospects. Peace-making interventions must engage with the region’s complex realities and vulnerabilities, that aggravated warrior activities. The paper contributes to the debate that peace education is constitutive of ensuring comprehensive peace. The paper argues that to augment the gains of successful disarmament and ensure comprehensive peace, critical peace education should be implemented as a deliberate strategy to empower the people to be active agents of the peace-making process in the region.

A survey of poems published in British and colonial English-language newspapers during the South African War (1899–1902) reveals an almost complete silence about the Black Africans affected by the war. This essay considers what newspaper poets meant by designating the conflict ‘this racial war’, exploring their contributions to a notion of transnational whiteness. There are doubts and inconsistencies in newspaper poets’ presentation of kinship relationships across the settler empire, particularly with respect to Ireland. Questions about Indian colonial citizenship likewise call attention to the policing of Greater Britain’s racialized boundaries. The prospect of peace and the need to incorporate South Africa as a white Dominion required Boer whiteness to be reframed. Whiteness emerges as a concept under construction, unstable and incoherent, both cause and effect of imperial war. Nonetheless, newspaper poets’ appeals to race and whiteness as neutral concepts are fundamental to the structures of imperial racism.

Literature on survivor mobilization in transitional justice contexts has largely overlooked the relevance and dynamics of solidarity-based support by non-victimized groups. This article studies the relation between contentious processes of discursive ‘memory-making’ and public support for reparations in post-conflict Guatemala. Using a nationwide survey-embedded experiment with 300 respondents, we measure how contrasting representations of the temporality of harm and prospects for peace – drawn from elite versus survivor narratives – influence political solidarity with Indigenous survivors and support for their reparation demands. Findings show that while perceptions of survivors’ continued suffering and reparations’ peace-building potential are key predictors of solidarity and support, the contrasting narrative primes did not significantly influence these perceptions or resulting attitudes. The survey’s open-ended responses suggest that, in engaging with prevalent public discourses, respondents have developed relatively stable yet highly diverse interpretations of the necessity and ability of reparations to address social, psychological, and economic harms, and to promote beneficial outcomes for society at large. Mapping these responses onto the quantitative scores indicates that solidary support is more likely to emerge when non-victimized groups situate conflict-related harms within an ongoing history of structural violence and position reparations as building blocks for recognition, development and social integration – signalling the importance of discursive and expressive dynamics in public engagement with reparation processes.

A sustainable peace process requires more than temporary agreements or the resolution of immediate conflicts—it demands a deep, enduring transformation rooted in the values, perceptions, and interactions of individuals within a society. Traditional peacebuilding often emphasizes events, political power struggles, and leadership, but the collective impact of individual perspectives may be the true determinant of lasting peace. This multidisciplinary study empirically examines the role of wisdom—a fundamental psychological construct—in shaping individual attitudes and its cascading influence on the broader peace process. The findings highlight the profound implications of wisdom for sustainability in peacebuilding. Greater wisdom strongly correlates with a predisposition for peace, reconciliation, and societal reunification, aligning with sustainable development principles. Thus, this study advocates for a sustainability-oriented approach to peace processes, emphasizing the interconnectedness of individual wisdom, collective hope, and the long-term viability of peace. By fostering wisdom, maintaining hope, and addressing systemic challenges, societies can move toward a more sustainable and harmonious future, rooted in reconciliation, equity, and mutual understanding. This holistic approach strengthens peace prospects and advances the broader goal of a just, sustainable world for future generations.

This paper investigated the nexus between AI and military precision in drone attacks on the Israeli-Hamas conflict to proffer a research-based strategy for regulating the AI-enabled weapon systems, likewise addressing a way forward to peace and conflict resolution. Anchored on a three-stream ambit of the 'Just War' theory, the 'Technological Determinism' theory, and the 'Security Dilemma' theory, efforts were made to integrate these distinct perspectives to analyze the complexity of AI on military operations, including the ethical implications and strategic outcomes for the Israeli-Hamas conflict. Findings revealed that AI is reshaping the landscape of military operations in the Israeli-Hamas conflict, mainly through its application in drone strikes. Regarding military precision, AI technologies enable sophisticated data analyses that facilitate enhanced targeting and surveillance capabilities. However, the integration of AI in drone warfare poses serious challenges in international law and military ethics since the precision of AI-driven strikes does not eliminate the risk of civilian casualties, raising contestation about the moral justifications for their use in densely populated areas, like what happened in Gaza. This paper states that the future of AI and military drone precision in the Israeli-Hamas conflict requires a careful balance between technological advancements and ethical considerations. By prioritizing human oversight, accountability, and humanitarian principles, stakeholders can harness the benefits of AI while mitigating risks associated with its use in warfare. Such a multifaceted approach is essential for fostering responsible military engagement and enhancing the prospects for peace. The paper recommended emergency protocols that allow for the reevaluation of drone targeting decisions in real-time to help prevent unintended harm, especially in such rapidly changing conflict environments as the Israeli-Hamas conflict. But most importantly, there is a need to address the root causes of this Israeli-Hamas conflict. While the path to peace in this conflict is fraught with challenges, sustained commitment from local and international actors is essential to foster a durable resolution.

On June 9, 1995, several stories surfaced in al-Ahram , Egypt’s leading newspaper. A conversation with Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, a scientific study on the feeling of love and its chemical connections to the brain, and a meeting in Cairo between Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, US Secretary of State Warren Christopher, and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin to discuss the prospects for peace in the Middle East were among the day’s headlines. Buried at the very back of the periodical, obituaries filled an entire page. If readers managed to reach this point in the issue, the black-and-white photographs of four compatriots likely would have caught their eye, including one image of a man wearing a cap and sunglasses. Opening with a verse of poetry, this entry’s authors, the Egyptian National Forces (al-Quwwa al-Wataniyya al-Misriyya), announced the passing of Shaykh Imam ʿIsa, “the artist of the people” ( fanān al-shaʿb ). 1

ABSTRACT This article analyzes the continuation of anti-Armenian sentiments and irredentist narratives in post-2020 Azerbaijan through the lens of the Ontological Security Concept. Despite achieving military gains and territorial control in Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan’s national identity construction policy continues to rely on portraying Armenians as the primary ‘Other’. This study highlights how persistent conflict, state rhetoric, and redefined pseudohistory-based irredentist narratives serve as tools for internal cohesion and addressing ontological anxieties for state elites. The article argues that Azerbaijan’s policy is fundamentally rooted in identity and ontological concerns, affecting prospects for sustainable peace in the region.