Political Science Commons^™

Review Essay: An Apostolate Of Friendship: Recent Publications On The Letters And Conferences Of Thomas Merton, Paul Pynkoski

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Review Essay: Mitri Raheb On Christian Zionism, Loren D. Lybarger

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Review Essay: Receiving Pope Francis’S Condemnation Of Nuclear Weapons, William J. Collinge

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Peace Bishop: Bishop Nicolas Djoma Lola -- Bishop Of Tshumbé, Stephen R. Hilbert

The Journal of Social Encounters

Fr. Nicolas Djomo Lola was appointed a bishop in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in 1997 and immediately was thrust into a brutal war between Rwanda, Burundi and Zaire that lasted through 2003. That conflict exacerbated deadly ethnic conflicts in the eastern provinces of the Congo that continue to this day. Bishop Djomo, driven by his belief that Jesus Christ calls all people to build peace, and protect people from violence responded to this war and chaos in remarkable ways. He led a delegation of the Central Africa Bishops to advocate with the Presidents of Burundi, Rwanda and …

Pacem In Terris: Historical Context & The Call For Global Governance, Joseph J. Fahey

The Journal of Social Encounters

This essay examines the historical context that led to Pope John XXIII’s proposal for a global “public authority” in his April 11, 1963, encyclical letter, Pacem in Terris (Peace on Earth). The catalyst for this letter was the Cuban Missile Crisis that occurred between October 22 and October 29, 1962. Pope John offered to mediate that crisis, and President Kennedy and Premier Khrushchev agreed and eventually came to an agreement not only to end the crisis but also to negotiate a limited nuclear test ban treaty. In the last year of his life, a time for him …

Relational Leadership And Governing: Somali Clan Cultural Leadership, Farhia Abdi

The Journal of Social Encounters

This research is focused on exploring the distinction between theories of leadership and more contemporary visions of relational leading. In order to do so, the specific case of traditional clan structure seen in the Somali state will be examined, and parallels between the two will be drawn. This paper argues that the old Somali tradition shares much in common with current writing on relational leadership (Uhl-Bien, 2006) and, therefore, can expand our understanding and support for a form of leadership that transcends traditional, individualist, hierarchical leadership. This argument will be supported by a detailed investigation into clan politics, leadership, and …

Organising Civil Resistance - Understanding The Effects And Dynamics Of Organisational Structures On The Outcome Of Civil Resistance Campaigns, Lars Heuver

The Journal of Social Encounters

The use of nonviolent tactics has become the most common way to achieve change. The field of civil resistance has been predominantly focussed on the dynamics related to the outcome, however, surprisingly little or no attention has been given to organisational structures that shape these dynamics. This paper will try to fill this research gap by combining insights from organisational science, social movement studies, and civil resistance literature. The research question that is posed is: What is the effect of the organisational structure on the outcome of civil resistance campaigns? Research from organisational sciences argues that organisational structures, forms of …

Institutional Legacy As Trigger Of Armed Violence Against The Police: Manifestations And The Underlying Factors In African Countries, Usman A. Ojedokun, Muazu I. Mijinyawa

The Journal of Social Encounters

Armed violence targeting police personnel and police facilities has conspicuously emerged as one of the dominant challenges confronting many police agencies in Africa. Consequently, police officers in African countries are increasingly becoming vulnerable to violent deaths and attacks in the line of duty. In view of this prevailing situation, this paper critically interrogates the nexus between institutional legacy and armed attacks targeting the police in African countries. Tom Tyler’s theory of procedural justice was employed as the conceptual framework for the discourse (Tyler,1990; 2003). The paper argues that the negative labelling that is generally associated with policing and police image …

Review Of Selected Essays On Peacebuilding And Reconciliation, Rita Merhej, Bashar Rahme

The Journal of Social Encounters

This paper is a review of selected essays on reconciliation and peacebuilding in conflict-affected and post-conflict societies delineating the fundamental key factors that promote peacebuilding, and the approaches to reconciliation which have proved to be effective over the past 20 years. Acknowledgement of wrongdoing, empathy and the promotion of open dialogue stand out as the factors common to all reconciliation initiatives. The paper examines five approaches to peacebuilding, namely contact theory, restorative justice, making apologies, sharing narratives and reconciliation through education, conceptualizing each in light of its benefits, as well as its challenges, with examples from the real world illustrating …

Remembering Johan Galtung, The ‘Father Of Peace Studies’, Kelly R. Kraemer

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

A Short Supplemental Reading List For The Environment: Issues In Justice, Conflict And Peacebuilding, Ronald Pagnucco

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

The Un Security Council In Conflict: How Does The Protection Of The Environment Related To Armed Conflict Fit Into Its Structural And Inequal Dynamics?, Gabriel Lagrange

The Journal of Social Encounters

Recent conflicts have emphasized the multidirectional linkages between the environment and conflicts and therefore peace and security. As the organ responsible for international peace and security issues, the UN Security Council has the mandate to tackle the environment- conflicts nexus. Although it has delivered several resolutions on a case-by-case basis, the UN Security Council has never included environmental protection through a thematic resolution. Such a resolution is crucial due to the current ecological crisis while the binding nature and implementation capacities of the Council would tangibly improve the current political and legal framework protecting the environment. Yet, obstacles resulting from …

Eco-Virtue Ethics And Anthropological Commitments Of Laudato Si’ And Laudate Deum: Towards A Renewed Integral Ecology, Ugochukwu Stophynus Anyanwu

The Journal of Social Encounters

The Fourth Chapter of Laudato Si’ (LS) of Pope Francis deals with the theme of ‘Integral Ecology’ from a religious tradition. This chapter can be interpreted as the fulcrum of the encyclical because of the density of its anthropological and ethical considerations. The theme of this chapter has informed a more emphatic presentation in the apostolic exhortation Laudate Deum (LD) on the climatic challenges confronting humanity. Both documents, with incomparable courage and novelty, offer enriching ethical discourses for advancing social, cultural, and human ecology in consonance with social justice, common good, solidarity, and subsidiarity. They contain the magisterial appeal that …

Guns, Bombs, And Pollution: Unraveling The Nexus Between Warfare, Terrorism, And Ecological Devastation In Iraq, Hogr Tarkhani

The Journal of Social Encounters

Iraq's environment has experienced significant pollution and degradation, earning it the dubious distinction of being one of the most polluted and degraded regions globally, according to the Globe Pollution Review. The past three decades of armed conflict have exacted a heavy toll on the country, resulting in widespread human suffering, including countless fatalities, injuries, and a massive displacement of people. Amidst this death and destruction, the ecosystem has also endured severe damage, and its decline carries long-lasting implications.

The environmental crisis in Iraq has been worsened by the presence of extremist groups such as the Islamic State (ISIS) and various …

On Dialogue And Beyond: Positive Environmental Peacebuilding In Palestine, Elsa Barron

The Journal of Social Encounters

In Palestine, environmental management has been used as a tool of military occupation and oppression. Yet even within that context, many community-based organizations have established programs relating to environmental peacebuilding. Of these initiatives, environmental dialogue programs have received significant attention and resources, even more so since the war in Gaza began in October, 2023. However, a deeper interrogation of these programs reveals the danger that dialogue and collaboration devoid of a critical analysis of power and injustice further perpetuates systemic oppression. Moving these programs into the realm of positive environmental peacebuilding requires a willingness to engage in this structural analysis. …

Islam And The Environment, Jon Armajani

The Journal of Social Encounters

This is a transcript of a presentation at the Thirty-Fourth Annual Peace Studies Conference at the College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University on September 18, 2023. The presentation provides (1) some background information about Islam; (2) related ideas about Christianity; (3) a discussion of some verses in the Quran, which relate to the environment, and some Islamic interpretations of them; (4) an analysis of Ibrahim Abdul-Matin’s ideas on Islam and the environment; and (5) a tribute to Father Rene McGraw, OSB.

Environmental Peacebuilding: Yesterday, Today, And Tomorrow, Ken Conca

The Journal of Social Encounters

The field of environmental peacebuilding emerged as a counter to the idea that violent conflict was an inevitable byproduct of environmental change. Two decades ago, my colleague Geoffrey Dabelko and I published a book, Environmental Peacemaking, sketching the argument that ecological interdependencies could be instrumentalized as a force for peace (Conca & Dabelko, 2002). Other early works from this period focused on the peace opportunities in biodiversity conservation (Matthew et al., 2002) and transboundary protected areas (Brock, 1991; Ali, 2007). Since that time, a substantial community of research and practice has emerged around these ideas. In this essay I discuss …

Call For Papers: Special Issue - "Beyond Borders: People, Politics, Conflict, And Recovery In Darfur And Sudan"

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Review Of Fighting Better: Constructive Conflicts In America, Selina Gallo-Cruz

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Review Of Preventing Unjust War: A Catholic Argument For Selective Conscientious Objection, Charles J. Reid Jr.

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Review Of Killing Civilians In Civil War: The Rationale Of Indiscriminate Violence, Carrie Manning

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Review Of Hard Years: Antidotes To Authoritarians, Matthew Lindstrom

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Review Of Democratic Backsliding In Africa? Autocratization, Resilience, And Contention, Robert Press

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Review Of Modi’S India: Hindu Nationalism And The Rise Of Ethnic Democracy, Dhinakaran Savariyar

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Review Of Precarious Power: Compliance And Discontent Under Ramaphosa’S Anc, Gary Prevost

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

The Life Of An American Catholic Radical: Review Of Christian Anarchist, Ammon Hennacy, A Life On The Catholic Left, William L. Portier

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Theorizing Social Movement Practices, Christopher Lomelín, Anna Peterson

The Journal of Social Encounters

This essay contributes to the systematic and expansive exploration of social movement practices by looking more closely at symbolic and instrumental practices, on the one hand, and works of mercy and structural transformation practices, on the other. The categories we have discussed, while far from perfect, provide valuable tools to understand social movement practices and thus movements in general. We argue that attention to practices can strengthen the systematic, comparative analysis of social movements both by calling attention to previously under-studied types of activities and by illuminating the relationships between different types of practices.

Just Peace Framework: A Brief Primer, Eli S. Mccarthy

The Journal of Social Encounters

This short primer will describe the basic components of a just peace framework. Then I will describe the recent trajectory of Catholic and Christian discourse on just peace, as well as engage a related discourse at the United Nations on sustaining peace.

Cultivating Contact: A Guide To Building Bridges And Meaningful Connections Between Groups, Linda R. Tropp, Trisha A. Dehrone

The Journal of Social Encounters

In this guide, we describe how to set the stage for people from different backgrounds to engage with each other in ways that foster trust and belonging, while also drawing on their similarities and differences to solve community problems. We review a number of strategies that encourage people from different groups to work together as equals, so that they can share ideas and perspectives, and co-create new initiatives in collaboration and across group divides. We also provide materials that can help organizations begin to envision how they might assess the effectiveness of their contact programs.

How Novels And Short Stories Are Resources For Learning About The Other, Magnus Haavelsrud

The Journal of Social Encounters

Following a study of fiction written by young, black South African authors, narratives written by highly acclaimed, young authors in Norway are discussed as codifications of generative themes. In Paulo Freire´s pedagogy, thematic investigation of generative themes formed the starting point of conscientization. Initial codification of the themes was then discussed in groups of learners. In their de-codification dialogues learners´ own experiences and insights about the theme resulted in a new codification that was discussed and decodified again. When reflection is coupled with action, this ongoing dialectic allows for change in both the learner and the world in which the …