Uganda’S Two Tyrants,
2026
College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University
Uganda’S Two Tyrants, Helen Epstein
The Journal of Social Encounters
No abstract provided.
Theology Of The People As Modernity’S Alternative: A Review Essay,
2026
Mount St. Mary’s University, MD
Theology Of The People As Modernity’S Alternative: A Review Essay, William J. Collinge
The Journal of Social Encounters
In Modernity’s Alternative, Rocco Buttiglione presents the Argentinian theology of the people as an alternative to modernity as it has developed in Europe and North America. After an introduction, the first main part of this review essay discusses Buttiglione’s account of the development of the theology of the people and the major figures in it and how the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe marks the beginning of an alternative modernity. The second section considers Buttiglione’s parallel between Christian Platonists’ inculturation of Christian faith into Greek culture and Guadalupe’s inculturation of Christian faith into Mesoamerican culture. The third section …
International Mediation In The Sudan Conflict: A Critical Appraisal And Alternative Tracks,
2026
College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University
International Mediation In The Sudan Conflict: A Critical Appraisal And Alternative Tracks, The Initiative Research And Analysis Committee The Sudanese Initiative To Stop The War And Build Peace
The Journal of Social Encounters
Extensive international intervention is one of the most prominent features of the ongoing war in Sudan since early 2023. As a result of the conflict that erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, Sudan is witnessing what is widely recognized as one of the most severe humanitarian crises in modern history; It has been characterized by massive displacement, large-scale refugee flows, and famine, along with widespread human rights violations and crimes against humanity—both direct and indirect consequences of military operations that have raged across thirteen of Sudan’s states, where the Rapid Support Forces are actively …
Unraveling The Roots Of Violent Extremism In Sudan: Challenges And Pathways To Peace,
2026
Pan African University
Unraveling The Roots Of Violent Extremism In Sudan: Challenges And Pathways To Peace, Fawzi Ahmed Abdullah Slom
The Journal of Social Encounters
No abstract provided.
Review Essay: African Americans, Sudan, And The Politics Of Solidarity,
2026
St. Mary's College of Maryland
Review Essay: African Americans, Sudan, And The Politics Of Solidarity, Walter Hill
The Journal of Social Encounters
No abstract provided.
The Rights Of Religious Minorities In Sudan: A Case Study Of Armenians,
2026
College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University
The Rights Of Religious Minorities In Sudan: A Case Study Of Armenians, Jon Armajani
The Journal of Social Encounters
This essay examines the constitutions of the Republic of Sudan and minority rights, with a focus on Armenians in that country. It provides (1) the demographics of Sudan; (2) an overview of the Armenians of Sudan; (3) a history of Sudan’s constitutions; (4) an analysis of their provisions and related laws on minority rights, citizenship, naturalization, and inheritance; (5) an overview of Sudan’s civil war, which began on April 15, 2023, and (6) a concluding section which analyzes risks to Armenians and other religious and ethnic minorities in Sudan.
A Catalyst For Change: The Extraordinary Anaka Women’S Collective During The June 2026 Belfast Pogrom,
2026
Las Casas Institute for Social Justice, Oxford University
A Catalyst For Change: The Extraordinary Anaka Women’S Collective During The June 2026 Belfast Pogrom, Dianne Kirby
The Journal of Social Encounters
Prompted by the pogrom that erupted in Belfast in June this year, this article explores how a women’s collective, Anaka, established by female asylum seekers, refugees and migrants (ASRMs) less than a decade previously, took the lead in ensuring the safety and welfare of the city’s migrant communities in a context where they were horrifically failed by police and politicians, by the state and the institutions meant to protect them. Anaka began as a small-scale endeavour to mitigate the difficulties confronting women struggling to navigate a harsh asylum system. It became a widely respected advocacy and campaigning group for ASRMs. …
Patterns Of Age At First Birth And Child Spacing Behaviour Among Women In Ilorin Metropolis, Nigeria,
2026
University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
Patterns Of Age At First Birth And Child Spacing Behaviour Among Women In Ilorin Metropolis, Nigeria, Ismaila O. Orire
The Journal of Social Encounters
Age at first birth influences the length of a woman's reproductive years and affects fertility behavior including choices of child spacing which have profound influence on future population structure and dynamics. This study examines women’s demographic and social characteristics; identified their ages at first birth and relationship with status of marriage; their child spacing behavior; contraceptive usage; and duration of breastfeeding after child birth. Primary source of data was questionnaire administered to women of reproductive age representing three age cohorts whose ages range between 35-44, 25-34 and 15-24 years respectively. Systematic random sampling technique was adopted to ensure representativeness and …
The Vatican’S Moral Voice In The Critical Mineral Era: Does The Vatican Need A Policy Platform For Its Meetings With Mining Ceos?,
2026
University of Notre Dame
The Vatican’S Moral Voice In The Critical Mineral Era: Does The Vatican Need A Policy Platform For Its Meetings With Mining Ceos?, Raymond Offenheiser, Keith Slack
The Journal of Social Encounters
On January 19, three American Catholic bishops issued a striking warning about the future of American foreign policy, lamenting that it was undermining “the moral foundation for America’s actions in the world.” The bishops responded to a retreat toward transactional, power-centric diplomacy – one where human rights, international solidarity, and the common good are increasingly secondary to narrow national interests. This shift is most evident in the global race for “critical minerals,” – and perhaps nowhere is the need and opportunity for Church moral leadership clearer.
Rethinking Women, Peace And Security In Southern Africa: Patriarchy, Policies, And Perspectives,
2026
University of Pretoria and Centre for Mediation in Africa
Rethinking Women, Peace And Security In Southern Africa: Patriarchy, Policies, And Perspectives, Kgomotso Komane
The Journal of Social Encounters
Southern Africa is a relatively peaceful region, however, it has witnessed a range of diverse, multiple and ongoing conflicts that have prompted various peace interventions from the Southern African Development Community (SADC), neighbouring countries and international actors. An astounding pattern is revealed when observing the involvements of all the actors in the peace interventions. What is revealed is that, till present day, women remain marginalised in peace processes despite existing structures and policies that reaffirm their rightful participation in these processes. Rethinking women’s role in peace and security is necessary because existing approaches to peace are shaped by patriarchal norms. …
Pax Christi International’S Representation Within International Governmental Organisations,
2026
Pax Christi International
Pax Christi International’S Representation Within International Governmental Organisations, Fr. Paul Lansu, Giulia Bordin
The Journal of Social Encounters
Pax Christi International (PCI) has used its consultative status at the United Nations since 1979 to connect grassroots peacebuilding with international policymaking. Initially focused on disarmament and human rights, PCI contributed to key international treaties and advocated against human rights violations worldwide. Over time, its advocacy expanded to include active nonviolence, ecological justice, sustainable development, and the accompaniment of local peacebuilders. By strengthening collaboration across its global network and enabling partners from conflict-affected regions to engage directly with international institutions, PCI continues to promote human dignity, international law, and a just and lasting peace through inclusive multilateral advocacy.
The Erosion Of International Norms And The Crisis Of Global Leadership In The Era Of Selective Warfare,
2026
College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University
The Erosion Of International Norms And The Crisis Of Global Leadership In The Era Of Selective Warfare, Farhia Abdi
The Journal of Social Encounters
No abstract provided.
Protection Without Power? The Successes And Failures Of Un Civilian Protection In South Sudan,
2026
Institute for Social Transformation, Tangaza University, Nairobi
Protection Without Power? The Successes And Failures Of Un Civilian Protection In South Sudan, Gatkuoth Lok Gatwich Diet
The Journal of Social Encounters
Since its establishment in 2011, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has been tasked with protecting civilians in the context of ongoing violent conflict and political instability. The mission has recorded some important achievements, especially through the creation of Protection of Civilians (PoC) sites that have provided shelter to hundreds of thousands of displaced people. However, these gains have been accompanied by major limitations. Repeated attacks on PoC sites, continued communal violence, and the inability to prevent large-scale atrocities highlight a persistent gap between mandate and real-world implementation. This essay examines UNMISS’s performance from 2013 to the present, …
Un-African Union Cooperation In Darfur: Multilevel Governance In Action And The Future Of International-Regional Peace Operations,
2026
The Institute for Social Transformation, Tangaza University, Nairobi
Un-African Union Cooperation In Darfur: Multilevel Governance In Action And The Future Of International-Regional Peace Operations, Philip Mutio
The Journal of Social Encounters
This paper will explore the changing dynamics between global and regional governance frameworks using the example of the UN partnership with regional and sub-regional organizations in the management of intricate peace and security issues. The analysis is anchored on the case of African Union–United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID), an example of layered governance, to examine the effect of coordination problems, operational difficulties, and joint mission performance in the areas of peace talks, post-conflict reconstruction, and civilian protection. Along with persistent issues including scarce resources, political instability, and disjointed command structures, the report acknowledges significant advancements such as increased …
United Nations Reform: Opportunity For Small And Medium States,
2026
Worcester State University
United Nations Reform: Opportunity For Small And Medium States, Joseph Preston Baratta
The Journal of Social Encounters
The Pact for the Future of 2024, which had been in preparation for years out of general concern for the decline of the United Nations and specifically for the decline of the Sustainable Development Goals, proved a lost opportunity. The small and medium sized states did not respond officially to proposals for UN reform offered by civil society. Hence the Pact reaffirmed principles of the existing UN, which at least was not a withdrawal, and the ideas circulated might yet serve some future reform effort. Proposals considered here include those of the Stimson Center and more radical and systematic ones …
Introduction: Regional And Global Governance: Past, Present And Future,
2026
College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University
Introduction: Regional And Global Governance: Past, Present And Future, Ron Pagnucco
The Journal of Social Encounters
No abstract provided.
The Transformation Of Russia’S Foreign Policy Strategy (2022–2025): From Confrontation To Multilateral Normative Leadership,
2026
Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta, Indonesia
The Transformation Of Russia’S Foreign Policy Strategy (2022–2025): From Confrontation To Multilateral Normative Leadership, Shafiya Nurkhalisa, Sugeng Riyanto
Jurnal Politik
This study aims to explain the transformation of Russia's foreign policy strategy in the 2022–2025 period from a confrontational-defensive orientation to a strategy oriented towards multilateral normative leadership. Using a qualitative descriptive-explanatory approach with a single case study, this study explores the relationship between systemic pressures due to global sanctions, the re-articulation of strategy in the Foreign Policy Concept 2023, and Russia's involvement in multilateral institutions such as BRICS+, SCO, and G20. The research data are sourced from official documents, collective declarations of multilateral forums, and independent economic reports from the IMF, World Bank, CREA, and Bruegel. The results show …
Legitimacy-Seeking Tactics Employed By Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham In The Idlib Province,
2026
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Legitimacy-Seeking Tactics Employed By Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham In The Idlib Province, Kathrine Lopez
Discovery Day - Daytona Beach
This paper examines how Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) sought to stabilize and normalize its authority through governance in Idlib from 2017 to 2024. It applies the legitimacy-seeking tactics framework developed by McWeeney, Cunningham, and Bauer (2025) to assess five observable strategies used outside direct combat, provision of public goods, participation in conflict mediation, lobbying and cooperation with external actors, conventional political mobilization, and public outreach. Using qualitative interpretive analysis of primary and secondary sources, the study evaluates how these tactics appeared in HTS-linked governance institutions and public-facing practices during sustained territorial rule. The findings show selective but substantial tactic use. …
Policy Brief: Satellite Resiliency Against Nuclear Detonation In Space,
2026
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Policy Brief: Satellite Resiliency Against Nuclear Detonation In Space, Brianna Johnshon, Samantha Harper, Tyler Thompson
Discovery Day - Daytona Beach
The deployment of nuclear weapons in space poses an arms challenge that is both critically important and inherently ambiguous. Although Article IV of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty (OST) explicitly prohibits placing nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction in orbit (UNOOSA, 1966), recent developments suggest that this prohibition is not absolute. In 2024, the U.S. and Japan brought concerns regarding WMD in space to the UN Security Council, calling on states to work to prevent an arms race in space and agree not to place nuclear weapons and WMD in orbit (United Nations Security Council, 2024). However, this …
Cooperation In The Space Domain: The Potential For Cooperation Between South Korea And Japan,
2026
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Cooperation In The Space Domain: The Potential For Cooperation Between South Korea And Japan, Brianna Johnson
Discovery Day - Daytona Beach
This project examines the space security cooperation between two states that are frequently grouped together in discussions of U.S. allies in the Asian region, largely due to the trilateral alliance between the US, South Korea, and Japan. Within this framework, particular attention is given to what some scholars identify as the “weak link” of the alliance: the relationship between South Korea and Japan. Focusing on the space domain as an emerging area of strategic importance, this paper asks when and how states with historically tense relationships engage with one another in space. Drawing on primary news sources and government documents …
