Suchergebnisse

Afghanische basisdemokratische und feministische Akteure äußern deutlich ihren Widerspruch zum externen Peacebuilding - doch sie werden nicht gehört. Ihre Analysen und Ideen werden von Politik und Wissenschaft weitgehend ausgeschlossen.Darin schlägt sich, so kann Mechthild Exo zeigen, die koloniale, epistemische Gewalt in der Weltpolitik nieder. Anschaulich und lebendig stellt sie das »unerwünschte Wissen« von vier afghanischen Organisationen vor, die in der künstlerischen Menschenrechtsarbeit, der feministischen Frauenorganisierung seit den 1970ern mit RAWA, dem Kampf gegen die Straflosigkeit von Kriegsverbrechern beziehungsweise dem besatzungskritischen Aufbau demokratischer Strukturen tätig sind. Die Studie ist eine bahnbrechende Pionierarbeit der dekolonialen Friedensforschung.

This paper was developed out of an interest to learn more about the role, and more particularly about the motivations, of philanthropists who engage in peace research and peacebuilding practice. How can we explain this engagement in peacebuilding and conflict transformation despite the fact that (a) this field is highly contested in terms of substance, instruments and processes, and (b) it may take far more than one generation's lifespan for it to show positive results? Adopting an inductive approach, the article examines basic linkages between philanthropy and peacebuilding, laying the groundwork for preliminary results from a set of explorative semi-structured interviews on the topic. The authors analyse the implications of philanthropic financing for peacebuilding interventions and compare it with other sources of funding.

Under what circumstances can non-state actors become successful local peacemakers? A growing body of research documents the involvement of non-state actors in local conflict resolution in Africa. However, there is large variation in such actors' power, legitimacy, and ultimately their ability to contribute to conflict resolution. The ways in which contextual and dynamic factors at local and national levels, and in particular the relationship between non-state and state actors and institutions, affect local conflict resolution are not sufficiently understood. To address this gap, this paper analyses the peace process addressing a long-standing conflict in Kerio Valley, Kenya. The analysis illustrates how the failure of the state to provide security and basic services led non-state actors to fill important roles in governance. Through this process, they were endowed with legitimacy and power which enabled them to play key roles in a peace process that led to a mutually acceptable peace agreement.

The thesis discusses dialogue as a tool in peacebuilding. The problem statement raises the need for knowledge of what dialogue is, competence in how to employ dialogue and adherence to the use of dialogue, for it to be a tool in peacebuilding. Through the ontological position of constructivism, I argue for a reconstruction of the term dialogue. The thesis aims to develop on a theoretical framework for defining dialogue. Dialogue is defined as a form of communication with the goal to understand the other. To inform and challenge the definition of dialogue, I collected empirical data from dialogue experts in Norway and data from the United Nations. Based on the data, I discuss dialogue as an attitude and a culture in the analysis. Further, the analysis discuss requirements, limitations and effects of dialogue. The thesis argues that change and cooperation are possible effects of dialogue, rather than integral parts of dialogue as a form of communication. I present Bernstein's theory of framing as a measure to analyse dialogue as a tool in peacebuilding. Strong framing regulates 'what can be said', 'where' and 'by whom' and is thus a limitation for dialogue. Through Jakobson's model of communication, I argue that dialogue attributes different meaning to the functions in language than other forms of communication. Dialogue has an emotive and relational function, including context, feelings and the whole person when understanding the other. Through Lotman's theory on semiosphere, I inform that dialogue is an exchange of information, requiring both difference and similarities. Codes translate the information from the contexts of the sender and the receiver. Drawing on Lotman's theory, I argue that there is a difference between translation and interpretation. Addressing hermeneutics, I argue that there is a difference between interpretation of text and interpretation in dialogue, drawing on Gadamer. Further, drawing on Habermas, I argue that interpretation is inhibiting in dialogue as I have the possibility to ask question to the subject. Peacebuilding is defined through Galtung and Lederach. Drawing on Smith's pallet of peacebuilding, dialogue is defined as an integral part of peacebuilding. I argue that it is due to the goal of dialogue as understanding that dialogue can be a tool in peacebuilding. Understanding builds relations and can have positive effects. I take a critical view of dialogue used to achieve other goals, as a misuse of the term. Dialogue is thus a tool for understanding, which can be used as a tool in peacebuilding. Dialogue can be a sustainable tool in peacebuilding as it can contribute to adaptability, as defined by Lederach. The thesis further argues that the United Nations has a low visibility of their work and definition of dialogue.