Conflict Mediation and Culture: Lessons from the Gambia

The issue of cultural variation in conflict mediation has attracted considerable interest, probably because of wide-ranging theoretical, methodological, and ethical implications. Scholars are raising increasing questions about both generic theories of the mediation process and past conceptualizations of the culture construct. This article reviews theoretical perspectives on culture and conflict mediation and discusses them in relation to fieldwork conducted in the Gambia among three ethnolinguistic groups. Some local and cross-cultural patterns in the mediation process were found. These patterns are associated with variables such as ethnicity, gender, and social status. However, comparative analysis on the individual level revealed considerable diversity in praxis, suggesting that cross-cultural studies should go beyond descriptions of group tendencies. Indeed, the amount of variation in the data implies a need to reconsider aspects of prevailing approaches to conflict mediation. The conclusion includes recommendations for further theory development and research on this vital topic

Age and Geologic Setting of Quartz Vein-Hosted Gold Mineralization at Curraghinalt, Northern Ireland : Implications for Genesis and Classification

Acknowledgments We are grateful to Dalradian Gold Ltd. for providing the sections for petrographic analysis, geochemical data, and general support. We would also like to thank the following: John Still, Alison Sandison, and Jenny Johnston of the School of Geosciences, University of Aberdeen, for assistance with the SEM studies (JS) and with preparing figures (AS and JJ); NERC for ongoing funding of the Argon Isotope facility at SUERC; Jim Imlach and Ross Dymock at SUERC for technical assistance; and Martin Lee at the School of Geographical and Earth Sciences at the University of Glasgow for use of the SEM/CL equipment. The paper has benefitted significantly from comments by the official reviewers and unofficial reviews by Garth Earls, Jamie Wilkinson, Mark Cooper, and Adrian Boyce, and detailed conversations with Ian Alsop (structural geology of the Sperrins) and Nyree Hill and Gawen Jenkin (gold mineralization in the Caledonides). The authors are entirely responsible for the conclusions expressed.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Joking for Peace. Social Organization, Tradition, and Change in Gambian Conflict Management

RÉSUMÉPlaisanteries pour la paix : organisation sociale, tradition et changement dans la gestion des conflits en Gambie.La littérature anthropologique du XXe siècle présente la parenté à plaisanterie comme favorisant la cohésion sociale et l'apaisement des conflits. Toutefois, les sciences sociales ont largement répudié le fonctionnalisme structurel, et compte tenu de la mondialisation et de ce qu'on sait aujourd'hui de la nature élastique de la tradition, une étude sur le rôle des relations à plaisanterie dans la conciliation est nécessaire. Cet article examine le rôle actuel des relations à plaisanterie dans la gestion des conflits en Gambie. Certaines affinités particulières comme la parenté à plaisanterie ont en effet joué un rôle déterminant dans l'apaisement des conflits, ce qui montre que les Gambiens ruraux confrontés à un changement de situation continuent de se replier sur des pratiques sociétales familières. Cette observation a des implications pour la résolution des conflits en Occident et ailleurs. Les efforts de médiation menés du haut vers le bas n'ont pas réussi à résoudre de nombreux conflits importants et les résultats mitigés des efforts occidentaux ont suscité un intérêt croissant pour la conciliation au niveau local. Analyser comment ces groupes et individus servent d'intermédiaires dans des différents contextes sociétaux et identifier des aspects universels et particuliers du processus de médiation peut jeter un nouvel éclairage sur l'éternel défi de la conciliation. Chez les Gambiens, l'utilisation d'affinités particulières pour modérer les disputes offre un ensemble de leçons pour ceux qui souhaitent améliorer la praxis de la résolution de conflits.ABSTRACTThe anthropological literature of the 20th century portrays joking kinship as promoting social cohesion and conflict mitigation.   Social science has largely repudiated structural-functionalism, however, and given the rapid pace of globalization and contemporary knowledge about the elastic nature of tradition, an investigation the contemporary significance of these relationships in peacemaking is warranted.   This paper examines the contemporary role of joking ties in Gambian conflict management.   Special affinities such as joking kinship played a prominent role in mitigating conflicts, indicating that rural Gambians confronting changing conditions continue to draw upon familiar societal patterns. That finding has implications for conflict resolution in the West and elsewhere. Top-down mediation efforts have failed to resolve many prominent conflicts and the mixed results of Western-led peacebuilding efforts have produced a growing interest in peacemaking at the local level.   Analyzing how groups and individuals mediate in different societal contexts, and identifying universal and particular aspects of the mediation process can shed new light on the age-old challenge of peacemaking. Gambians' use of special affinities in moderating disputing offers a variety of lessons for those interested in refining conflict resolution praxis

Instrumentation development for planetary <i>in situ</i> ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar geochronology

The key to understanding the history of planetary and asteroidal bodies is the accurate and precise determination of the timescale over which they developed. Absolute dating of planetary materials remains a primary goal of planetary research. Given the success of recent unmanned missions to Mars (e.g., Spirit, Opportunity, Curiosity) in understanding geological processes, development of an &lt;i&gt;in situ&lt;/i&gt; numerical dating instrument packages for future robotic missions is a logical next step. Several ongoing programs of research are seeking to develop instrument packages for &lt;i&gt;in situ&lt;/i&gt; application of the K-Ar technique (e.g., [1,2]). For terrestrial rocks, the K-Ar method has largely been replaced by the &lt;sup&gt;40&lt;/sup&gt;Ar/&lt;sup&gt;39&lt;/sup&gt;Ar technique, which can determine thermal histories and provide internal reliability assurance. The &lt;sup&gt;40&lt;/sup&gt;Ar/&lt;sup&gt;39&lt;/sup&gt;Ar method is the most promising geochronometer for obtaining accurate ages and thermal histories for rocks on the Martian surface but relies on the &lt;sup&gt;39&lt;/sup&gt;K(n,p)&lt;sup&gt;39&lt;/sup&gt;Ar reaction so that &lt;sup&gt;39&lt;/sup&gt;Ar can be measured as a proxy for the parent element K. As the mass and power requirements of a nuclear reactor are not compatible with spaceflight, an alternative neutron source must be employed. Here, we examine the potential of &lt;sup&gt;252&lt;/sup&gt;Cf, which generates neutrons through its decay by spontaneous fission. We will present initial results from neutron modeling and technological considerations towards the development of an &lt;i&gt;in situ&lt;/i&gt; dating package, including a &lt;sup&gt;252&lt;/sup&gt;Cf neutron source, a subcritical &lt;sup&gt;235&lt;/sup&gt;U neutron multiplier, quadrupole noble gas mass spectrometry, and sample drilling and handling strategies