Turkey: Politics at the Crossroads of Civilizations

This article discusses how Turkey is often under-studied due to the fact that it does not fit neatly into the analytical boxes used to discuss international politics. Not only does Turkey straddle Europe and Asia, but it is one of few Middle Eastern countries that was not ruled by Western empires (and, in fact, controlled parts of Europe). It is a non-Arab secular democracy currently governed by a Muslim-oriented party. Because of these unique characteristics, scholars and policy makers have much to learn from Turkey and its approach to challenging issues of regional concern

Bridging the Gap between Human Rights and Peace: An Analysis of NGOs and the United Nations Human Rights Council

While the concepts of human rights and peace are increasingly linked in the study and practice of International Relations, there is great variance and inconsistency in how the concept of peace is discussed in the study and practice of human rights. We conduct an examination of the websites of human rights nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) affiliated with the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, to explore whether and how human rights and peace are linked. Religiously-affiliated and women’s NGOs typically link these concepts, while non-Western NGOs stress peace over human rights

Struggling for Just Peace: Israeli and Palestinian Activism in the Second Infitada

Beginning in 2004, after the mainstream peace movement collapsed due in part to the outbreak of the second intifada, the author of this book, Maia Hallward, spent most of a year observing the work of seven such groups on both sides of the conflict. She returned in 2008 to examine the progress they had made in working for a just and lasting peace. Although small, these grassroots organizations provide valuable lessons regarding how peacebuilding takes place in times of ongoing animosity and violence. Examining both the changing context for peace activism and the processes through which seven Israeli and Palestinian groups operated, this book explores the social, cultural, political, and geographic boundaries that affect people\u27s daily lives and the possibility of building a just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians. The book goes beyond outlining potential peace settlements to investigate not only varying conceptions of peace held by players in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but also group processes that create the potential for a structural peace. Differentiating between “peace words” and “peace works,” the book analyzes observed group activities and patterns of behavior in addition to dozens of extended interviews. This text offers a critical look at the realities on the ground, one that focuses on what has been successful for groups engaged in working for peace in times of conflict, and how they have adapted to changing circumstances.https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/facbooks/1017/thumbnail.jp

The Ramallah Friends Meeting: Examining 100 years of Peace and Justice Work

This article uses interviews conducted around the 2010 Centennial celebrations of the Ramallah Friends (Quaker) Meeting House to explore domestic and expatriate Quaker peace and justice efforts over the years. Although the general public often equates peace building with direct action aimed at reducing violence, such as facilitation of peace negotiations or activities bringing conflict parties together for dialogue, the history of the Quakers in Ikamallah suggests the need for a broader understanding of peace and justice promotion that is rooted in an understanding of Quaker testimonies, traditional Quaker practices, and an appreciation for the political reality in which Palestinian Quakers live. After exploring the Quaker approach to peace, the article discusses specific efforts of the Quaker community in Ramallah, including the ministry of hospitality, a preschool in the Am\u27ari refugee camp, and the Friends International Center in Ramallah (FICR.), which provides a space tbr hosting groups and conducting programming related to Quaker concerns

“War by other Means” or Nonviolent Resistance? Examining the Discourses Surrounding Berkeley’s Divestment Bill

This article explores the discourses surrounding the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement aimed at ending the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Although the boycott strategy is a form of unarmed resistance and thus nonviolent in scope, it has not been widely framed as a “nonviolent” movement. Furthermore, the boycott movement has often been framed in negative terms in Western media, and Israeli representatives have gone so far as to call the BDS movement anti-Semitic, claiming it seeks to delegitimize the State of Israel. This article parses out how activists and opponents frame the movement and the extent to which these framings reflect actual practice and goals of the movement, through focusing on the case of the University of California, Berkeley student government’s effort to pass a divestment bill in spring 2010. The authors argue that supporters and opponents use different approaches to peace and conflict, which influences how they view the BDS movement