Category Archives: Edited Volume Read Along: Fundamental Challenges to Global Peace and Security

Edited Volume Read Along: Global Systems Built on Unequal Foundations

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Edited Volume Read Along: Global Systems Built on Unequal Foundations

We have reached Part III, which is titled “Structural Inequalities.” This is a very broad and significant topic, and the essays featured in this section cover a wide range of problems and solutions. The section begins with an introduction by Dr. Kate Seaman called “Acknowledging and Addressing the Inequalities in the International System.”

In this chapter, Dr. Seaman points out the ways that the fundamental structure of our international systems plays a direct role in the possibilities and limitations of responding to global problems and building peace. Institutions like the UN were created in a period that is very different than our current moment. In 1945 there were only 74 recognized sovereign nations, while today, there are 195. Additionally, colonialism, imperialism, and racist social science, heavily influenced past conceptions of global governance. While conscious values and terminology have changed, the power and influence of that systemic inequality remain. 

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Edited Volume Read Along: How the Digital World Drives Real World Conflict

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Edited Volume Read Along: How the Digital World Drives Real World Conflict

The impact of developing technology on human life and society is so massive that it cannot be understated. It influences all areas of life for communities around the world. Despite this ubiquity, peacebuilders often think of technology as separate from the realm of and forces that generate conflict in the physical world. One way to conceptualize technology is as a tool, implicitly neutral but capable of being used for great good or great evil, depending on how it is wielded. In their chapter “Understanding Digital Conflict Drivers,” authors Helena Puig Larrauri and Maude Morrison present a different framework through which to view technology. In their view, technology is not separate from conflict but operates as an integral part of the forces that drive conflict in the modern era. Technology is not inherently bad, but as a significant part of life, it is also a significant part of conflict. 

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Edited Volume Read Along: What Are Our Twitter Alternatives?

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Edited Volume Read Along: What Are Our Twitter Alternatives?

In his article “Decentralized Networks vs. The Trolls,” author Derek Caelin discusses the Fediverse. It’s a combination of the words federation and universe, and it is something I had never heard of until reading this chapter. The Fediverse is made up of a number of alternatives to popular social media sites, and they all rely on software developed by ActivityPub. Rather than hosting all users on one central website like Twitter or YouTube, the Fediverse is made up of individual servers that can all communicate with each other, creating opportunities for more niche communities and broader communication. 

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Edited Volume Read Along: Peace Engineering, Peace Data, and Peace Finance

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Edited Volume Read Along: Peace Engineering, Peace Data, and Peace Finance

Chapter 7 is titled “Peace Data, Peace Finance, and Peace Engineering: Advancing the Design of Respectful Spaces and Sustainable Development Goals.” In it, authors Aniek van Kersen, Joseph B. Hughes, Margarita Quihuis, and Mark Nelson discuss ways that new ideologies and methodologies that promote peace can be incorporated into new fields. They particularly focus on engineering, data science, and finance, as well as the synergies they find between these three disciplines. 

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Edited Volume Read Along: The Power of Technology

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Edited Volume Read Along: The Power of Technology

For everyone who is keeping up with our read-along, we’ve finished Part I! Now on to Part II: Technology and Peace. 

In her chapter “ Utilizing Technology for Peace: Seeking New Solutions,” Dr. Kate Seaman sets the tone for this section by raising many complex questions about the role that technology plays in our lives and in global peace. Technological advancements can present exciting opportunities and aid the world in previously unimagined ways. However, like most things, they require critical evaluation and analysis to help mitigate the potential negative repercussions they can bring. New technologies present new ethical and moral quandaries that deserve significant attention and discussion. 

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Edited Volume Read Along: Challenging Authority and Responsibility

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Edited Volume Read Along: Challenging Authority and Responsibility

In her chapter “Fragmented Responsibility in a Global World,” Author Charlotte Ku asks many questions about authority, liability, and obligation.  She begins with a discussion of what responsibilities exist between individual sovereign states. In general, a nation will act in its own best interest, however, in an interconnected world, and especially one desirous of peace, the limit on the actions of one state is when it begins infringing on the sovereignty of another. Continue reading

Edited Volume Read Along: Democratization, Globalization, and Compassion: The Challenges and Hope for the Future

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Edited Volume Read Along: Democratization, Globalization, and Compassion: The Challenges and Hope for the Future

Professor Craig N . Murphy begins his chapter “Where Democratization and Globalization Meet” with an interesting thought experiment. He calls it a “democratic solution to a global problem.” The problem he addresses is one whose global reach is clear: Climate Change. The disruptive and devastating impact of human industry on the ecological well-being of the Earth is widespread, and while blame is rightly skewed towards wealthy industrialized nations, the consequences affect everyone. 

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