PEACE AND CONFLICT

Why are there so many different opinions of what

constitutes peace, violence, and conflict?
How can we define peace?
1. Negative Peace absence of
violence; the conflict has stopped; there is
no active fighting going on.
A good example of negative peace is a
cease-fire: Ukraine, Korea,
Colombia/FARC, Morocco/Polisario
2. Peace as Balance of Power
Connected to Realism; peace is
maintained due to the rough equilibrium
between two or more power blocs
Historic examples: Pre-World War I
alliance system; Cold War parity between
the USA and the Soviet Union
What other types of peace are there?
What is feminist peace?
Peace through gender equality, the end of
power structures and the patriarchal
society
The role of Religion to advance peace
BUDDHISM
The role of inner peace; changing thought
processes, going for a higher self,
acceptance; if one is not at peace with
oneself then there can be no true peace in
the world.
How do we view conflict and
violence?
What are the different ways in which we
can define conflict? What different types
of conflict are there?
What is the difference between interstate
conflict and disenfranchisement?
Conflict in Saudi Arabia
Direct violence

What other forms of direct

violence are there?
Cultural Violence

What are different examples of

structural and cultural violence?
How can we use the example of the plight
of many African-Americans as structural
violence?
How can the picture below be an example of
cultural violence?
Territorial Conflict
Rival Claims in the South China Sea

What are some different types of

conflicts?
 Other examples of territorial claims:

Bolivia would like to reclaim territory it lost during the War of the Pacific (19thC) and gain
access to the sea.
 Another example:

After independence and partition in 1947, both

Pakistan and India claimed the Maharaja state of
Jammu Kashmir. This has led to several wars and
conflicts between India and Pakistan. It has still
not been resolved.
Interest-based conflicts: The above is an example of positive discrimination or
affirmative action. How is this an example of interest-based conflict?
 In the U.S., many Native American children have been adopted by White
families. Native American tribes are litigating against this.

Id e n t i t y c o n f l i ct
In the United States, many Hispanics are asserting their Latino heritage which has led to a
backlash among White Americans.
China and the United States have very
different political ideologies and values
which has led to conflict.

Ideological conflict: between

belief systems or different political
ideologies
 Increasing differences in values and ideologies between
West and East European countries.

Prime Minister Orban has proposed reintroducing the dealth penalty

in Hungary which goes against the values and ideology of the
European Union.
Clash between African and Western values?

Many Africans fear the imposition of Western ideas regarding gay rights.
What example is this?

Can you think of any justifications

of violence?
THE JUST WAR THEORY
Two main criteria:

What are the conditions to justify

war? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcBovmGZSPU
 The 2011 intervention
in Libya during the
uprising against
Gaddafi.
A no-fly zone was
enforced which meant
that the Libyan
airforce could not
strike against the
rebels.

Humanitarian intervention
 The Bush Doctrine was
developed under
President George W. Bush
as a reason to attack
terrorist groups before
they attack the United
States. It was a result of
the 9/11 attacks of Al
Quaeda in New York and
Washington D.C.
Self-defense can be
considered a legitimate
reason for conflict if the
country, group, or person
gets attacked and has no
other recourse but to
defend itself. It is
debatable if the Bush
Doctrine fits this purpose.

Self-defense in international politics

 This is violence which
is culturally or
religiously condoned.
A good example are
honor killings
whereby women who
supposedly dishonor
the family are either
maimed or killed in
order to purify the
familys name.
Another example is
female circumsicion
where females are
genitally mutiliated
due to a variety of
cultural and
traditional reasons.

Culturally-condoned violence