Segregation Kills: How Social Media Fuels Violence in African States

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Pundits and academics alike tell us that we are supremely fortunate to be living in a new “information age.” However, new findings which I present in an article in a Journal of Peace Research special issue paint a far more complicated picture of the consequences of increased human connectivity.

Linkages facilitated by social media technologies tend to be connections between friends and acquaintances. Photo: SandisterTei. Licensed under CC BY 3.0 via Commons

Ours is certainly not an age of civil peace. At this moment, neighbors are killing neighbors, in organized groups, in ongoing civil conflicts spanning at least 36 separate countries. Such violence is shocking in its brutality; but through our revulsion we tend to forget that in each of these conflicts, the lines of animosity were not simply given by nature. They were actively produced. Humans are not born knowing the difference between a ‘Serb’ police officer and a ‘Croat’ police officer, or the difference between a ‘Sunni’ mosque and a ‘Shia’ mosque. The participants had to be taught how to hate, and who to kill. In other words, the production of collective violence is always preceded by the production of a certain kind of collective idea: the idea that it is justified, or even necessary, for ‘us’ to kill ‘them.’

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What is the Russian Military good for?

Posted by & filed under Regions and Powers

An-Il-78-Midas-air-force-tanker-and-Su-34-bombers-fly-in-formation-during-the-Victory-Day-parade-above-Red-Square-in-MoscowThe Russian military intervention in Syria—launched in a great rush just over a month ago — came as a surprise; perhaps not as shocking as the swift occupation and annexation of Crimea, but a surprise nevertheless. But does Russia’s ability to surprise and to project force in Syria prove, as Garret Campbell claims, that Western attempts “to discredit Russian military capabilities” were inaccurate?

In fact, the first month of the operation tells us little about Russian military capabilities. It does show that the Russian leadership is prepared to play with military instruments of policy way beyond the limit of, for Western politicians, acceptable risk. This readiness to face big risks constitutes a political advantage of sorts. But it remains unclear that the Russian military is up to the task. There are many looming disasters on the battlefield in Syria, and the Russian military will inevitably take the blame if they come to pass.Read More

Are Myanmar’s Monks Hindering Democratization?

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The upcoming general elections in Myanmar raise the question of religion’s role in democratisation processes. Previously Buddhism has been an important force in favour of democracy, but in the 2015 election campaign strong Buddhist forces are supporting the military-aligned Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP). This is their democratic right, but it may hinder further political reforms and democratisation in Myanmar.

The Buddhist monk Ashin Wirathu, leader of the 969 Movement, during a procession in Mandalay in September. PHOTO: John Zaw

Buddhist nationalism has flourished since political reforms were introduced in 2011. Leading Buddhist monks have formed the Organization for the Protection of Race and Religion, generally known by the abbreviation ‘MaBaTha’, which has the aim of promoting Buddhist interests. MaBaTha monks and nuns have been the driving force behind, among other things, four controversial laws designed to ‘protect race and religion’. The aim of these laws is to protect Buddhist interests, but they are seen by some women’s rights groups and religious minorities as extremely discriminatory.

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This Week in South Sudan – Week 44

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Monday 26 October The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights will deploy a 10-member assessment mission to South Sudan following reports of rights abuses. The SPLM/A (IO) signed the agreement on security arrangements during a transitional period, despite their earlier refusal to do so last month at the security workshop in Addis Ababa. The… Read more »

Unarmed Protests Force Leaders from Power Twice as Often as Violent Uprisings

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Research lends support to the Nobel Committee’s rationale for its award of the Nobel Peace Prize for 2015; the revolution in Tunisia shows how non-violent protest can assist in democratization.

Protesters on Avenue Habib Bourguiba, downtown Tunis on 14 January 2011, a few hours before president Ben Ali fled the country. VOA Photo/L. Bryant

The award of the Nobel Peace Prize to the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet came as a surprise to most observers. But the committee’s rationale – which cites the so-called Jasmine Revolution and the role of civil society in the democratization of Tunisia, together with the potential for inspiring processes of democratization in other countries – is closely linked to the findings of research conducted in recent years into non-violent protests, democratization and the spread of democracy in a global perspective.

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A Predicted Tragedy

Posted by & filed under Regions and Powers

The last time that the Palestinians staged a collective uprising in anger and frustration was in 2000. Why is there a new wave of violence now?

Palestinian boy and Israeli soldier in front of the West Bank barrier. Photo: CC BY 2.0

The Palestinians have been betrayed by everyone: by their own leaders, by Israel, and by the international community. Their sense of hopelessness has bred the recent uncoordinated knife attacks. The fundamental problem – one that is spoken of all too seldom by diplomats and politicians – is Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory.Read More

This Week in South Sudan – Week 43

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Monday 19 October The Government of South Sudanese stated it rescued 50 police and civilians from rebel groups in Western Equatoria. Tuesday 20 October Security for aid workers in South Sudan has sharply deteriorated, as there have been increased incidences of violence, particularly a new trend of sexual violence. IGAD appointed former president of Botswana, Festus Gontebanye… Read more »

When Internet Access Becomes a Weapon

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Social Media has rightly been celebrated as an empowering tool for ordinary citizens to mobilize against repressive rulers, and make marginalized voices heard. But a crucial question remains unanswered: why should power-hungry states, with de facto control over access to the Internet, impassively concede to defeat?

Experts have called the civil war in Syria the most socially mediated civil conflict in history. Illustration: Hani Abbas

 

The simple answer is: they do not. Behind the scenes, autocratic governments across the world have been extremely active in developing and refining a whole arsenal of tools to surveil, manipulate and censor the digital flow of information in their own country.Read More

Can an Economic Boom Ensure Peaceful Elections in Côte d’Ivoire?

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On Oct. 25, Ivorians head to the polls for their first presidential election since the disputed 2010 election that left more than 3,000 dead and more than 500,000 displaced. Despite the previous electoral violence and a decade of civil war and political turmoil from 2000-2010, most discussion before this election has been about the country’s remarkable economic resurgence.

Incumbent president Alassane Ouattara is the favourite for this year’s election. PHOTO: Creative Commons.

Once known as the “Paris of West Africa,” the commercial capital Abidjan and the country more generally are again benefiting from high cocoa prices and investor-friendly policies. The World Bank estimates a growth rate of approximately 8.7 percent over the last two years.

Many analysts and Ivorian citizens believe (or hope) that the economic boom will help defuse political hostilities between the opposition parties, led by the Front Populaire Ivoirien, and President Alassane Ouattara’s ruling party, Rassemblement des Républicains. The underlying assumption is that with a growing economy, the ruling party can consolidate political support and reduce the likelihood of a closely contested election. And it does appear that the incumbent president Alassane Ouattara will win big.

Political scientists suggest that it is only when vote margins are very narrow that candidates and their supporters may resort to violence to prevent competitors from voting. Violence provides a way of “redistricting” by eliminating opposition supporters from competitive areas. After voting day, violence can escalate if politicians or supporters protest the poll results.

But can we expect economic growth to yield violence-free elections?

This Week in South Sudan – Week 42

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Monday 12 October UPDF to withdraw from South Sudan: Government of Uganda: ‘Press statement: UPDF withdrawal from South Sudan Oct 12th 2015’ BBC: ‘Ugandan army confirms it will leave South Sudan’ Reuters: ‘Uganda says to start troop exit from South Sudan’ The Wall Street Journal: ‘Uganda to withdraw troops from South Sudan’ SPLA (IO) accused… Read more »