Peace Science Digest

Peace Science Made Accessible, Understandable, and Useful.

civil society

Women’s Ethnic Organizations, Representation, and Informal Peacebuilding in Myanmar

byKelsey Coolidge

The following analyses appears in Volume 4, Issue 1 of the Peace Science Digest. Key Words: women, civil society, peacebuilding, formal negotiations, Myanmar,

UNSCR 1325 Has Fallen Short of its “Transformative Potential”

Eighteen years later, the "gender perspective" required by Resolution 1325 has fallen short of its transformative potential. Peace practitioners must turn their gender lenses inward to examine their own cultures and practices as potentially part of the dual problems of gender inequality and insecurity.

Civil Society & Grassroots Coalitions Are Leading Korean Peace Initiatives

Peace talks between North and South Korea have continued partially due to the massive support from civil society and grassroots activists. Peace research has shown the influence civil society has on both social and political issues-the more people come together in support of peace on the Korean Peninsula, the harder it becomes for world leaders to disagree.

Civil Society’s Important Peacebuilding Role On The Korean Peninsula

The United States has downplayed the importance of including civil society in the peace talks between North and South Korea. However, civil society has a proven track record in this area: history and research show that by including civil society in negotiations, the strength and longevity of peace agreements are increased.

Can International Organizations Help Prevent Violence in Palestine and Israel?

Violence erupted on Friday after protests took place demanding the right of return for Palestinian refugees and their descendants to land in Israel. Peace Science provides examples of how international groups can help prevent more violence.

Incorporating Civil Society in Syrian Peace Talks

Syrian civil society has become better organized and more tightly interconnected, providing a valuable resource to UN negotiators and others working towards peace. The Civil Society Support Room (CSSR) is helping to bring civil society activists together so that their local knowledge and expertise can be better incorporated into the peace talks.

Civilians Play Key Role in Promoting Peaceful Elections in Liberia

Civilians played an important role in maintaining peace through Liberia's first democratic transition of power.

The Peacebuilding Role of Religious Civil Society Initiatives in the Korean Peninsula

This article examines whether civil society has played a role in peacebuilding efforts beyond traditional government-driven peace negotiations in the

Testimonials

Erica Chenoweth, Ph.D.

The field of peace science has long suffered from a needless disconnect between current scholarship and relevant practice. The Peace Science Digest serves as a vital bridge. By regularly communicating cutting-edge peace research to a general audience, this publication promises to advance contemporary practice of peace and nonviolent action. I don’t know of any other outlet that has developed such an efficient forum for distilling the key insights from the latest scholarly innovations for anyone who wants to know more about this crucial subject. I won’t miss an issue.

-Erica Chenoweth: Professor, Associate Dean for Research at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver

David Cortright, Ph.D.

The Peace Science Digest is a valuable tool for translating scholarly research into practical conclusions in support of evidence-based approaches to preventing armed conflict.

-David Cortright: Director of Policy Studies at the Kroc Institute of International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame

Ambassador John W. McDonald, ret.

This Magazine is where the academic field and the practitioners meet. It is the ideal source for the Talkers, the Writers and the Doers who need to inform and educate themselves about the fast growing field of Peace Science for War Prevention Initiatives!

-John W. McDonald: U.S. Ambassador, ret. Chairman and CEO, Institute for Multi-Track Diplomacy

Kelly Cambell

As a longtime peace activist, I’ve grown weary of the mainstream perception that peace is for dreamers. That’s why the Peace Science Digest is such as useful tool; it gives me easy access to the data and the science to make the case for peacebuilding and war prevention as both practical and possible. This is a wonderful new resource for all who seek peaceful solutions in the real world.

-Kelly Cambell: Executive Director, Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility Co-founder, 9/11 Families for Peaceful Tomorrows

Michael Nagler

We must welcome the expansion of peace awareness into any and every area of our lives, in most of which it must supplant the domination of war and violence long established there. The long-overdue and much appreciated Digest is filling an important niche in that peace invasion. No longer will anyone be able to deny that peace is a science that can be studied and practiced.

-Michael Nagler: Founder and President, Metta Center for Nonviolence

Aubrey Fox

The Peace Science Digest is the right approach to an ever-present challenge: how do you get cutting-edge peace research that is often hidden in hard-to-access academic journals into the hands of a broader audience? With its attractive on-line format, easy to digest graphics and useful short summaries, the Peace Science Digest is a critically important tool for anyone who cares about peace as well as a delight to read.

-Aubrey Fox: Past Executive Director, Institute for Economics and Peace

Joseph Bock, Ph.D.

How many times are we asked about the effectiveness of alternatives to violent conflict? Reading Peace Science Digest offers a quick read on some of the best research focused on that important question. It offers talking points and summarizes practical implications. Readers are provided with clear, accessible explanations of theories and key concepts. It is a valuable resource for policy-makers, activists and scholars. It is a major step in filling the gap between research findings and application.

-Joseph Bock: International Conflict Management Program Associate Professor of International Conflict Management, Kennesaw State University

Eric Stoner

The distillation of the latest academic studies offered by the Peace Science Digest is not only an invaluable time-saving resource for scholars and policymakers concerned with preventing the next war, but for journalists and organizers on the front lines, who can put their findings to good use as they struggle to hold the powerful accountable and to build a more just and peaceful world.

-Eric Stoner: Co-founder and Editor, Waging Nonviolence

Mark Freeman

The Peace Science Digest is a major contribution to the peace and security field. It makes complex issues more understandable, enabling professional outfits like ours to be more effective in our global work. The Digest underscores that preventing war is about more than good intentions or power; it is also about transferable knowledge and science.

-Mark Freeman: Executive Director, Institute for Integrated Transitions (IFIT)

Maria J. Stephan, Ph.D.

The Digest is smartly organized, engaging, and provides a nice synthesis of key research on conflict, war, and peace with practical and policy relevance. The journal’s emphasis on “contemporary relevance”, “talking points” and “practical implications” is a breath of fresh air for those of us trying to bridge the academic-policy-practitioner divides. Highly recommended reading.

-Maria J. Stephan: Senior Advisor, United States Institute of Peace

David Swanson

Peace Science Digest is an invaluable tool for advocates for peace, as much as for educators. In it one quickly finds the talking points needed to persuade others, and the research to back those points up.

-David Swanson: Director, World Beyond War