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Alliance of Civilizations

The report is structured in two parts: Part I presents an analysis of the global context and of the state of relations between Muslim and Western societies. It concludes with a set of policy recommendations, indicating the High-level Group's belief that certain political steps are pre-requisites to any substantial and lasting improvement in relations between Muslim and Western societies. Part II of the report reflects the High-level Group's view that tensions across cultures have spread beyond the political level into the hearts and minds of populations. To counter this trend, the Group analyzes and presents recommendations in each of four thematic areas: Education, Youth, Migration, and Media. The Report concludes with the High-level Group's suggestions for the implementation of its recommendations. (UNAOC, 13 November 2006)

http://www.unaoc.org/repository/report.htm

(Added: Wed Nov 15 2006   Hits: 173)

Better off without Him

Are religious societies better than secular ones? It should be an easy question for athiests to answer. Most of those now seeking to blow people up - whether with tanks and missiles or rucksacks and passenger planes - do so in the name of God. But we also know that few religious governments have committed atrocities on the scale of Hitler's, Mao's or Stalin's . So the question which troubles almost everyone who has stopped to think about it is: if our lives have no purpose, why should we care about other people's? (Monbiot, 2005)

http://www.monbiot.com/archives/2005/10/11/better-off-without-him/

(Added: Mon May 22 2006   Modified: Wed Jul 12 2006   Hits: 215)

Cartoons As Weapons Of Mass Provocation

Is the global row over the publication of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad the beginning of a "clash of civilizations"? Author and scholar Paul Tiyambe Zeleza argues not, locating the controversy firmly in the realm of politics. In this context, Muslims are challenged to find ways of defending their faith in a way that advances human freedom and decency. Those in the West, he argues, must not support aggression that hides behind freedom of speech. (Pambazuka News, 2006-02-16)

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/comment/32049

(Added: Mon May 15 2006   Modified: Thu Jan 18 2007   Hits: 282)

Ethnic polarization, potential conflict and civil wars [PDF]

Written by Jose G. Montalvo and Marta Reynal-Querol (July 2004) this paper analyzes the relationship between ethnic fractionalization, polarization, and conflict. In recent years many authors have found empirical evidence that ethnic fractionalization has a negative effect on growth. One mechanism that can explain this nexus is the effect of ethnic heterogeneity on rent-seeking activities and the increase in potential conflict, which is negative for investment. However the empirical evidence supporting the effect of ethnic fractionalization on the incidence of civil conflicts is very weak. Although ethnic fractionalization may be important for growth, we argue that the channel is not through an increase in potential ethnic conflict. We develop a new measure of ethnic heterogeneity that is a significant variable in the explanation of the incidence of civil wars.

http://www.econ.upf.edu/docs/papers/downloads/770.pdf

(Added: Mon Aug 01 2005   Modified: Wed Jul 12 2006   Hits: 251)

Islam and Power

In this article Fareed Zakaria discusses the rise and fall and rise again of radical Islam in the Middle East. He argues that radical Islamic movements had been on the decline in the Middle East but have revived their fortunes to some extent by reinventing themselves as political movements. The popularity of radical Islamic groups has, according to Zakaria, also been boosted by the small number of significant, credible alternative movements. Finally, Zakaria argues that radical Islam's rise has been aided by the failure of secularism in the region and, in particular, the fact that secular governments in the Middle East have often been tainted by totalitarianism, corruption and stagnation.

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/opinion/2006/February/opinion_February20.xml§ion=opinion&col=

(Added: Tue Feb 21 2006   Modified: Wed Jul 12 2006   Hits: 210)

Summer Institute on Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) June 14, 2008 - July 12, 2008 Santa Cruz and La Paz, Bolivia

Summer Institute on Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) June 14, 2008 - July 12, 2008 Santa Cruz and La Paz, Bolivia The Alliance for Conflict Transformation (ACT), in partnership with Nur University, is pleased to announce the Summer Institute on Peacebuilding & Conflict Resolution (IPCR) in Bolivia, June/July 2008. The course will be held in Santa Cruz and include a one-week trip to La Paz and surrounding communities.

http://www.conflicttransformation.org

(Added: Sat Feb 02 2008   Modified: Fri Feb 22 2008   Hits: 41)

The Coexistence Initiative

The Coexistence Initiative seeks to catalyse a global awareness of, and commitment to, creating a world safe for difference. The Coexistence Initiative envisions a world in which coexistence is an accepted and enduring framework for human interaction, including: tolerance and greater understanding between peoples; the settlement of conflicts without recourse to violence; an end to the human tragedies of genocides, ethnocides and war. The Initiative is firmly committed to the possibility of coexistence within which the 6000 discrete cultures that make up our world can interact and live in peace.

http://www.brandeis.edu/coexistence/

(Added: Thu Jan 17 2002   Modified: Wed Jul 12 2006   Hits: 321)

The failure of war

Why do we always think we can put an end to killing by waging a war? It never works, for reasons that should be obvious, writes farmer, novelist and poet Wendell Berry. He also links war to global economic process that promote "domination and control".

http://www.futurenet.org/20spirituality/berry.htm

(Added: Thu Mar 13 2003   Modified: Wed Jul 12 2006   Hits: 308)