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This book presents a new approach for studying peace beyond the
absence of war. As war ends, the varying nature of the peace that
ensues has been the object of much debate. Through in-depth case
studies, including Cyprus, Cambodia, South Africa, Abkhazia,
Transnistria/Russia, Colombia, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and
Myanmar, the book illustrates how conceptualising 'relational
peace' provides a framework that can be applied across cases and
actors, different levels of analysis, a variety of geographical
contexts and using different temporal perspectives and types of
data. This novel framework enables improved empirical studies of
peace. The book contributes nuanced understandings of peace in
particular settings and demonstrates the multifaceted nature of
peaceful relations - what is termed 'relational peace practices' -
making important contributions to the field of studying peace
beyond the absence of war. -- .
Life after war is intrinsically political for former combatants. As
wars end, societies and former combatants face a period of
transition. This book explores the experience of coming home for
former combatants, capturing the challenges and opportunities for
political mobilization among former combatants as they return from
three very different wars: South West Africa People's Organization
combatants who participated in the Namibian War of Independence
(1966-90); guerrillas from Movimiento 19 de Abril who joined the
ongoing guerilla warfare conducted against the Colombian state
(1974-90), and combatants from the United States who participated
in the Vietnam War (1955-75). Offering an insightful perspective on
peace as a process through the long-term study of the lives of
fifty former combatants, Soederstroem demonstrates how the process
of coming home shapes their political commitment and identity.
Combining detailed scholarship with interviews with former
combatants, this volume serves as a powerful reminder of the
legacies of war in the lives of former combatants. -- .
The book examines how ex-combatants in post-war and peacebuilding
settings engage in politics, as seen in the case of Liberia. The
political mobilization of former combatants after war is often
perceived as a threat, ultimately undermining the security and
stability of the state. This book questions this simplified view
and argues that understanding the political voice of former
combatants is imperative. Their post-war role is not black and
white; they are not just bad or good citizens, but rather engage in
multiple political roles: spoilers, victims, disengaged,
beneficiaries, as well as motivated and active citizens. By looking
at the political attitudes and values of former combatants, and
their understanding of how politics functions, the book sheds new
light on the political reintegration of ex-combatants. It argues
that political reintegration needs to be given serious attention at
the micro-level, but also needs to be scrutinized in two ways:
first, through the level of political involvement, which reflects
the extent and width of the ex-combatants' voice. Second, in order
to make sense of political reintegration, we also need to uncover
what values and norms inform their political involvement. The
content of their political voice is captured through a comparison
with democratic ideals. Based on interviews with over 100 Liberian
ex-combatants, the book highlights that their relationship with
politics overall should be characterized as an expression of a
'politics of affection'. This book will be of much interest to
students of peacebuilding, African politics, democratization,
political sociology, conflict resolution and IR/Security Studies in
general.
This book takes a closer look at the role and meaning of political
opposition for the development of democracy across sub-Saharan
Africa. Why is room for political opposition in most cases so
severely limited? Under what circumstances has the political
opposition been able to establish itself in a legitimate role in
African politics? To answer these questions this edited volume
focuses on the institutional settings, the nature and dynamics
within and between political parties, and the relationship between
the citizens and political parties. It is found that regional
devolution and federalist structures enable political opposition to
organize and gain local power, as a supplement to influence at the
central level. Generally, however, opposition parties are lacking
in organization and institutionalization, as well as in their
ability to find support in civil society and promote the issues
that voters find most important. Overall, strong executive powers,
unchecked by democratic institutions, in combination with
deferential values and fear of conflict, undermine legitimate
opposition activity. This book was originally published as a
special issue of Democratization.
The book examines how ex-combatants in post-war and peacebuilding
settings engage in politics, as seen in the case of Liberia. The
political mobilization of former combatants after war is often
perceived as a threat, ultimately undermining the security and
stability of the state. This book questions this simplified view
and argues that understanding the political voice of former
combatants is imperative. Their post-war role is not black and
white; they are not just bad or good citizens, but rather engage in
multiple political roles: spoilers, victims, disengaged,
beneficiaries, as well as motivated and active citizens. By looking
at the political attitudes and values of former combatants, and
their understanding of how politics functions, the book sheds new
light on the political reintegration of ex-combatants. It argues
that political reintegration needs to be given serious attention at
the micro-level, but also needs to be scrutinized in two ways:
first, through the level of political involvement, which reflects
the extent and width of the ex-combatants' voice. Second, in order
to make sense of political reintegration, we also need to uncover
what values and norms inform their political involvement. The
content of their political voice is captured through a comparison
with democratic ideals. Based on interviews with over 100 Liberian
ex-combatants, the book highlights that their relationship with
politics overall should be characterized as an expression of a
'politics of affection'. This book will be of much interest to
students of peacebuilding, African politics, democratization,
political sociology, conflict resolution and IR/Security Studies in
general.
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