<p> An individual narrative relating subjective experience with communal social norms and practices is the modern way of understanding identity. Modern science also bridges the gap between a subjective experience and theoretical knowledge. In translating from the micro-social level of direct experience to the macro-social or collective experience, the particular and the subjective tend to be drowned out by conceptual totalities. Consumer capitalism however, at its extreme virtual limits, makes subjective experience central, and pushes metaphysical idealism back. The artist's knowledge, acquired through the juxtaposition of the human self at its most intimate level with the general or objective order of materials, also erodes a modern metaphysics. Language in psychoanalysis allows us to engage in self-identification and discover the subject within the spoken or written word by uncovering traces of an illicit desire that is repressed in metaphysics and rationalism. Psychoanalysis provides insight into how the decoded social space of capitalist production can be reconfigured as a meaningful space of subjective desire. Today's ubiquitous digital discourse, coupled with the universality of a machine time in the increasingly mechanized market, gives us globalization. A form of consciousness defined by the operations of the market recognizes the interwoven functions of humans and technologies/materials in a wide and complex production&mdash;including economic and social/cultural aspects. Outside of the dialectical structure of modern knowledge, social identity can only be a temporary coalescence of a subject that is staked upon a set of events of a specific and foundational significance. As a modern polarity of identity and negation is closed with globalization, social identity becomes situated with respect to a global information economy that increasingly reflects, not commodity objects and alienated subjects, but difference as such: capitalist production is nothing but the unbreakable rhythm that rearticulates a homogeneous Globality with each of its cycles. Under these conditions, otherness is an intelligible difference, rather than a repressed periphery of the ego ideal. As difference or alterity beyond the identity of subject and object, the Other is the counterpart of the void that is subjectivity itself. In the knowledge economy primarily constituted as the production of difference, subjectivity and otherness are modalities of a more thorough ecological integration with the environment.</p>

<p> This study seeks to demonstrate connections between theatre and conflict, as inspired by metaphor and embodied by case studies of four theatrical organizations working in conflict zones: The Freedom Theatre in Palestine, Ajoka Theatre in Pakistan, DAH Teater in Serbia, and Belarus Free Theatre in Belarus. In so doing, it attempts to name the overlaps and relationships as sub-concepts that exist as connective tissue between conflict and theatre, writ large. These sub-concepts - subverting to play, imagining hidden histories, embodying the unspeakable, and blurring illusion and reality - offer a taxonomy of various dimensions of the theatre-conflict relationship. This taxonomy explores the symbiotic embeddedness of theatre and conflict as a possible explanation for the existence of theatrical organizations in conflict zones.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study is to consider the relevance and applicability of the spirit and insights of the Axial Flowerings to the modern practice of conflict resolution. </p><p> Jaspers, a German philosopher, articulated the term Axial Age in his book that was translated into English in 1953. Jaspers identified, in the context of history, the Axial Age as a pivotal change in human condition that was marked by the emergence of reflexivity, historicity and agentiality of the individual in four distinct and distant areas - China, India, eastern Mediterranean, and Greece. </p><p> Jaspers' focus on the Axial Age was Eurocentric, and rooted in the ethos of Christianity. In recent years, Jaspers' term has been expanded and elaborated to include Axial civilizations more broadly, and Axial Age civilizations to bring into consideration the undocumented civilizations, as also other contemporary ancient civilizations that did not feature in Jaspers' thesis. </p><p> Ideas have been the well spring of intellectual development of mankind. Ideas agitated by seminal thinkers have been agents of change, for better or for worse, throughout history. There is, thus, a direct nexus between the history of ideas, and the Axial Flowerings. Modern scholars have debated religion, ethics, culture, power distribution, social justice, as also individuals and their relationship to associational living, that were the core concerns of society of the Axial epochs. Religion, and its contradictory proclivities of violence and non-violence; ethics and its binding force; culture and its varied manifestations; individuals and communities and their varying values; power and its asymmetries; are as germane to the present day discourse of conflict resolution, as they were in those far away times. Moreover, recently, additional subjects such as other civilizations, cultures, education, and the global ramifications of each, have entered the discourse of Axial Age, Axial Flowerings and other Axial breakthroughs. </p><p> The current convention of the conflict resolution discipline is that it is a 20^th century dispensation. My study argues that looking through the lenses of the history of ideas and the Axial Flowerings, points to ancient and noble ancestry for conflict resolution. It is, after all, a trite saying that from time immemorial conflict has been ever present in associational living, and that all conflicts are ultimately settled by each society through culturally legitimated processes. </p><p> I, therefore, argue detailed study of the Axial Flowerings together with the history of ideas is a fit and proper paradigm for conflict resolution, and presents a great opportunity to learn and profit from multi-disciplinary, and multi-dimensional insights of the Axial Age and the Axial breakthroughs, and to relate these to the present conditions.</p>

<p> <i>Like an elephant, while it may be difficult to describe, corruption is generally not difficult to recognize when observed</i> (Tanzi, 1998, p. 564). Many countries have been, or are currently typified by both lethal conflict and massive corruption. Historically, post-conflict development programs have imposed policies of zero corruption, yet they routinely fail. Initial research into &ldquo;corruption&rdquo; also identified significant ambiguities and self-contradiction with the definition of corruption, itself. This study used an Existential Phenomenological methodology with 8 participants from Iraq, Afghanistan, Uganda, South Sudan and Sudan to: 1) redefine and model corruption within a global construct, 2) examine the current doctrine mandating zero tolerance for corruption, and 3) examine the potential for tolerating moderate levels of corruption in favor of reduced lethal violence. Corrupt behavior is alleged by this research to include financial as well as non-financial mechanisms, and is motivated by Human, Institutional and Cultural Factors of Corruption. This research robustly redefines corruption, and develops new theories/models to better explain corrupt behavior. These include the <i> Corruption Hierarchy</i>, the <i>Corruption Pyramid</i> and the <i>Universal Corruption Model</i>. The research was inconclusive with respect to the tolerance of corruption mitigating lethal conflict, but confirmed strong support for policies of zero tolerance. In redefining corruption, many political, social and cultural norms currently exhibited by nation states, including the United States, are corrupt if/when properly classified. <i> I&rsquo;m desperate about my country. You&rsquo;ve got to be strong in my country. If you are weak, they will take you.</i> (Jeremy from Iraq)</p><p>

<p> Mediation offers an increasingly popular way for disputing parties to work together toward resolving their conflicts, yet there are few studies of the actual voiced interactions between mediation parties and experienced mediators. This research project studied 10 face-to-face interpersonal mediation sessions involving 34 participants. The study provides in-depth and multidimensional understanding of how experienced mediators assist disputing parties in refraining from or moving beyond the futility of blamescaping, toward cooperating on mutually acceptable resolution of their conflicts. (<i>Blamescaping</i> refers to verbal blaming behaviors, including accusations in the form of scapegoating.) </p><p> Findings from initial data analysis, employing the Voice-Centered Relational method&rsquo;s Listening Guide, showed that experienced mediators were able to help disputing parties by interceding and interposing in a variety of co-implicated ways related to the form, process, and content of mediation discourse. These ways emerged as strong patterns, and include cooperation coaching, encouraging short opening statements, interrupting blamescaping, supporting focus on the future rather than the past, mutualizing statements, avoiding criticism of the parties, frequent use of questions, and parties echoing mediators. Through a second level of in-depth data analysis and interpretation, those patterns of interpositions and intercessions were found to be consistent with each of three conceptual lenses: Ren&eacute; Girard&rsquo;s mimetic theory of conflict, genre analysis in conflict resolution, and narrative mediation praxis. </p><p> Implications of how the research findings can serve as a resource for conflict resolution practitioners, mediator training and continuing education, and applied mediation ethics are discussed. Recommendations for ways the mediation profession can support additional research, along with suggestions for future research studies, also are provided. </p><p>

<p> We live in what is probably the most peaceful time in hundreds, if not thousands of years (Pinker 2012). This peace has major implications for human welfare, yet the causes of peace are not well understood (N. P. Gleditsch et al. 2013). My dissertation helps us understand those causes by examining how internal political institutions and external political competition affect violence.</p><p>

This study addressed a group of people called karma yogis who have been of service in the world. The population I analyzed are those assisting others in developing countries that are in communities that have been marginalized by war, political unrest, and unstable conditions. This study is an interpretative phenomenological analysis that illuminated the lived experience of karma yogis who volunteered in developing countries as peacebuilders. The research focused on understanding this group of international peacebuilders and their dedication to service which affected the social identity of the yogi. Exploring the experiences and what it meant to be an international karma yogi was at the core of this research. The theoretical underpinnings were based on Gandhian nonviolence, peace philosophies and human needs theory. A keen understanding of these international peacebuilders allowed for insight into why their philosophy is important within the field of peace studies. Three participants who are yogis were interviewed as to their experiences as peacebuilders in developing countries. The questions in this research were what is the lived experience of karma yogis as international peacebuilders? What does it mean to be an international karma yogi? What are the experiences of international karma yogis? What is the identity of the international karma yogi? Through conducting and analyzing the interviews this study revealed the lived experience of karma yogis as international peacebuilders. Defining the path of a peacebuilder, interpreting the impact of the international karma yogi, reviewing the life of service as an international karma yogi and reflecting on the identity of an international karma yogi were the main themes that addressed the questions being explored within this study.

<p> Abstract This work advances a practical theology of relationships that attend to the narratives, struggles, and needs of Christians caught in ethnic and religious violence in Taraba, a northeastern state in Nigeria. The study re-visions dialogue, in particular, the 'dialogue of life' which leads to fostering inter-community relations, advancing lasting peace in Nigeria, Africa and beyond. This work utilizes the praxis method that is interpretive and dialogical. It builds on John Baptist Metz&rsquo;s categorical Method and incorporates the praxis aspects of the Cardijin method (see, judge and act). The purpose of the praxis is to transform difficult pastoral situations into life flourishing situations. The study seeks to motivate a re-examination of the design and governance of conflicting communities and contribute towards developing an inclusive, interreligious and ecumenical ecclesiology. The research describes the reality of social context in order to discern conflicting cultural and religious understandings that inform the use of social medium for dialogue. Granted there are challenges of social violence across contemporary Nigeria, and the impact of ethnic and religious crises that have led to so many ruptures in Nigeria, in particular, Taraba State the church can be an effective instrument in rebuilding these relationships and fostering reconciliation.</p><p> As dialogical research, this study adopts a method of practical theological reflection that builds on three categories of Metz&rsquo;s method that explores the &ldquo;judging&rdquo; portion of the work in order to engage both African tradition and Catholic theological wisdom. In this way, a deeper consideration of the impact of violence both interpersonal and structural is brought forth. Notably, evidence from contemporary social science in terms of analysis of the people involved in Taraba State and similar conflicts show that the social psychological dimension of violence is long-term stress that ultimately destroys both personal and social relationships. Knowing that identity and social experiences are shaped by relationships Christians are called to understand their interpersonal social relationships in the light of scripture and tradition. God's self-revelation can only be in relationship since God reveals God self as a Trinitarian community of persons. This is well expressed in the experience of the Eucharist which further reveals a profound sense of relationship where divine narrative intersects with human narrative.</p><p> Finally, this study explores narratives as another critical category in the theological reflection on violence in Nigeria and the &ldquo;dialogue of life&rdquo; as a Catholic response. The study examines the African understanding of community, which itself builds on narratives and relationships. Ultimately, the understanding of community also shapes everyday ecclesiology. When these categories are, therefore, taken together, they confirm the value of connecting magisterial teaching regarding a &ldquo;dialogue of life,&rdquo; developed in the context of interreligious dialogue, with magisterial social teaching. </p><p> The strength of this work is its major contribution to method which builds on Metz&rsquo;s categorical method utilized here in relationships, narratives, community and the dialogue of life. It is hoped that the work brings reconciliation in Taraba State, and leads to healing among warring communities both within and without Nigeria. The journey begins with the daily Christian practices of community living surmised here as the &lsquo;dialogue of life.&rsquo;</p><p>

In five multi-method studies this dissertation examined how context based morality may explain increased incidence of combat related psychological difficulties among US service personnel. We were particularly interested in the relationship between causing harm to others and moral self-perceptions and related emotional consequences. In studies 1 and 2 we found that our samples of Iraq and Afghan war veterans reported that a soldier would feel increased levels of guilt and shame and negative moral judgments of the self when they return home and reflect on incidents of harm that may have occurred during their deployments. These two studies were supported by three short experiments showing that different moral judgments of harm were made depending on whether the harm doing was interpersonal or intergroup. Interpersonal harm doing was judged more harshly than intergroup harm leading us to believe that while in combat harm doing had minimal consequences on the self-perceptions and emotions of a soldier and that when they returned home to civilian life where interpersonal moral standards are more prevalent their self-perceptions and emotional wellbeing was affected by their prior conduct.

No / About a week after the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, staff and students in the Department of Peace Studies at the University of Bradford met to begin discussing how the Department should respond. At one end of the spectrum was the conviction that the Department should publicly express a collective position. Both within and outside the Department, people were asking: What is the position of peace studies? At the other end, there was the equally strong conviction that it was both impossible and inappropriate for the Department to answer this question, that peace studies should provide a space for argument and debate about the complexities of the situation rather than presume a consensus that might not exist beyond a very general level. The first argument worried those who —justifiably —insist that intellectual freedom and debate is integral to academic activity. The latter disappointed those who —equally justifiably —expect peace studies to take a clear stance in favor of the values that constitute the very rationale of the discipline.