Twenty eight years ago there was a brutal war in Bosnia and Herzegovina between the three main ethnic groups in the country as a part of the bracke-up of Yugoslavia  (Balazs, 2008). This thesis analyses how the OHR has contributed to the reconciliation process in Bosnia and Herzegovina by looking at academic articles, information from local actors, analysing the local debate and semistructured interviews within the international community in BiH. Primarily, Bar-Tals conditions for reconciliation are used to measure how the OHR has contributed to the reconciliation process. It is clear that OHR has contributed positively to the reconciliation process however the process has been slow and some consider the reconciliation process to go in the wrong direction right now. To push the reconciliation process forward is explicitly not a part of the OHRs mandate however there is a lack of actors working with it and OHR has been a suitable actor to do so. However, the OHR have lost respect because they have not held people accountable when violating the OHR decisions. Additionally, the OHR is seen as anti-Serb by the Bosnian Serbs, even though it is unrightfully so this has resulted in there decisions occasionally leading to further polarisation between the ethnic groups. Thus, the OHR may not be the most suitable actor to push BiH forward in the reconciliation process in the future, however they are still needed to make sure that the peace agreement is followed to avoid another war. There is already extensive research on the reconciliation process in BiH and the OHR separately however there is very limited research on how the OHR have worked with the reconciliation process even though the research is relevant considering that there is an discussion on about how much influence the OHR should have in BiH and if they should remain in BiH (Hayat Media BiH, 2023). As well as to give the OHR an opportunity to learn from perilous mistakes and perfect their way of working with reconciliation.

Den rådande biodiversitetskrisen hotar de ekosystemtjänster som mänskligheten är beroende av och behovet av naturvård är därför stort. Försoningsekologi är en alternativ naturvårdsstrategi som syftar till att modifiera antropogena miljöer så de kan nyttjas av både människan och en mångfald av andra arter. Strategin är särskilt relevant i städer eftersom traditionell naturvård, i form av reservering och restaurering, ofta är svårtillämpad där. Mot den bakgrunden syftar den här litteraturöversikten till att undersöka effektiviteten av urban försoningsekologi som naturvårdsstrategi. För att uppfylla syftet sammanställdes studier som undersökt hur olika försoningsekologiska åtgärder kan påverka biodiversiteten i urbana miljöer. Litteraturgenomgången visar att alla analyserade åtgärder, inklusive modifierade grönområden, gröna korridorer, anlagda våtmarker och dammar, vegeterade byggnader, utfodring, holkar och insektshotell kan främja biodiversiteten och erbjuda habitat för särskilt skyddsvärda arter i städer. Interventioner som skapar stora, sammankopplade, skyddade, varierade och lågintensivt skötta habitat med en mångfald av inhemska växtarter har visat sig vara särskilt effektiva. Diversiteten är dock ofta lägre, och artkompositionen annorlunda, jämfört med habitatens naturliga motsvarighet. Dessutom finns det en risk att åtgärderna skapar ekologiska fällor, sprider invasiva arter och bidrar till biotisk homogenisering. Metoden får därför inte legitimera minskade investeringar i traditionell naturvård. Samtidigt har strategiskt utformad försoningsekologi potential att utgöra ett viktigt komplement som utöver naturvård dessutom kan fylla många andra funktioner i urbana miljöer. Det är därför angeläget med fortsatt forskning, engagemang och samarbete för utvecklingen av effektiva försoningsekologiska naturvårdsåtgärder som kan bromsa förlusten av biologisk mångfald i städer och bidra till en hållbar utveckling.

The use of reason appears to lead to divergent conclusions for what is right and what is good in human action. While reason is a central feature in ethical theory, there is a problem when that central feature does not lead to consistent conclusions about how to act in a given situation. Several philosophers have attempted to combine previous moral theories in order to provide a better template for human action. I contend that the use of reason is of vital import when determining the foundation for moral action and that moral theories, to be consistent with reason, should incorporate aspects of both non-consequentialist and consequentialist ethical theories. I argue that there is a unifying foundation presupposed by the moral theories of both Immanuel Kant and John Stuart Mill. Through the use of reason the theories of Kant and Mill can be reconciled to show that these theories can be combined when understanding the basic foundation that they share.

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How do some political elites, in unstable democracies with communal divisions, use ethnic, religious, and tribal affiliations for a rhetoric of polarisation and/or reconciliation when running for office? This thesis applies a framing analysis to explore how political elites employ these affiliations in speech acts, mainly political rallies, to construct narratives of polarisation and reconciliation during election campaigns. The theoretical framework is constructed by previous research on “Big Men” politics and the rhetoric used by ex-combatants turned politicians within a context embossed with electoral violence and division. The thesis conducts a qualitative case study of the 2023 Nigerian election, where the frames used by the winner of the election, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and his main opponents, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, are investigated. While previous research suggests ambiguity in the rhetoric of political elites, the empirical findings reveal a surprising level of consistency in the candidates' framing. This study offers perspectives on Nigeria and similar multi-ethnic nations marked by communal divisions. It contributes to the comprehension of the intricacies of political communication in unstable democracies, where language has the power to either promote reconciliation or exacerbate polarisation.

The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) have been tasked with bringing justice to the survivors of the Khmer Rouge genocide. Almost ten years later, three people have been sentenced to life imprisonment. This study examines the perceptions of justice and opportunities of reconciliation from somewhat neglected perspective of Chinese-Cambodian genocide survivors. Through the unique tool of non-judicial measures (NJMs), I am exploring opportunities and chances that might arise for a broader victim support in the future. I have conducted two focus groups in Kampot and Battambang, as well as eleven semi-structured interviews in Battambang and Phnom Penh with Chinese-Cambodian survivors of the Khmer Rouge. As a bridge to the quantitative research, I additionally have conducted a Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) with existing surveys and studies.

This doctoral dissertation examines the manifestation of Christian reconciliation in three thirteenth century literary works from the Iberian Peninsula and the island of Mallorca, then part of the Crown of Aragon. This study discusses interpretations of the term “reconciliation” and applies the term to each work with regard to three aspects: reconciliation of self with self, of self with society, and of self with the divine. Chapter 1 discusses the various connotations of the term “reconciliation.” It outlines reconciliation as a synonym of penance, as in the four-steps in the Catholic Sacrament of Penance, now referred to as the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It also discusses the related Pauline concept of reconciliation and Paul’s possible sources. Chapter 2 will analyze these three aspects of reconciliation in an anonymous thirteenth century Castilian work in verse: La Vida de Santa María Egipciaca, or the Life of Santa María, the Egyptian. The prepubescent Alexandrian prostitute has an epiphany outside a church in Jerusalem, realizes the error of her ways, repents at the moment of intersection between human activity and divine intervention, and changes how she views herself, interacts with society, and regards the connection between earthly life and divinity. Chapter 3 takes a look at Gonzalo de Berceo’s cuaderna vía poem, written in Castilian about 1250 , Vida de Santa Oria, the Life of Saint Oria, through the same three lenses of reconciliation. This time the female figure is the Egyptian’s polar opposite. Oria is a young anchoress who has behaved in a saintly way mortifying the flesh since childhood. It might seem that in her case there is no need of reconciliation with herself because her virtue exceeds that of the majority of humans around her. I posit that, even in her case, there is room for acceptance of inner conflict. In addition, Oria reconciles herself to society (which admires her but tries to pull her back toward Earth against her will) and to the divine (which promises she will receive what she most desires when God deems it time). Chapter 4 studies the Romanç d’Evast e Blaquerna, a prose work in Catalan which dates from 1283-85. This early text provides an opportunity to analyze not only the protagonist’s reconciliation with self, society, and the divine but also that of an array of fictional characters including family members, his potential fiancée and the many people he meets along his journey to become a hermit. Finally, the Epilogue suggests that the idealistic notion of reconciliation has already been put to practical use in modern times in large-scale conflicts within and across borders. Coming to terms and living peaceably with differences, even grave ones, was accomplished at moments in Medieval Iberia among the three monotheistic religions: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, and hope remains that such moments of peace will extend beyond borders and be found again today. / Spanish

The role of Public Diplomacy (PD) in conducting foreign relations has emerged as a critical component for modern statecraft, foreign policy and arguably for the state’s global existence. With the world now more interconnected than ever before, public diplomacy has taken on new meaning and new importance. However, despite these marked shifts, public diplomacy remains under-researched and under-utilised both as a concept and as a vital activity. The complexities that underscore the development and evolution of public diplomacy within a dynamic international milieu therefore warrant renewed attention. The benefits and opportunities that accompany public diplomacy are equally complicated by a number of challenges to its practice. This research identifies and advances a critical understanding of public diplomacy through a theoretically rigorous perspective that accounts for the fluid environment in which it operates, the evolving nature of stakeholders and audiences involved in shaping it, the sweeping impact of global information and communications development, the persistence of cultural divides and conflicts of interests and how they contribute to the lack of strategic frameworks in place to advance public diplomacy practice. This thesis investigates Qatar as a case study due to its international stature and influence despite it being a small geographical state. Renowned for its international role as a leading actor in conflict reconciliation and commended for its contributions to international humanitarianism, the ambitious, forward-looking and steadfast foreign policy of Qatar has faced increased pressure in recent years. Qatar has encountered significant challenges in the form of the Nepali workers’ crisis that ensued following its selection as host for FIFA World Cup 2022 and with the diplomatic siege against it by a number of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states. This study critically analyses Qatar’s public diplomacy practice considering these pressing developments and advances an original strategic public diplomacy framework that can assist Qatar in managing and mitigating the effect of these crises on its global image and reputation. This research contributes to enhancing public diplomacy practice within the diplomatic context of statecraft and foreign policy by developing a nuanced and original framework that can be utilised by Qatar and other states to manage and mitigate modern public diplomacy challenges. The thesis utilises a mixed-methods research approach that includes literature reviews, media analyses, interviews and questionnaires. The study contributes to knowledge and practice by advancing research in an understudied field and by developing and implementing an original strategic PD empowerment framework.