Imagining Peace

Midterm Project for Imagining Peace Spring 2015

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Photos taken from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pablo-barbera/tweeting-the-revolution-s_b_4831104.html  and http://darkroom.baltimoresun.com/2014/06/daily-brief-june-21/pro-russian-separitists/

The first image displays a lone protestor in Independence Square, Ukraine. Violent protests erupted in late 2013 after former president Viktor Yanukovych rejected the idea of closer European integration. 

The second image is a band of pro-Russian rebels lined up in Donetsk during a call for a ceasefire on June 21, 2014. 

While the situation has escalated to war in Donetsk, the idea of peace lingers. For the pro-Russian rebels and Russian soldiers looking to claim the land from Ukraine, peace would be described as Russia having control over the land, rejecting it from joining the rest of Ukraine and its desire to join the EU. This rejection of Western ideals and federation would follow along the lines of a post structural idea of peace. 

As for the Ukrainians, their idea of peace would be more liberal in the sense that joining the EU and its federation of states is their end goal. If Ukraine was successful in joining the EU, it would be under the protection of its federation, as well as NATO. Peace would mean that Russia and its soldiers would leave the land, even if they have claimed to not have set foot within Ukraine’s borders, and accept Ukraine as a sovereign nation that is not a territory to be claimed as a bargaining chip. 

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"It’s easy to hate and point out everything that is wrong with the world; it is the hardest and most important work in one’s life to free oneself from the bonds of fear and attachment.

Noah Levine (via dharmanarchist)

This quote demonstrates some ideas from a critical theory stance on peace. The idea of freeing oneself from society’s boundary and limitations is indeed a key point of the theory. Self-emancipation and self-peace are at the for front when discussing peace through this lens. The first half of the quote, however, reminds me more of a post-structural approach due to the idea of overcoming differences in order to understand peace. 

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Matisyahu | One Day 

This song describes a man’s dream of one day having everyone say they don’t wish to fight or wage war anymore. While it might seem like a realist vision of peace, as a simple absence of war and conflict, if you look at the lyrics more closely, Matisyhau says, “it's not about, win or lose,” eliminating the idea of a victor’s peace. I believe this song takes a more post structural vision of peace because it states, “one day we'll all be free, and proud to be, under the same sun,” reflecting the idea of accepting differences and becoming an inclusive society, just as post structural theory describes. It also tells the public to reject the hegemony’s desire to constantly wage war, another value of post structural theory. 

[bestvideostoday]

Watch Iraqi-born artist promotes peace in face of ISIS threat video

#NewsPolitics - #video - #Artist, #Face, #IraqiBorn, #ISIS, #Peace, #Promotes, #Threat

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An exhibition at the UN Headquarter in New York.

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A meeting of the UN Security Council in New York City. The federation of the UN itself would uphold the ideas of a liberal peace: every state being a free republic, those free republics joining a federation of states, and the idea of universal hospitality being upheld by all nations. More ideals of a liberal peace include preventing war through the use of institutions, such as the UN, to lay the ground work for and then try to achieve a single universal peace. In this picture, the UN shows that cooperation is the way to bring about peace. 

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Second Question: Which nation do you think is most peaceful and why?

Choices: USA, Thailand, Nicaragua, or Qatar

USA Reasoning: Pre perceived stereotypes of the other countries, nationalism, lack of knowledge on the other countries, and taught values are all reasons given for choosing USA as the most peaceful. 

Thailand Reasoning: Assumptions about the country, including the fact that it is known as the land of smiles, not hearing about it in the news, and its size were reasons Thailand was chosen as the most peaceful nation.

Nicaragua Reasoning: Because the small, rainforest heavy country that doesn’t contain a large population isn’t in the news often, survey takers chose Nicaragua as the most peaceful nation.

Qatar Reasoning: It’s wealth and the fact that it is not in the news often were the only reasons this country was chosen as the most peaceful. 

The USA was chosen as the most peaceful numerous times, although it is actual ranking by Vision of Humanity, 101 out of 162 countries, is the third lowest of the four countries. Qatar was 22, Nicaragua was 58, and Thailand was 126. The responses I received that listed USA as the most peaceful country follow the liberal idea of peace, where Western ideals and values are regarded as superior. 

Qatar, being a Middle Eastern state, was placed as the least peaceful for every response, other than those that chose it as the most peaceful. Stereotypes about Middle Eastern countries lead readers to believe that because the state is not a Western nation or a democracy, (it has an absolute monarchy, similar to England’s, one of our strongest and oldest allies), it is seen as less peace. Also, because it is not apart of the federation of Western republics, such as the USA is, it is seen as lesser or as an irrational state (Kant).   

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It isn't enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn't enough to believe in it. One must work at it

Eleanor Roosevelt 

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Response 5

Question: What is your definition of peace?

Response: A sense of restlessness with no action taking place around you.

School of thought: Realist

Reasoning: This definition was typical of most of the responses I received. Many people still have the Kantian graveyard vision of peace implemented in their minds. We are taught to define peace as a passive, calm, and inactive state of being. Though it does not follow the true realist vision of peace (constantly preparing for war in order to be the hegemony), it reflects the idea that unless some sort of anarchy or collapse occurs, peace will not happen.

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This is a picture of the new Pacific island off the coast of Tonga. The island was created from volcanic ash a couple of months ago and will more than likely disappear soon. The picture reminds me of an example of Foucault’s definition of peace: peace is undisturbed by war. This island was created purely by nature, without regard of what else is going on in the world. It will be undisturbed by the ravages of conflict occurring across the world and will disappear once the waters around it rise higher than its highest peak. 

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Response 4

Question: What is your definition of peace?

Response: When people come together and learn to understand and appreciate each other. Everyone supports one another in order to make society work.

School of thought: Post Structural

Reasoning: Post Structural theory is all about accepting and understanding differences. According to Richmond, it is a more inclusive form of peace (47) because it includes women and children, actors who are often forgotten in the other theories. It also takes into a account the fact that actors may have multiple identities. A society that is understanding and supportive of this falls under the post structural idea of peace. This definition is probably my favorite vision of peace because it talks about cooperation, understanding, and appreciation; elements I believe all are essential for peace to happen.

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Response 3

Question: What is your definition of peace?

Response: A mutual understanding between nations. This understanding means that nations respect each others' sovereignty.

School of Thought: Liberal

Reasoning: The notion of mutual understanding could be interpreted as a universal normative understanding between nations, falling in line with the liberal idea of peace. If the nations respect other nation's sovereignty, they would be displaying the idea of a single universal peace where each nation has a right to be a sovereign state, as long as that state is a free republic.

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Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek but a means by which we arrive at that goal

Martin Luther King Jr.

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One of the responses I got as a definition of peace was a snow covered lake. I would classify this picture as a realist peace. Since no state, individual or any other form of actors are present, I believe this picture could be interpreted as a Kantian graveyard vision of peace: a collapse of the human race.

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Response 2

Question: What is your definition of peace?

Response: Accepting other's differences

School of Thought: Post Structural

Reasoning: Post Structural theory lays emphasis on accepting differences between individuals and rejecting any form of hegemony.

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Response 1

Question: What is your definition of peace?

Response: The resolution of conflict through non-violent processes, and respect for humans and nonhumans

School of Thought: First part-realist, Second part-critical Theory

Reasoning: The first part of the response sounds like a realist answer because it describes peace as an absence of violence, or a negative peace. The second part of the response becomes more critical theory in the sense that it describes individuals as actors and the need to respect them, more of a positive peace.

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Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding

Albert Einstein