SpringerBriefs in Environment, Security, Development and Peace – serie

This book examines links between post-conflict security, peace and development in Africa, Latin America, Europe and New Zealand. Young peace researchers from the Global South (Uganda, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Brazil, Colombia) as well as from Italy and New Zealand address in case studies traumas in Northern Uganda, demobilisation and reintegration of ex-combatants in the Ivory Coast, economic and financial management of terrorism in Kenya, organised crime in Brazil, mental health issues in Colombia, macro realism in Europe and global defence reforms within the military apparatus since 1990. The book reviews linkages between regional stability, development and peace in post-conflict societies while adding on to the post 2015 international agenda and discusses linkages between peace, security and development.

This book is an outcome of an international symposium: Sustainability –Can We Design the Future of Human Life and the Environment? which was held as a satellite event of the “Love the Earth”-Expo 2005 (Aichi, Japan). Each chapter is based on the lecture given by the following eminent researchers: Yoshinori Ishii, Hans-Peter Dürr, Yoshinori Yasuda, Minoru Kawada, Yasunobu Iwasaka, Werner Rothengatter, Hisae Nakanishi, Yang Dongyuan, Lee Schipper, Itsuo Kodama, and Yoshitsugu Hayashi.In the Part I titled “A Sustainable Relationship between Nature and Humans”, we discuss what will become of fossil fuels and petroleum, and what kind of indicators should be used to monitor the energy expended by human society. We then discuss environmental impacts caused by different civilizations and values on Nature and ethics, based on the perspective of environmental archaeology and on the discussions by Kunio Yanagita, the father of Japanese folklore study.The Part II is titled and shows “International Conflict Concerning Environmental Damage and Its Causes”. The Asian dust (Kosa) is a typical example of transboundary conflicts between nations. Another example can be found in the EU’s attempt to put in place a common motorway toll system across EU countries having different geographical and economic conditions. Finally, Part III covers the opinions and further debates on sustainable future earth based on the lectures in Parts I and II.We hope that great insights in this book will come across to readers, and be of help in steering the world towards a sustainable society in harmony with biosystems on earth.

This book deals with aspects of legal education and legal traditions. Part I includes chapters on teaching Law of the Sea, legal ethics and educating lawyers as ‘transaction cost engineers’ as well as comparison of teaching law in a refugee camp and in a Malaysian University. Part II on legal and philosophical traditions includes essays on what later philosophers would have commented on Plato’s arguments in the Crito regarding ‘absolute obligation to obey the law’ and what Socrates would have said on two conversations in the 19th century novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin regarding the morality and legality of harbouring runaway slaves. Part II concludes with two essays regarding the applicability of the Hart-Devlin debate on the ‘enforcement of morals’ vis-à-vis the International Criminal Court and an essay on what the historian Arnold Toynbee would have commented on the ‘contingency’ v ‘teleology’ debate between two palaeontologists the late Stephen Jay Gould and Simon Conway Morris.•Legal education of interest to legal educators and students •Legal, political, moral philosophy as well as philosophy of history of interest to law, philosophy and history teachers, postgraduate and under graduate students•Aspects of legal ethics for law teachers, students and legal professionals•Interdisciplinary studies regarding law and economics, law and literature, law and social justice for law, humanities, social science academics and students.

Environmentalists devote little attention at the moment to the size and growth of the human population.  To counter this neglect, the monograph (i) includes original graphs showing population size and growth since 1920 in the world as a whole and the United States; (ii) assembles evidence tying the increasing number of people to ecosystem deterioration and its societal consequences; and (iii) analyzes sample-survey data to ascertain whether the current disregard of population pressures by U.S. environmentalists reflects the thinking of Americans generally.  However, even if a nation took steps primarily intended to lower childbearing and immigration, the findings of social science research indicate that the steps would not have a substantial, lasting impact.  The discussion, which suggests an indirect way by which government may reduce fertility, underlines for environmental scholars the importance of studying their subject in a multidisciplinary, collaborative setting.

Right to water may sound novel and somewhat dramatic, yet it has been central to the quest of human civilization for thousands of years. One of the earliest references to water as ‘common property’ can be found in the Jewish laws as early as 3000 BCE.Similar views are also found in Islam. In fact, the Arabic word for Islamic law - shari’ah - originally meant “the place from which one descends to water.”Since water is a gift from the divine to all living beings, sharing water is regarded as holy duty. This is found across religions, regions, societies, and communities, from New Zealand to Nigeria, from Bangladesh to Brazil. But then, what transformed the divine sanction? What led to the negation of the ‘commons,’ with sharing of the riverine water across territorial boundaries suffering the most?The answer probably lies as much as in the politics of safeguarding one’s personal or national interests as it is in the limitations imposed by our disciplinary understanding of things.In this context, a thorough reexamination, even reconceptualization,of some of the core issuesis required.Firstly, the concept of water needs to be understood not as H2O, as it is done in physical sciences,but as H2OP4. That is, the meaning of water in social sciences must include not only ‘twice hydrogen plus oxygen’ but also four P’s - pollution, power, politics and profit. This is not to discount the ‘science’ in the conceptualization of water but rather to add elements central to social sciences.Secondly, the concept of river needs to be redefined and understood not as a carrier of water, as assumedin most of theWestern languages, but as ‘nadi,’ a flow consisting of prana (life), shakti (power), and atman (soul), as etymologically definedin most of the South Asian languages. This comes closer to what critical hydrologists would say, WEBS, that is, a ‘river’ consists of water, energy, biodiversity and sediment. In this light, any fragmentation of transboundary river waterin the name of ‘sharing’becomes an unworkable option, unless of course a mechanism is found to ‘share’the water of the river along with its energy, biodiversity and sediment, and that again, without distorting and harming the life of the river!Thirdly, the subject of ‘water commons’needs to be approached from the standpoint of ‘rights’ of both human andriver. This is to flag the notion that nature, including rivers, has ‘rights’just like humans, although their manifestations may be different. In fact, empowered humans, particularly those in control of the state, have more ‘responsibility’ than ‘rights’ in dissuading themselves and others from creating conditions of human wrongs, not only against fellow human beings but also against nature.Finally, if the ‘rights’ ofhumans are to be ensuredthen there is an urgent need to reconceptualize and mainstream the human as a multiverse being. This is because humans are not only political beings but also economic, cultural, ecological, technological, and psychological beings. In this light, if conflicts are to be contained then humans need to be empowered in all possible areasof life – politics, economics, ecology, culture, technology, and psychology. This would certainly require empowering each and every person, all at the same time receptive to nature in general and rivers in particular.The book is designed to initiate a discourse on the civilizational quest for water commons, indeed, with the expectation that a discussion on rights and rivers would lead to a creative flow of ideas and practices.

The book goes beyond mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) to a holistic approach centered on healing. The book lays at the intersection of peacebuilding, global mental health, and development. In many parts of the world, entire generations live in chronic violence—just surviving. The exposure to violence has long-lasting effects which are not well accounted for in conflict analysis, stabilization efforts, peacebuilding, and governance initiatives. Extreme exposure to violence, abuse, neglect, and marginalization negatively affects levels of resilience and the ability of affecting the transition from violence to peace. A healing-centered peacebuilding approach requires fundamental changes in how systems are designed, organizations function, and practitioners engage with people, their communities, and their institutions. Key elements of the practice-based approach included inclusion, customization and contextualization, breaking cycles of violence, systems thinking, and trauma-informed tools. The approach considers emotional distress to be a critical variable in violent conflict and instability. Trauma is not only a consequence of violence, but also a cause of instability.

The housing and human settlement sector is fast changing, and technology is making it more complex than ever before. With reference to Zimbabwe, a developing country in Southern Africa, the essence of this book is to bring out housing as an issue within the technology debate and practice. The following themes emerge from the 6 chapters in the book:  • The characterisation and conceptualisation of housing and technology and the nexus of both • The complexity of housing challenges and the problems governments face in providing adequate housing, especially for the poor• Diverse practices in housing construction through the application of different typologies of technology• Assessment of the feasibility of technologies in housing development in Zimbabwe by mirroring them against global experiences. • Discussion of alternative policy approaches that may guide technology integration in housing development. This book will excite scholars and practitioners in urban and development studies, construction project management, urban sociology, geography, real estate together with policymakers and government officials.

This Handbook provides a theory-driven and policy-relevant analysis of terrorist offenders' deradicalization processes. It is the product of a multi-year collaboration between security studies scholars and counterterrorism practitioners. It offers a multidimensional strategy for the physical and cognitive disengagement of terrorists. It also charts a path for the community-based social reintegration of rehabilitated extremist offenders. The Handbook is targeted for both academics and practitioners in the field of counterterrorism. Those specializing in South Asia and the Global South will find this book a useful reference tool to comprehend and design the complex deradicalization processes and transform them into implementable practices.

The research results are integrated into this book account for the complexity of social contexts within the State of Mexico, while also highlighting the prevalence of discriminatory practices in different social spheres, with a particular emphasis on the labor sector: difficulties in accessing employment, labor exploitation, lack of recognition of their capabilities, absence of regulation and institutional support, etc., framed within various forms of inequality and power relations between international migrants, indigenous women, young people, and the ageing.To contribute and delve deeper into the understanding of this social issue in the State of Mexico, this work aims to analyze the different expressions of discrimination experienced by these groups of vulnerable populations, to recover experiences and perspectives from specific cases that highlight the urgency of strengthening strategies and actions aimed at building peaceful, tolerant, and inclusive societies in Mexico.

This book is based on an interdisciplinary, qualitative-empirical study of Muslim, Christian, and Yazidi families. It explores the significance of religion in coping with traumatic experiences during flight and migration processes. Using the concept of VulnerAbility, the book illustrates how children and their parents generate agency through their faith and their sense of belonging to a religious community. Through individual efforts at adaptation, they meaningfully adjust their religious heritage - reflected in their images of God and religious relevance systems - to new life contexts. This enables them to develop positive visions of the future by drawing on their faith, even though religious affiliation has often been a source of social conflict, reinforced by discriminatory practices in their countries of origin, along migration routes, and within the German asylum system.

Based on the swisspeace annual conference 2012, the publication examines the delicate balance between external interventions and locally-led initiatives. It addresses the question of what “local” means in the peacebuilding and development context; which actors on the ground actually represent the local level and how external actors choose their partners from amongst them. Moreover, it examines how local ownership - emerging as key criteria for any external intervention - is constituted: does this concept only imply local participation or is local control from the outset a must? Finally, it assesses the potential of locally-led initiatives and local conflict resolution mechanisms and their interaction with external interventions. Several authors provide insights on these questions and nuance our thinking about both local ownership and external interventions. As such, the publication aims to encourage critical reflections on this topical debate in peacebuilding and development.

The term "Soil Security" is used in the context of maintaining the quality and quantity of soil needed in order to ensure continuous supplies of food and fresh water for our society. Topics in this unique book on the management of soil sustainability in the Mediterranean region include: soil information, land degradation, land desertification, pedoenvironments, and the carbon cycle and sequestration. One main focus of the book is the description of new approaches that have been adapted with regards to interdisciplinary soil ecosystem management to combat and mitigate desertification. The contributing authors are renowned experts in their fields which cover the subjects on traditional as well as innovative land use and management.

This book has peer-reviewed chapters by scholars from Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, Mexico and the USA that were presented to the Ecology and Peace Commission (EPC) of the International Peace Research Association (IPRA) in November 2012 in Japan. The chapters address these themes: Expanding Peace Ecology – Peace, Security, Sustainability, Equity and Gender; Two Discourses on Global Climate Change Impacts: From Climate Change and Security to Sustainability Transition; Peace Research and Greening in the Red Zone: Community-based Ecological Restoration to Enhance Resilience and Transitions Toward Peace; Social and Environmental Vulnerability in a River Basin of Mexico; Mobile Learning, Rebuilding Community Through Building Communities, Supporting Community Capacities: Post Natural Disaster Experience; Transforming Consciousness through Peace Environmental Education; Building Peace by Rebuilding Community; Ability Expectations and Peace and on Satoyama Sustainability and Peace.

A decade after the approval of the UNESCO 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH), the concept has gained wide acceptance at the local, national and international levels. Communities are recognizing and celebrating their Intangible Heritage; governments are devoting important efforts to the construction of national inventories; and anthropologists and professionals from different disciplines are forming a new field of study. The ten chapters of this book include the peer-reviewed papers of the First Planning Meeting of the International Social Science Council’s Commission on Research on ICH, which was held at the Centro Regional de Investigaciones Multidisciplinarias (UNAM) in Cuernavaca, Mexico in 2012. The papers are based on fieldwork and direct involvement in assessing and reconceptualizing the outcomes of the UNESCO Convention. The report in Appendix 1 highlights the main points raised during the sessions.

The migration process is interpreted in a different way when researchers live in so-called societies of origin, than when it is interpreted from societies of destination—even when research work is multi-situated. The localization of researchers in this field involves numerous factors that influence the modalities for conducting research. Research agendas are clearly mediated by these localizations and this book on the contemporary social sciences points out those mediations, breaking with the dichotomous readings that are implicit in this migration process (origin-destination, north-south, and cause-effect, to mention just a few). In the individual chapters, priority is given to presenting the modalities through which research is conducted in multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary teams on the American Continent. In summary, the focus of this book is on the narrative of methodological experience of the Practice of Research on Migration and Mobilities.

This book is one of four volumes on a major empirical migration study by leading Thai migration specialists from Chulalongkorn University (Bangkok) for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).This volume reviews the livelihood opportunities for displaced persons in temporary shelters and in the surrounding communities. It explores labor-market conditions and provides recommendations for improving opportunities. The editors discuss the current policies of the Royal Thai Government towards displaced persons on restrictions for settlement that impede access to welfare, justice, education and health care. Service provision for displaced persons are identified here, as well as access to justice and other key services, including Thai services outside the settlements, and the potential for conflict with the local Thai population over resource allocation. Summarizing the results of a highly important research project this volume provides realistic policy recommendations for a durable solution for refugees at the borders. Policymakers from governments, international organizations and NGOs will benefit from its findings and conclusions.

This book is one of four volumes on a major empirical migration study by leading Thai migration specialists from Chulalongkorn University (Bangkok) for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The camps on the Thai–Myanmar border are the result of the world’s largest resettlement program. However, despite large-scale financial and human resource engagement, little research exists on how successful this resettlement has been. This book provides the first insight on how realistic the policy recommendations are for a durable solution for refugees at the borders. Practitioners and policymakers from governments, international organizations and NGOs will benefit from its findings. The volume is also helpful for anyone studying forced migration and its denouement in the age of globalization.

This book is one of four volumes on a major empirical migration study by leading Thai migration specialists from Chulalongkorn University (Bangkok) for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). This volume examines the protracted refugee situation at the Thai–Myanmar border. Displaced persons are kept in closed settlements, and this has limited their self-reliance. A resettlement program has been implemented and many refugees have been accepted in resettlement countries. Repatriation is not recommended as a durable solution unless Myanmar becomes a safe place for return. Funding and intervention policies of international organizations and NGOs vary. Donors prefer to switch humanitarian assistance to development aid. The book provides realistic policy recommendations for a durable solution for refugees at the borders. Practitioners and policymakers from governments, international organizations and NGOs will benefit from its findings. The volume is also helpful for anyone studyingforced migration and its denouement in the globalized age.

This book is one of four volumes on a major empirical migration study by leading Thai migration specialists from Chulalongkorn University (Bangkok) for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).this volume discusses the environmental impact of temporary shelters for displaced people along the Thai–Myanmar border. Of nine shelters, three were selected for detailed study: Ban Tham Hin (Ratchaburi province), Ban Mai Nai Soi (Mae Hong Son province), and Ban Mae La (Tak province). For each shelter, various research methods were used to assess the environmental conditions, analyse the ways of living and use of resources by displaced persons, and disclose their perceptions of the environmental conditions they face. The environmental impact of the shelters on the surrounding areas were also assessed by listening to officials and representatives. The book provides realistic policy recommendations for a durable solution for refugees at the borders. Practitioners and policymakers from governments, international organizations and NGOs will benefit from its findings. The volume is also helpful for anyone studying forced migration and its denouement in the age of globalization.

How is modern civil society created? There are few contemporary studies on this important question and when it is addressed, scholars tend to emphasize the institutional environment that facilitates a modern civil society. However, there is a need for a new perspective on this issue. Contemporary China, where a modern civil society remains in a nascent stage, offers a valuable site to seek new answers. Through a comparative analysis of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in today’s China, this study shows the importance of the human factor, notably the NGO leadership, in the establishment of a modern civil society. In particular, in recognition of the social nature of NGOs, this study engages in a comparative examination of Chinese NGO leaders’ state linkage, media connections and international ties in order to better understand how each factor contributes to effective NGOs.

Comprising the first definitive account of the geological and palaeometeorological studies made by the British geologist, Frederic W. Harmer (1835-1924) this book contributes a previously missing chapter to the history of science. The main objective of the author is to ensure that the scientific work of Harmer, which unfortunately has been widely neglected or forgotten, becomes more generally known and acknowledged. The balance of this deficiency will be redressed by bringing to light in this volume his contributions to the history of science to an audience of academic and lay readers of the current literature.

This book offers an innovative approach to the analysis of the current crisis in the South China Sea. Moving beyond the spirit of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the mechanisms of which are limited to physical geography, it demonstrates how epistemological insights from the field of critical realist philosophy can reveal the importance of cultural and structural conditioning processes in social interactions, processes which shape the conditions for the emergence of crisis points along a spectrum of conflict and cooperation. The potential for conflict resolution and the emergence of new regions in Pacific Asia much depends on the nature of such interactions at many levels (political-economic, semiotic and cultural) based on perceptions of what constitutes the "common" versus a Sinicised version of "Lebensraum".

This book explores an interdisciplinary field at the intersection of gender and development studies, disaster and land tenure policy. It is well known that women generally have weaker claims to land. But how does that translate to increased vulnerability during disaster? Using case studies from Asia, this book argues that land tenure is a key factor in mitigating the impact of disasters on women. The scale and frequency of disasters have been increasing in recent decades due to human impact on the landscape and climate. Unsustainable farming and land management systems have increased environmental risks and social vulnerabilities. However, around the world the costs of disasters are disproportionately borne by women, due largely to their reduced mobility and lack of control over assets. In post-disaster settings, women’s vulnerabilities increase due to gendered rescue and rehabilitation practices. As such, a gendered approach to land rights is critical to disaster preparedness and recovery.

This unique book focuses on the hybridization of grassroots participation in planning, implementing, and developing gender-responsive budgeting. It explores the possibilities for gender sensitive budgeting when implemented using techniques that have been popularized by participatory governance activists. A combination of the two allows for a whole new way of ensuring public budgets are used equitably.

This book explores whether and how a reinterpretation of Sub-Saharan cities, through the concept of adaptive capacity, could bridge this distance and contribute to a new understanding of the contemporary city. The research contributes to improved knowledge of urban and environmental planning and of the dynamics of development and environmental management in peri-urban areas of Dar es Salaam. This knowledge highlights the limits of certain common generalizations on the character of peri-urban areas. Moreover, the research provides methodological contribution derived from considerations on the strengths and weakness of tools and methods for investigating adaptive capacity and for environmental management, in the city of Dar es Salaam. Finally, it highlights controversial issues and possible research paths related to the relationship between adaptive capacity and urban and environmental planning.

This book addresses the following topics: the contemporary model for water management and alternative approaches; the socioeconomic framework, water policy and institutions; water use for food purposes, water-resources inventory and irrigation; manifestations of welfare loss and water prices; change in dietary patterns and water security; hydrological stress and pressures on water availability; groundwater management problems; vulnerability and climate change; water demand of major crops; gray water footprint and water pollution; gray water footprint and mining; virtual water and food trade; estimates of the water footprint of four key cereals, forage, livestock and bottled drinks. It is the result of a cooperation between 16 researchers from eleven Mexican academic institutions.

Based on British and Iranian sources, this book investigates the background and goals of the coup in Iran, examining how British foreign and domestic agents interfered with Iran’s internal affairs between the nationalization of Iran’s oil in 1951 until its failure in 1953 with the overthrow of Prime Minister Mossadegh. How and why was Iran’s democratically elected government ousted in 1953? Most studies refer to a ‘CIA-led’ operation. This study analyses how British agents used the Shah, the ancient Persian Durbar, Majlis deputies, Islamic clergy, and Iranian military officers in the overthrow of the first democratically elected Prime Minister, and highlights how Britain used the ‘Communist menace’ as a pretext for protecting its oil interests and persuaded the Americans to orchestrate the coup. This close interaction between British colonial interests, American Cold War goals and Iranian politics ultimately defeated the democratic aspirations of Iran’s people.

This book is an outcome of the symposium “Towards Earth Friendly Use of Resources and Energy,” organized by the Nagoya University Center of Excellence Program “From Earth System Science to Basic and Clinical Environmental Studies” and presents papers by four eminent researchers. 1) Syukuro Manabe, who was honored in 2008 by the Earth Hall of Fame Kyoto, together with Ms. Maathai and Ms. Brundtland, describes the mechanisms of extreme weather, drought, and flood that were caused by climate change due to CO2 emissions. 2) Ernst Ulrich von Weizsäcker, co-chair of the Club of Rome, describes “Factor 4 and 5” concepts such as technological progress and redesigning socioeconomic systems, e.g. taxation, and stresses the importance of humanity. 3) Hans-Peter Dürr, ex-president of the Max Planck Physics Institute as a successor of Heisenberg, explains the mechanism of a living Earth sustained by accumulated energy resources provided by the sun. He clarifies a point on preserving the dynamic stability of minerals and life on Earth. 4) Shohei Yonemoto, a well-known political scientist focusing on sustainability, explains environmental politics and why the IPCC and UNFCCC framework were established based on precaution principles. He puts forward a new concept called futurology, which considers population and food problems from a Malthusian standpoint and incorporates them into issues such as climate change and natural disasters. This book is written and based on a very simple but concrete idea and provides the readers with a chance to consider the shape of future Earth.

This book provides essential background information on the protracted displacement of several ethnic groups along the Thai-Myanmar border before turning to an examination of whether Myanmar has now shifted into a post-conflict society, the expected challenges involved in reintegrating returnees to Myanmar, and the possibility of voluntary and sustainable repatriation. The authors conclude that, given the current, ongoing security challenges and the lack of job opportunities in Myanmar, voluntary repatriation is not yet feasible as a long-term solution. After more than 60 years of conflict and displacement, Myanmar is now in the midst of political reform. A new nominally civilian government and the promise of elections in 2015 have raised hopes of a lasting democratic transition after years of military rule. For the first time in decades, repatriation of refugees in Thailand is being discussed as a real and imminent possibility.