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Using the Theory of Protracted Social Conflict and Structural Violence to Unravel the Tigray-Ethiopian War
Full text linkEthiopia, Africa's oldest independent nation and a key player in the Horn of Africa’s security, has undergone significant political and economic transformations. Despite emerging as a regional powerhouse, Ethiopia faces a complex ethnic landscape with diverse demographic groups. The historically influential Tigray region, plunged into a civil conflict in November 2020, and involved ethno-regional militias, the federal government, and Eritrean forces. This conflict stems from historical tensions, including the autocratic rule of Meles Zenawi and the dominance of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, who heralded for fostering unity, took office in 2018 but faced escalating ethnic tensions. Postponed elections and federal interventions fueled discontent, leading to the outbreak of the Tigray War in November 2020. Abiy's military offensive, initially portrayed as a targeted operation, escalated into a brutal conflict, drawing international concern. Accusations of civilian mistreatment and Eritrean involvement were initially denied but later acknowledged by the Ethiopian government. The Tigray War underscores the challenges of achieving ethnic harmony and political stability in Ethiopia. This paper analyzes the Tigray War in Ethiopia, tracing its origins from the 19th century to the present, examining its consequences. The article specifically employs the Protracted Social Conflict and Structural Violence Theories to explain the conflict.
Received: 12-01-2024
Revised: 01-07-202
ANTICIPATORY APPROACHES TO DISINFORMATION: THE ROLE OF TRADECRAFT IN STRENGTHENING RESILIENCE
Full text linkOn November 21, 2024, Dr. Ruben Arcos presented Anticipatory Approaches to Disinformation: The Role of Tradecraft in Strengthening Resilience for this year’s West Coast Security Conference. The presentation was followed by a simulation/scenario-based discussion in which the participants worked in groups and used proactive analysis to better understand anticipatory approaches to disinformation. Dr. Arcos designed the fictional scenario and introduced injects based on real cases to move the discussion forward. The simulation was followed by a question-and-answer period with questions from the audience and CASIS Vancouver executives. The key points discussed were the evolving information landscape, the impact of disinformation and hybrid threats on democracies, and existing frameworks and responses including anticipatory approaches to countering Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI).
Received: 12-19-2024
Revised: 01-29-202
REFLECTIONS ON CANADA’S NATIONAL SECURITY
Full text linkOn November 19, 2024, Dr. Brian Crowley presented his reflections on Canada’s national security environment for this year’s West Coast Security Conference. The presentation was followed by a question-and-answer period with questions from the audience and CASIS Vancouver executives. The key points discussed were the nature of national security threats, both internal and external, and the role of institutions in communicating Canada’s national security values.
Received: 12-28-2024
Revised: 01-16-202
What should be done with the carbon dioxide extracted from the atmosphere by Direct Air Capture technology?
Full text linkDirect Air Capture (DAC) technology has become more greatly incentivized in Canada as a potential solution for mitigating climate change by extracting carbon dioxide (CO2) directly from the atmosphere. Geological sequestration, chemical conversion, and enhanced oil recovery (EOR) represent the primary applications of captured CO2. While chemical transformation and EOR offer economic advantages, they fail to provide the long-term climate benefits necessary to stabilize the global temperature. Geological storage aims to ensure the permanent sequestration of CO2, mitigating the risk of re-emission and offering a scalable solution capable of achieving negative emissions. Despite challenges such as high costs and long-term monitoring requirements, geological sequestration is required to meet the Paris Agreement's climate goals. Therefore, Natural Resources Canada should prioritize and legislate policies mandating the permanent geological storage of captured CO2, safeguarding a lasting climate solution
Gatekeepers to Science and Engineering
No full textGirls and women are underrepresented in many science and engineering fi elds. The gender stereotypes associated with who belongs in science and engineering (SE) disciplines are one of the reasons for this underrepresentation. Research on formal SE classrooms has shown how these stereotypes negatively affect educators’ positioning and recognition of girls as science and engineering learners. Informal SE education (ISEE) programs have shown promise for confronting stereotypes and creating environments for girls to develop SE identities based on improved interest and sense of belonging in SE. Yet, few studies have focused on the role of educators in these ISEE spaces both in terms of how they recognize girls but also the ways they position girls to perform their SE identities. To address this gap, we examine how ISE educators in two summer camps enact and implement activities that engage girls in the “doing of science” and the “doing of engineering”. Educators built on the inherent social contexts of the respective camps and gave girls the opportunity to negotiate their roles as scientists and engineers. We observed the girls engaging in collective sensemaking, initially modeled by the educators and eventually led by the girls, which mirrors the collaborative work of scientists and engineers. We also highlight a continuous feedback loop wherein educator positioning and recognition elicited SE performances and resulted in more opportunities for girls to engage in the practices of science and engineering and build their SE identity development
Implementing Mental Skills Training in College Golf to Promote Athletic Success
Full text linkMental skills encapsulates the various mental processes that support and enhance performance during competition. Over the last few years, the importance of mental skills and success in competitive sports has increased. While the literature supporting the effects of mental skills training (MST) on sporting performance is abundant, the emphasis on MST in college sports domains specifically is lacking. The goal of this paper is to address the cruciality of MST in collegiate sports and promote MST implementation in sports prior to the professional competition stage. This point is particularly relevant when considering the breadth of college sports available across North America and their associated skill sets. Athletes who participate in sports that are categorized as being more mental-forward, such as golf, would largely benefit from formal MST at the collegiate level. MST implementation would not only improve competitive results of college sports programs but would also promote success in life after college for student-athletes.
Keywords— Mental Skills Training, Mental Skills, College Golf, Varsity Sports, Performance
Do Anti-Bullying Prevention Programs Reduce Depression and Anxiety Experienced by Students? - A Systematic Review
No full textBullying prevention interventions have been devised to reduce peer victimization and its negative effects on victims. Many primary research studies have examined the effectiveness of these programs, including some that investigated whether programs enhanced the self-esteem and overall mental well-being of students who participate in the programs, including those who have and have not been victimized. Several systematic reviews (analyses of secondary data) have assessed the overall effectiveness of these interventions. However, no systematic reviews analyzed the effect of anti-bullying programs on depression and anxiety among program participants. This review was the first systematic review to develop a comprehensive portrayal of the effect of bullying prevention programs on mental health, particularly depression and anxiety. This review was a meta-analysis of the effects of bullying prevention programs on the depression and anxiety of participants. Studies were selected by conducting literature searches on the following electronic databases: ERIC, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, Pubmed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Only randomized clinical trials and pretest-posttest studies measuring the effect of these programs on the participants were included. A single effect size type, Cohen's d, was chosen, and any different effect size-types used in the studies were converted. All primary studies that met the selection criteria were coded for effect size. The weighted-mean effect size revealed a negligible effect of these programs in reducing the depression and anxiety levels of the students.
Keywords— Anti-bullying Programs, Bullying Prevention Programs, Depression, Anxiety
Investigating Eyewitness Behaviour and Accuracy using Eyewitness Descriptions
Full text linkWhile research surrounding eyewitness identification has flourished and continues to expand, there seems to be limited knowledge and research regarding eyewitness description and whether the detail within a given description has an impact on eyewitness accuracy. This paper reviews past literature of verbal overshadowing effect – a phenomenon that describes the act of verbally describing an item (a face, an event) will impair future memory and recognition of that item. Research surrounding verbal overshadowing effect has shown benefits such as improved performance during lineup identification while other research has illustrated weakened memory and recollection. With that said, this paper conducts a study that reviews real life eyewitness descriptions from Austin Police Department and extrapolates its data. Our study serves to provide clarity and a more in-depth understanding of what type of descriptors eyewitnesses provide and if the level of detail helps performance in lineup identification.
Keywords— Eyewitness Identification, Forensic Psychology, Verbal Overshadowing Effec
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS AND BEST PRACTICES FOR PCO, IACOP, AND CAIA
Full text linkOn November 18, 2024, Dr. Hugh Henry presented Latest Developments and Best Practices for PCO, IACOP, and CAIA for this year’s West Coast Security Conference. The key points discussed were why an Intelligence Analyst Community of Practice (IACOP) is necessary, what the IACOP is working on to better the intelligence space, and how the IACOP operates.
Received: 12-13-2024
Revised: 01-20-202
PROTECTING DIGITAL DEMOCRACY: THREATS AND RESPONSES
Full text linkOn November 18th, 2024, Ms. Jennifer Irish presented Protecting Digital Democracy: Threats and Responses for this year’s West Coast Security Conference. The presentation was followed by a question-and-answer period with questions from the audience and CASIS Vancouver executives. The key points discussed were threats to digital democracy and the core response imperatives: intervention and inoculation.
Received: 12-16-2024
Revised: 01-28-202