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The Complex Combatant: Constructions of Victimhood and Perpetrator-hood in Gulu District, Northern Uganda
Get PDFIn the wake of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) conflict in Northern Uganda, both the local and international community struggle to define the “victims” and “perpetrators” of a conflict that transformed ordinary civilians into combatants. Made up primarily of child soldiers, the LRA forcefully abducted and conscripted children across Northern Uganda to fight in a guerilla war against the Ugandan government. LRA members were forced to murder their own families and terrorize their home villages in an attempt to disorient and desensitize them to lives of violence. Some became willing, even eager fighters; others struggled daily to live with their actions.
Nearly ten years after the guns went silent in Northern Uganda, various methods of transitional justice have been employed to resolve the ambiguity of victims and perpetrators. Most recently, the International Criminal Court indicted Dominic Ongwen, a high-ranking LRA commander abducted at the age of ten. As the date of his trial nears, debates over his victimhood and perpetrator-hood intensify. The stakes of the trial are high both for the affected communities promised reparations and for the future of child soldiers in international law; Dominic Ongwen is the first person to be tried for a war crime of which he is also a victim.
This research examines the complex victimhood and perpetrator-hood of former LRA members and how this complexity is constructed by members themselves, local communities, and the ICC. Data was collected over the period of four weeks from November to December 2016 in Gulu district and Kampala through case studies with former LRA members, focus group discussions, and interviews with local opinion leaders. This research concluded the following: (1) former LRA members exhibit overlapping factors of victimhood and perpetrator-hood, and thus cannot be categorized as solely victims or solely perpetrators; (2) most former LRA members construct themselves as victims when faced with the risk of punishment, but in risk-free environments recognize their complex victimhood and perpetrator-hood; (3) most local community members recognize the complexity of former LRA members, but their constructions are influenced by self-interest; and, (4) the ICC struggles to recognize the complexity of Dominic Ongwen’s victimhood and perpetrator-hood, instead constructing him as a perpetrator to legitimize its method of retributive justice. This paper concludes with recommendations to the International Criminal Court, the Government of Uganda, local opinion leaders, and future researchers based on findings
Uso, impacto y futuro del Mapudungun en la comunidad de Chapod
Get PDFThis study analyzes and investigates the current vitality and use of mapudungun, the endangered indigenous language of the Mapuche people, in the small rural community of Chapod in Southern Chile. This research then looks at a particular context within a larger global frame of mass language decline and extinction. With increasing numbers of languages becoming extinct linguists and other invested bodies are examining in more detail the state of the world’s languages and the impact of their decline, particularly in terms of cultural identity. As such this study specifically investigates the level of use and knowledge of the language within the community and well as the impact of the language’s decline on the people of Chapod. It furthermore seeks to understand whether the impact of this loss has a different effect on the women of the community than the men, given women’s vital role in linguistic and cultural transmission. Finally, it analyzes the future of the language both within this specific context and on a broader scale. This research was primarily conducted during a three-week period in the community and is based on results gleaned from participant observations and semi-structured interviews with members of the community from diverse age groups and fluency in mapudungun. This research concludes that mapudungun is indeed in decline in the community of Chapod. The language is rarely used and very few people are fluent with much of the younger generation having little to no knowledge of the language. Although the community holds hope for its future it is uncertain. Despite this the people of Chapod consider it a vital part of their cultural identity and the impact of this loss within the community is clear. Interestingly although women do play a significant cultural role within the community and are the primary child raisers they appear to not be differently affected by the loss of mapudungun though this is worthy of further study. This paper aims to clearly explain the use, impact and future of mapudungun in this community whilst considering the global context of language death
FEMM Committee as Feminalist Space: Gendered Legislative Styles in the European Parliament
Get PDFThis paper argues that the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality within the European Parliament is a micro-institution that promotes feminalist legislative styles regardless of the member’s gender. Interviews were conducted with two members of the committee, one male and one female to reach this conclusion. Feminalist legislative styles such as collaboration, lack of hierarchy, cooperation among parties, listening to constituents, and ‘power to’ motivations were employed by both interviewees. Furthermore, an understanding of the FEMM Committee as an institution within the European Parliament clarifies that it is a unique space whose political climate allows for feminalist legislative styles
Deaf or [insert ethnicity here]? The impact of South African Sign Language and Deaf community membership on the ethnic identities of three Deaf students in Cape Town
Get PDFSouth African Sign Language (SASL) is the language used by most members of the Deaf community in South Africa. SASL, much like other signed languages, has a long history of development, acceptance, and non-acceptance. The history of SASL is undeniably intertwined and affected by the political history of South Africa. This article examines the relationship between ethnicity, language, and identity in the context of South African Sign Language and the Deaf community. It seeks to understand how the use of South African Sign Language as one’s main language affects one’s identity and their identification with their racial group. The article looks at the perspectives and stories of individual members of the Deaf community in Cape Town to come to a conclusion about the initial question: Does regular use of South African Sign Language and membership in the Deaf community affect one’s identity with a racial or ethnic group
The Impact of Lack of Mother Tongue - Based Schooling on Kurds in Turkey
No full textThis paper examines the impacts of lack of mother tongue-based schooling on Kurds in Turkey. In this policy paper I particularly looked into the education policy in Turkey as it is stipulated in Turkish constitution which excludes Kurds from education opportunities in mother tongue Kurdish in public schools. In this context I examined international documents particularly related to the United Nations (UN) and Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) regarding fundamental human rights, educational and linguistic rights. I found out that Turkish constitution which has banned Kurdish as a language of instruction in public schools is in stark opposition with international documents regarding human rights which involve linguistic and educational rights. The paper also looks into the impact of lack of mother tongue-based schooling on Kurdish children’s success rates and employment opportunities. The findings suggest that Kurdish children’s success rates in national exams are much lower than the Turkish students. A comparison of employment in Kurdish cities with the Turkish ones also suggests that the unemployment rate is much higher in Kurdish cities -a factor attributable to lack of education in mother tongue Kurdish. The paper further reveals that Kurdish was banned with the establishment of Turkish Republic in 1920s and particularly in Turkish constitution of 1982 this ban is stipulated in article 3 and 42. Therefore the paper draws attention to the fact that the extreme Turkish nationalism, the denial of fundamental Kurdish rights and the exclusionary character of Turkish Republic constitute a great threat to Sustainable Development and security in Turkey
Ecotourism Social Enterprise: Learning From the Global South
Get PDFCommunity-Based Ecotourism (CBET) in developing countries has become a popular solution to environmental, social, and economic issues. This study seeks to address how CBET models from the Global South could be implemented in the U.S. ecotourism context, using social entrepreneurship models. Research was completed through a variety of sources including academic journals and government databases, exploring the importance of ecotourism, and a comparison of ecotourism in the Global South to ecotourism in the Global North. The method for analysis was conducted through qualitative interviews with social entrepreneurs working in ecotourism in Uganda, Indonesia, Nepal, India, Costa Rica, Chile, and Brazil. Results from the analysis reveal the complexity in analyzing cross-cultural contexts for implementing CBET models in the U.S. From these results, the challenges and opportunities for implementation are discussed alongside a case study in Bar Harbor, Maine, an island community surrounded by Acadia National Park. This study concludes with suggestions for applicability, including social entrepreneurship organizations’ election of fellows, civil society involvement by the U.S. National Parks System, and social reinvestment methodologies for host communities located in U.S. ecotourism areas
Tibetan Football:Perspectives From the 2016 Gyalyum Chenmo Memorial Gold Cup
Get PDFThis project uses a narrative account of the 2016 Gyalyum Chenmo Memorial Gold Cup,as a springboard into the multifaceted world of Tibetan sports in exile society, both past and present. As Tibetan exile society started to grow, the combination of growing settlement football clubs and a desire to honor the passing of HH the Dalai Lama’s mother, led to the founding of this club tournament. As football became more popular, the creation of an international Tibetan team came to be an important expression of national identity, and a useful method of raising awareness for the Tibetan cause. Despite this proliferation, Tibetan football still exists at the margins of the international football community and at the domestic level, is still only in the beginning stages of developing the women’s game. With aid from the perspectives of officials, players and coaches at the 2016 GCM and elsewhere, a narrative account of the tournament, and additional discussion of the socio-political implications that inevitably arose from these interviews and this event, herein lies a summative project on the realm of Tibetan football
Learning to Know, Do and Be: Curriculum for Self-Reflection and Intercultural Consciousness for the SENA Volunteacher Program
Get PDFTeach abroad programs have gained popularity across the world, as they are often an attractive option for people to live internationally while earning money. Many programs’ practices contribute to local teachers’ loss of employment, perpetuating stereotypes or ethnocentric views, or invite tourists into classrooms to “teach” English to communities they have no substantial interest in. As the industry grows, it is important to develop programs that promote responsible practices to encourage favorable impacts on the communities as well as visiting teachers. This proposed curriculum has been designed to enhance the experience for participants of the SENA Volunteacher Program for the growing Colombian nonprofit organization, Volunteers Colombia, which invites over 150 international English teachers to co-teach in government funded vocational schools across the country every year. It aims to provide opportunities to “volunteachers” and Colombian SENA center teachers to enhance intercultural consciousness and maturity, with focus on building cognitive, intrapersonal and interpersonal skills. Main elements of the curriculum will include critical reflection, dialogue and collaborative cultural interaction.
The objective of this curriculum is to encourage interdependent relationships between the two groups, as well as to promote cultural awareness and critical thinking skills. Theories and methods which mix meaningful learning with intercultural development will be incorporated as the groundwork for this curriculum to support learning before, during and after participation in the Volunteacher Program. Application of theories will be available through group dialogue, reflective journal writing, thought provoking virtual resources and the creation of a collaborative project of choice shared between Volunteachers and SENA teachers. These elements will ultimately further support the organization\u27s mission of offering a transformational experience for under resourced communities through encouraging meaningful relationships between co-teachers who are the agents of growth in the classrooms
How Do Connection and Hopeful Action Support Resilient Community?
Get PDFThis capstone arises from the course, Initiatives in Peacebuilding (IPB). As a graduate student focusing on Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation, IPB was a required course whose content propelled me toward the study of resource conflicts. Advancing from that study, I chose to practice strategies to lessen these conflicts by means of positive action. Facing two challenges—that Earth’s natural resources are finite and that excessive use of fossil fuels has caused destructive climate change—I wondered how to help transform human awareness to value the conservation of resources and the abatement of climate change. My research brought me to Joanna Macy, an educator, ecologist, and trainer whose work helps change the culture of resource exploitation to a culture of Earth justice. My research question is: How do connection and hopeful action support resilient community? My efforts to answer this question generated a training that I developed to help people understand positive ways to face the challenges of resource exploitation and harmful climate change
The Spike of Female Soccer Players in the Netherlands since 2010
Get PDFIn the Dutch society, the sport of soccer, also known as football, draws a lot of attention and has millions of followers when it comes to the men’s soccer clubs. The most common and widely celebrated soccer teams in the Netherlands are the major teams, such as, AJAX, PSV and Feyenoord, all being male soccer teams. There is a lack of female soccer clubs around the Netherlands when comparing it to the number of male soccer clubs. Women’s soccer is underrepresented in the news of Dutch sports media and obviously overpowered by the enthusiasm surrounding men’s soccer. Only in the past decade have women’s soccer clubs started to become a popular sport by gaining more recognition on a competitive level to the point where it has made public news in the Netherlands (Nixon, 2008). For this research, four current and alumni female soccer players from all across Holland were interviewed about their experiences in playing soccer and how gender differences have played a role throughout their athletic career. These participants were asked questions regarding stereotypes surrounding women in athletics and the taboo ideas about masculinity and if it correlates to being a successful female soccer player. Major themes that were commonly addressed in the interviews were sports media surrounding the accomplishment of the Dutch National Women’s Team in 2009, the fading stereotype of “butch” female soccer players and the acceptance of femininity in a male dominated sport. All of these topics pointed to a conclusion that women’s soccer in the Netherlands has in many ways broken the old stereotypes about female athletes in soccer and has proven to be of increasing interest to many young Dutch girls and women in the past ten years