Number of results to display per page
Search Results
41992. German policies and practices in Bosnia and Herzegovina - A promising future and a lack of initiative -
- Author:
- Susanna Thiel
- Publication Date:
- 08-2013
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Centre for Security Studies
- Abstract:
- Since the beginning of the tragic Yugoslav dissolution wars from 1992 to 1995, the international community has taken new interest in the region of former Yugoslavia and its people. The big amount of foreign aid as well as the multitude of international actors and organisations bears witness to that: Lana Pasic finds that until 2005 at least 9.9 billion dollars have been sent to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) as international humanitarian aid and reconstruction purposes, which is not taking into account the ongoing support from private donors and NGOs.1 In addition to that, a country profile on BiH drafted by the Michigan State University in March 2012 mentions the impressive amount of 15 billion US-Dollars of international aid being given to BiH for a vast variety of purposes since the end of the war until the beginning of 2012, such as humanitarian aid, de-mining and the improvement of Bosnian infrastructure.2 Germany's contribution to this foreign aid sums up to about 680 million Euros between 1995 and 2012.3 This sum provides an idea of how relevant BiH is to German politics – and gives an impression of how relevant Germany might be within BiH and the first decades of this state. It leads to the assumption that Germany is taking great interest in the new Bosnian state and is politically active for this purpose. For the newly united Germany after 1990 that was indeed the case: it was of high relevancy during and after the dissolution wars. It was the first country to recognise the states of Croatia and Slovenia and took in at least 345,000 refugees from BiH from 1992 until 1996. Also, it initiated the Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe4 and portrays itself as one of the leading partners of BiH's way to accessing the EU.5 This approach is based on a long, multi-faceted relationship between Germany and the region of BiH: for example, immigrants from German territories settled on Bosnian ground as early as the 13th century6 , the two World Wars had a deep impact on the region – e.g. for the Titoist partisan founding myth – and guest workers came to Germany after the German-Yugoslav guest worker contract in 1968.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, Politics, History, Bilateral Relations, Foreign Aid, Culture, and Economy
- Political Geography:
- Europe, Yugoslavia, Germany, Balkans, and Bosnia and Herzegovina
41993. Corruption Crime Statistics and Police Numbers Reporting in Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Author:
- Alma Kovačević and Jasmin Hasić
- Publication Date:
- 08-2013
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Centre for Security Studies
- Abstract:
- This short research study examines the information available in police institutions regarding the police corruption and statistics reporting on it. Moreover, it identifies shortcomings in the system and needs analyses. The aim of the study is to identify key issues in reporting police corruption cases and statistics related to the cases of police integrity, with a specific emphasis on the methods and ways of analysing the existing (reported) police corruption cases, as well as the efficiency of implemented prevention strategies. There was neither sufficient time, nor resources available for more detailed research, which should have led to detailed recommendations for police agencies. However, this study can be used as a starting point for a more comprehensive research that should result in a quality proposal to amend and overcome the identified shortcomings and obstacles in this field. Additionally, it could assist law enforcement agencies (LEAs) in BiH to consider and eventually design a database on police corruption if proof needed.
- Topic:
- Corruption, Crime, Institutions, and Police
- Political Geography:
- Europe, Balkans, and Bosnia and Herzegovina
41994. Pillars of Peace
- Author:
- Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP)
- Publication Date:
- 09-2013
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP)
- Abstract:
- The Pillars of Peace is a new conceptual framework for understanding and describing the factors that create peaceful societies. This framework defines the national characteristics which are most closely associated with peace and has been derived from a process of statistical analysis. It stands as one of the few holistic and quantitative based studies to isolate the positive factors which sustain and reinforce peaceful societies. The attitudes, institutions and structures associated with peace are also associated with many other aspects that are considered desirable, such as a strong business environment, gender equality and high levels of human capital; consequently, the Pillars of Peace can be seen as describing the optimal environment for human potential to flourish. Peace can be viewed through the lens of both negative and positive peace. Negative peace, which is the absence of violence or fear of violence, is used as the definition of peace to create the Global Peace Index (GPI), while positive peace can be defined as the attitudes, institutions and structures that, when strengthened, lead to a more peaceful society. The Pillars of Peace provides a framework for assessing the positive peace factors that create peaceful societies. The taxonomy also forms an ideal base for measuring a society’s potential for peace. These positive peace factors can also be used to assess how supportive the underlying environment is towards development, as they are positively associated with developmental outcomes and therefore the fulfillment of human potential. The Pillars of Peace provides the ideal benchmark against which to measure the performance of the broader aspects of social development and a country’s overall resilience when confronted with social upheaval. In constructing the Pillars of Peace over 900 different indices, datasets and attitudinal surveys were analysed in conjunction with current thinking about what drives peace, resilience and conflict. In order to ensure the development of a holistic framework, both a multidisciplinary and ‘systems approach’ was applied to the concept of peace, drawing on a range of recent research.
- Topic:
- Corruption, Government, Natural Resources, Business, Conflict, Human Capital, Peace, and Information
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
41995. UK Peace Index
- Author:
- Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP)
- Publication Date:
- 04-2013
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP)
- Abstract:
- The United Kingdom Peace Index (UKPI), produced by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), provides a comprehensive measure of the levels of peacefulness within the United Kingdom from 2003 to 2012.1 It also provides an analysis of the socio-economic factors which are associated with peace as well as an estimate of the economic cost of violence and the benefits that would flow from increases in peace. This is the inaugural edition of the UK Peace Index. The UKPI is based on the Global Peace Index, the preeminent global measure of peacefulness which has been produced by IEP annually since 2007. The UKPI is the second national peace index in a series of national level studies and follows the United States Peace Index (USPI). Defining peace as the absence of violence or fear of violence, the UK Peace Index is based on a similar methodology to the USPI and enables comparability of the two indexes both at a national level and at more detailed local level.
- Topic:
- Crime, Economics, Education, Health, Employment, Violence, Peace, and Income
- Political Geography:
- United Kingdom and Europe
41996. What the Women Say: Voices from the Ground: Syria’s Humanitarian Crisis
- Author:
- International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN)
- Publication Date:
- 12-2013
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN)
- Abstract:
- In recent months ICAN’s staff have held regular in-person and online consultations with Syrian civil society activists based inside the country or those who have recently left. They are providing relief and development support to refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs). They speak of the humanitarian threats, security, political, economic and psycho-social challenges that people are facing and the emergence of a nascent but committed civil society. The international community must recognize their resilience, and aspirations for the future, and support their efforts to withstand the impact of war. Their work is a testament to the dignity and humanity of Syrians and provides a glimpse of a peaceful pluralistic Syria for which they are striving. This brief summarizes key priorities and recommendations on immediate humanitarian issues that must be addressed by the international community.
- Topic:
- Security, Civil Society, Economy, Arab Spring, Syrian War, and Internal Displacement
- Political Geography:
- Middle East and Syria
41997. What the Women Say: Picking up the Pieces: Iraqi Women in the Aftermath of War and Occupation
- Author:
- International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN)
- Publication Date:
- 12-2013
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN)
- Abstract:
- Just over a year ago the US military officially withdrew from Iraq, ending a nine-year occupation. But it has not meant peace for Iraqis. The decade of sanctions, followed by war and occupation devastated the country’s socioeconomic fabric. Despite the billions allocated for reconstruction, the country is suffering from greater poverty and corruption than pre-2003.1 Meanwhile, political sectarianism and violence continues. This brief highlights the perspectives of Iraqi women, particularly civil society and peace activists, regarding the losses and gains during the US intervention, the evolving trends and the opportunities and difficulties they face. It offers recommendations to national and international actors on how best to support their efforts to attain and sustain a just peace.
- Topic:
- Civil Society, Sanctions, Women, Occupation, Peace, Iraq War, and Military
- Political Geography:
- Iraq and Middle East
41998. What the Women Say: Elusive Peace, Pervasive Violence: Sri Lankan Women’s Struggle for Security and Justice
- Author:
- International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN)
- Publication Date:
- 03-2013
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN)
- Abstract:
- Four years ago in May 2009, the Sri Lankan military routed the Liberation Tamil Tigers of Eelam (LTTE), destroyed its leadership and secured control of Tamil dominated areas in the country’s north. Sri Lanka is lauded as the first country to eradicate terrorism on its own soil, but the 2009 victory came at significant human cost. An estimated 300,000 people were displaced. According to the U.N., some 40,000 civilians were killed in the first five months of 2009. This brief focuses on women in Sri Lanka’s northern provinces in the aftermath of war. Drawing on a survey conducted in ten war-torn districts and discussions with over 450 women, it reflects on women’s legal gains and their activism for peace and human rights while also highlighting the critical security, economic and social risks that many women face.4 The recommendations we offer to the Sri Lankan government and the international community reflect the survey findings and priorities outlined in the 2012 Sri Lankan Women’s Agenda on Peace, Security and Development.
- Topic:
- Security, Women, Violence, Peace, and Justice
- Political Geography:
- South Asia and Sri Lanka
41999. What the Women Say: From Subjects to Citizens: Women in Post-Revolutionary Libya
- Author:
- International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN)
- Publication Date:
- 09-2013
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN)
- Abstract:
- In February of 2011, a group of Libyan women, inspired by the wave of peaceful uprisings across Egypt and Tunisia, protested the arrests of their male relatives outside a prison in Benghazi. Their actions inspired a swathe of Libyan society – particularly the young – to spill out into the streets and demand an end to dictatorship. This brief draws particular attention to women’s experiences in Libya in the context of political and security developments in the past two years. It also highlights opportunities that the international community lost for sustaining and implementing the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) agenda on Women, Peace and Security.
- Topic:
- Women, Citizenship, Arab Spring, and Revolution
- Political Geography:
- Libya and North Africa
42000. Moral Categories in the Financial Crisis
- Author:
- Marion Fourcade, Philippe Steiner, Wolfgang Streeck, and Cornelia Woll
- Publication Date:
- 06-2013
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Max Planck Sciences Po Center on Coping with Instability in Market Societies (MaxPo)
- Abstract:
- Karl Marx observed long ago that all economic struggles invite moral struggles, or masquerade as such. The reverse may be true as well: deep moral-political conflicts may be waged through the manipulation of economic resources. Using the recent financial and Eurozone crises as empirical backgrounds, the four papers gathered here propose four different perspectives on the play of moral judgments in the economy, and call for broader and more systematic scholarly engagement with this issue. Focusing on executive compensation, bank bailouts, and the sovereign debt crisis, the symposium builds on a roundtable discussion held at the opening of the Max Planck Sciences Po Center on Coping with Instability in Market Societies (MaxPo) in Paris on November 29, 2012.
- Topic:
- Economics, Financial Crisis, Banking, and Sovereign Debt
- Political Geography:
- Europe