ICAR In The News
NEW! ICAR News Network: Current Analysis by Conflict Specialists
The ICAR News Network is a new online forum featuring current analysis by conflict specialists at George Mason University’s Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution. The forum addresses some the world’s most salient and intractable conflicts and provides critical next steps for constructive engagement. CLICK HERE
CTV News Interviews ICAR Professor Dennis Sandole
By Jacqueline Milczarek
(CTV News, May 11, 2008)
Dennis Sandole, Professor at the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University on CTV following the election victory of the pro-western party over the nationalists. Sandole examines the impact of potential EU membership on this vote and calls for more engagement from the next US president. Interview conducted on May 11th, 2008. Video courtesy of CTV.WATCH BROADCAST
Canada AM Interviews ICAR PhD Student Sam Rizk
By Seamus O'Regan
(Canada AM, May 9, 2008)
Sam Rizk, conflict analyst at the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University, on Canadian AM discussing the recent violence in Lebanon. Rizk examines the relationship between political structures and the various identity groups, given changing demographics. Interview conducted by Seamus O'Regan on May 8th, 2008. Video courtesy of CTV. WATCH BROADCAST
Bridging the Gap
By Stacy Stryjewski, ICAR Adjunct Faculty
(Higher Education Consortia, Spring 2008)
When I first sat down to write this column, I did what most experienced writers do…Google® the topic. After several rounds of search criteria, I came upon links that highlighted “Academia vs. Industry” and “Academia vs. ‘The Real World’.” I was surprised to see it in writing—“the real world.” The artificial battle sounds a bit like a scene from The Matrix, where professors and scholars have mistakenly settled for the red pill and now live in a world where classrooms hold pods disguised as students. I exaggerate the point but it does seem like a statement of challenge that places academics in a position of self-justification and alienation. READ MORE
Morocco a Stable East-West Bridge
Vanessa Noël Brown, ICAR M.S. Student, and Andrew Kessinger
(Washington Post-Newsweek "On Faith" Blog, May 7, 2008)
Between Afghanistan and America, situated at the crossroads of Eastern-Western civilization, lies a low-key ally in the fight against religious intolerance and extremism: Morocco. Despite the headlines painting this region as the new front on terror, Moroccans object to their country becoming a base for western-focused extremism and are determined to prevent Al Qaeda from securing a foothold in this corner of the Maghreb. READ MORE
CTV News Interviews ICAR Professor Solon Simmons
By Dan Matheson
(CTV News, May 6, 2008)
Solon Simmons, Assistant Professor at the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University, on Canadian TV the day of the Democratic primaries in Indiana and North Carolina. Simmons discusses blue collar politics, super delegates, and the lasting impact of Jeremiah Wright. Interview conducted by Dan Matheson on May 6th, 2008. Video courtesy of CTV. WATCH BROADCAST
CTV News Interviews ICAR Professor Solon Simmons
By Scott Laurie
(CTV News, May 4, 2008)
Solon Simmons, Assistant Professor at the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University, on Canadian TV analyzing tension and uncertainty surrounding the Democratic primaries in Indiana and North Carolina. Simmons discusses the role of the super delegates and the need for healing inside of the Democratic party before the convention. Interview conducted by Scott Laurie on May 4th, 2008. Video courtesy of CTV. WATCH BROADCAST
Journal of Peace Research Features ICAR PhD Student Anam Gnaho
Book Review by Anam Gnaho
(Journal of Peace Research, May 2008)
[Review: Smith, Hazel & Paul Stares, eds, 2007. Diasporas in Conflict: Peace Makers or Peace Wreckers.] Contemporary international conflicts are increasingly becoming unrestricted, involving non-state actors such as refugees and other diaspora groups. Thus, it would no longer be enough to try to understand global violent conflict dynamics without incorporating the migrant community. Edited by Hazel Smith, a professor of International Relations at the University of Warwick, UK, and Paul Stares, director of the Center for Conflict Analysis and Prevention at the United States Institute of Peace, Diasporas in Conflict: Peace Makers or Peace Wreckers examines the political mobilization of diasporas and their roles in their homeland peace and conflict. READ MORE
Journal of Peace Research Features ICAR PhD Student Tetsushi Ogata
Book Review by Tetsushi Ogata
(Journal of Peace Research, May 2008)
[Review: Tan, See Seng, 2007. The Role of Knowledge Communities in Constructing Asia-Pacific Security: How Thoughts and Talk Make War and Peace.] The book’s major contribution lies in building theoretical foundations providing alternative conceptions of security discourse between Track Two diplomacy and official policy process in the Asia-Pacific. Knowledge communities in question are primarily the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia Pacific (CSCAP) and the ASEAN Institutes of Strategic and International Studies (ASEAN-ISIS). The author takes a radical constructivist view of the discourses of such knowledge communities, arguing that Track Two diplomacy and its practices are neither autonomous subjects nor passive recipients; they are not agents freely shaping national and regional security through instrumental actions or simply preserving prior structural functions and identities. READ MORE
Journal of Peace Research Features ICAR PhD Student Adriana Salcedo
Book Review by Adriana Salcedo
(Journal of Peace Research, May 2008)
[Review: Volkan, Vamik. 2006. Killing in the Name of Identity: A Study of Bloody Conflicts.] This book addresses one of the key challenges in the field of peace and conflict studies: identity-based conflicts. By studying the links between massive trauma, political ideologies, and new tragedies, Volkan provides the reader with a new vision and strategies for peaceful solutions to some of the most intractable conflicts. He is pessimistic about the prospects of achieving a peaceful world, not only because of humans’ innate aggression (highlighted earlier by Freud), but also because of the psychology of large groups that share a common identity and the psychological need to find common allies and enemies. READ MORE
Journal of Peace Research Features ICAR PhD Student Ekaterina Romanova
Book Review by Ekaterina Romanova
(Journal of Peace Research, May 2008)
[Review: Rotberg, Robert I., ed., 2007. Worst of the Worst: Dealing with Repressive and Rogue Nations.] Nation-state repression and tyranny can be overtly violent, as in Zimbabwe, Burma, or Uzbekistan, or relatively peaceful, as in Turkmenistan, Belarus, or Syria. Yet, all repressive regimes are manipulative, coercive, and abusive. The book, Worst of the Worst, is a compilation of a series of case-studies united by a common theoretical discussion of repressive and aggressive states. In this superbly edited volume, Robert Rotberg, Director of the Program on Intrastate Conflict and Conflict Resolution at Harvard University and President of the World Peace Foundation, attempts to define the meaning and attributes of a rogue state.
READ MORE
Journal of Peace Research Features ICAR PhD Student Fatima Hadji
Book Review by Fatima Hadji
(Journal of Peace Research, May 2008)
[Review: Nasr, Vali, 2007. The Shia Revival: How Conflict Within Islam Will Shape the Future.] The recent reality shift in the Middle East exposes the prevalent sectarian politics shaping the future of the region and its prospects for democracy and peace. The geopolitics and the provocative factors of power hindering the co-existence of the Shia and the Sunni find their roots in historical grievances and in the re-enactment of struggles for power. Nasr articulates that competing theologies and the crystallization of tribal and ethnic identities are the factors that fuel violence and magnify differences in the Middle East. The ideologies of identity politics, power, and narratives of struggle contours the geopolitical realities within which the Shia and the Sunni co-exist. READ MORE
Iraq Policy in the Post-Bush Era: Clinton, McCain and Obama
By Juliette Shedd, ICAR PhD Student
(Journal of International Peace Operations, May-June 2008)
Evaluating Iraq policy must start with identifying U.S. national interests in Iraq. If we determine that long term stability in Iraq is not necessary, than a pull out of U.S. troops and reallocation of funds and manpower makes sense. However, there appears to be consensus that a stable, peaceful Iraq is in the U.S. interest. In that case, U.S. policy toward Iraq should seek to employ the lessons learned from other peace processes. The three leading Presidential candidates have made Iraq a main focus of the campaign and spelled out policy prescriptions. Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-New York) and Sen. Barack Obama (D-Illinois) emphasize political and economic reconstruction, while Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) pushes for a security-first stabilization policy. Whether security or reconstruction is emphasized will have a profound impact on Iraq’s future. READ MORE
US Policy in Iraq: A Plague on Both Houses
By Michael Shank, ICAR PhD Student
(Journal of International Peace Operations, May-June 2008)
For all of Washington's white papers on the war in Iraq, testimonies by General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker, and wonkish retching over the war's latest development - the recent routing of Iraq Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki by Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, for example - the cures counseled by Congress, the candidates, and the Administration continue to be nauseatingly simplistic: withdrawal or stay the course. The contrasting spectrum of solutions is stark - from immediate withdrawal to an unimaginable 100-year presence - and the criteria for success, or anything remotely close to a "win" constantly shifting. READ MORE
Poppy, Poverty and the Taliban: Interview with Afghanistan's Ambassador to the US, Said Tayeb Jawad
By Michael Shank, ICAR PhD Student
(Journal of International Peace Operations, May-June 2008)
Michael Shank: What do you make of the United States’ new tack in dealing with poppy in Afghanistan – that of planting pomegranate instead of spraying crops? What’s your assessment regarding the most effective way of addressing the opium problem? Do you see promise in providing farmers with alternative crops? Ambassador Jawad: First we have to be very clear that there is no one solution for a very complicated problem such a poppy. There is no silver bullet to kill this beast. Over-emphasis has been made, actually a lot over the past five years, on eradication, all types of eradication, manual or aerial spraying or others, which is important but only aspect of fighting narcotics. It’s one-fifth of the strategy. READ MORE
CTV News Interviews ICAR Professor Solon Simmons
By Dan Matheson
(CTV News, April 28, 2008)
Solon Simmons, Assistant Professor at the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University, on Canadian TV analyzing the recent statements of Reverend Jeremiah Wright at the NAACP conference in Detroit and at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. Simmons identifies the issues which have brought Jeremiah Wright into the national spotlight and examines the impact of Wright upon the presidential campaign of Barack Obama. Interview conducted by Dan Matheson on April 28th, 2008. Video courtesy of CTV. WATCH BROADCAST
Conflict Learning Audio Podcast Features ICAR Professor Susan Hirsch and Undergraduate Students
By Bill Warters
(Conflict Learning, April 26, 2008)
In this episode we hear highlights from the ACR Education Section conference Sustaining Conflict Resolution Education: Building Bridges to the Future held March 9-11, 2008 in Fairfax, Virginia on the campus of George Mason University. Speakers include Larry Dieringer, Executive Director, Educators for Social Responsibility and Associate Professor Susan Hirsch from the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason. We also hear from Peer Mediation Partners undergraduate interns Rebecca Newman, Roxanne Libby, William Still and Jared Schmidt who describe their work going into middle schools and high schools in their region to support peer mediation across the educational spectrum. LISTEN TO BROADCAST
National Review Features ICAR Professor Solon Simmons
By Christina Hoff Sommers
(National Review, April 24, 2008)
Women have surpassed men in most areas of education, but men continue to be more numerous in fields like math, physics, and engineering. For more than a decade, feminist groups have been lobbying Congress to address the problem of gender “injustice” in the laboratory. Their efforts are finally bearing fruit. Federal agencies are now poised to begin aggressive gender-equity reviews of math, science, and engineering programs. Groups like the National Organization for Women must be celebrating - but American scientists should brace themselves for the destructive tsunami headed their way. READ MORE
Why Use Mediation?
Abou El Mahassine Fassi-Fihri & Vanessa Noël Brown, ICAR M.S. Student
(Le Matin, April 24, 2008)
Conflict is present in all societies, be it in families, businesses or communities. Conflict is not inherently negative: it results from the diverse complexities amongst groups or individuals with regards to their beliefs, opinions, interests and identities. While such differences are a powerful source of the richness of the world, they sometimes lead to escalating tensions if emerging conflicts are not thoughtfully managed. Disputes that result in litigation or worse, to the use of violence, frequently have additional negative impact on our jobs and families. Alternatively, utilizing non-violent, extrajudicial approaches to deal with professional or personal disputes provides a foundation for harmonious homes, prosperous businesses, stable communities and subsequently, a more peaceful society at large. READ MORE
Haaretz.com TV Features ICAR Professor Marc Gopin
(Haaretz.com, April 22, 2008)
In recent years, Rabbi Marc Gopin increasingly finds himself in meetings with senior religious leaders in Syria, where he is considered a guest of honor. Gopin is the director of the Center for World Religions, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution and professor at the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University. He is a strong believer of the potential religious texts have to encourage peace making. Video courtesy of Haaretz.com TV, April 22, 2008. WATCH BROADCAST
This Earth Day is Different
By Michael Shank, ICAR PhD Student, and US Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD)
(The Hill, April 22, 2008)
Earth Day, for some, is comparable to a sacred holiday, reminding us to tread carefully on nature's hallowed ground. For others, Earth Day serves as a starter on the basics of recycling and light-bulb changing. Regardless of the myriad ways in which Americans approach Earth Day '08, it remains substantially different from '07. What changed in one year? Washington joined the world in tackling climate change. Beyond the irrefutable science, the benefits of pursuing a more sustainable energy footprint were too vast to be ignored. While much work awaits us, the change in attitudes is profound. READ MORE
Washington Post Features ICAR Professor Nadim Rouhana
By Deborah Howell
(Washington Post, April 20, 2008)
Reporting about Israel and the Middle East is an important but thankless task. A Middle East reporting assignment means catching flak from pro-Israel and pro-Arab groups who often see stories through their own lenses. Here's an example: One paragraph in a Dec. 20 story by Scott Wilson, then Jerusalem bureau chief and now foreign editor, stated: "Except for a relatively small Druze population, Arabs are excluded from military service mandatory for all but ultra-Orthodox Jews, an essential shared experience of Israeli life and a traditional training ground for future political leaders." READ MORE
Poppy Crop Destruction Drives Farmers Towards Taliban
By Michael Shank, ICAR Ph.D. Student
(Financial Times, April 12, 2008)
Sir, With reference to your report, "US seeks Afghan heroin action" (April 5/6): the American proclivity for short-term, high-visibility gains precludes, yet again, sound strategy. Aerial spraying does not constitute an effective poppy eradication programme. Critically, this counter-narcotics strategy ignores the demand side. If not Afghanistan, new suppliers will invariably emerge elsewhere. It also fails to find alternative livelihoods for farmers. READ MORE
Ethiopia's Convergence of Crises
By Terrence Lyons, ICAR Professor
(Current History, April 2008)
Ethiopia in 2008 faces challenges on multiple fronts. Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, who has been in power since 1991, in the past has demonstrated both resilience and the capacity to outmaneuver his rivals. This year, however, he faces a convergence of internal and regional crises that could unbalance Ethiopia and exacerbate conflicts across the region. Each of these challenges feeds and is in turn fed by the others. An explosive escalation is possible. READ MORE
Approaching Tibet
By Ross Gearllach, ICAR M.S. Student
(Foreign Policy in Focus, April 9, 2008)
In western China, the low-grade civil war that has brewed for decades in Tibet has recently expanded. The upcoming 50th anniversary of the Tibetan uprising of 1959, combined with China’s Olympic games this summer, have created an environment that Tibetan separatists believe to be especially conducive to achieving their goals. The emotional power of the date and the chance to act while China is incapable of closing itself off due to the presence of foreign journalists have emboldened activists both within and outside Tibet. As a result, the protests now threaten to erupt into a full-scale rebellion that could create widespread violence across the four provinces with large populations of ethnic Tibetans. READ MORE
Views on Whether US and Israel Should Talk to Hamas
By Marc Gopin, ICAR Professor
(Christian Science Monitor, April 4, 2008)
In response to the March 25 article, "Should the world talk to Hamas?": Stimulating wars is the outgoing American administration's lasting legacy. To its dying day, the administration has sent a clear message that not only is Israel not to negotiate with Hamas, but neither can Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian Authority president. When PA representatives reached agreement with Hamas in Yemen to return Gaza to the status quo ante, it was quickly retracted under pressure from donor countries. READ MORE
Views on Whether US and Israel Should Talk to Hamas
By Scott Cooper, ICAR M.S. Student
(Christian Science Monitor, April 4, 2008)
Regarding the recent article on opening discussions with Hamas: If the Israeli public wants talks with Hamas, then shouldn't it follow that the rest of the world should talk to Hamas? According to a poll published in the Israeli newspaper Haaratz, "Sixty-four percent of Israelis say the government must hold direct talks with the Hamas government in Gaza toward a cease-fire.... Less than one-third (28 percent) still opposes such talks."I vote on the side of the Israeli people. READ MORE
Miami Herald Features ICAR Professor Susan Hirsch
By Carol Rosenberg
(Miami Herald, April 2, 2008)
An American college professor whose Kenyan husband was killed in the 1998 al Qaeda suicide bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Tanzania said Tuesday that a Guantánamo detainee accused in the attack should be tried in a civilian federal court, not by a military commission. ''These commissions have been fraught with challenges -- from coerced evidence to secret evidence,'' said Susan Hirsch, a professor at George Mason University outside Washington, D.C. She called the Guantánamo war court, established after the 9/11 attacks, ''an unprecedented newly created procedure'' that has been ``roundly condemned worldwide.'' READ MORE
Democracy Now Features ICAR Professor Susan Hirsch
By Amy Goodman
(Democracy Now, April 2, 2008)
Susan Hirsch, professor at the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, calls for a fair trial for Ahmad Ghailani, an alleged participant in the 1998 Tanzania embassy bombing where Hirsch lost her husband. Ghailani has been held in secret CIA custody and is now a prisoner at Guantanamo Bay where he will be tried by a military commission. Hirsch is the author of "In the Moment of Greatest Calamity: Terrorism, Grief and a Victim's Quest for Justice," a personal account of her experiences during the 1998 U.S. Embassy bombing in Tanzania, the loss of her husband as a victim of the attack and the subsequent trial of four defendants. WATCH BROADCAST
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Features ICAR Professor Susan Hirsch
Editorial Team
(Seattle Post-Intelligencer, April 2, 2008)
In a bizarre turn of events, the Pentagon has decided to seek a war crimes tribunal to deal with a Tanzanian man involved in the 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings in Africa -- three years before our "war on terror" started. Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani, who was arrested in Pakistan in 2004 and was detained in parts unknown overseas for about two years before being transferred to Guantanamo Bay, was indicted in the embassy bombings by a federal grand jury in New York City. Others involved in the bombings received life sentences without parole in October 2001. If a military tribunal convicts Ghailani, he could face the death penalty. READ MORE
Los Angeles Times Features ICAR Professor Susan Hirsch
By Josh Meyer
(Los Angeles Times, April 1, 2008)
The Pentagon charged a Guantanamo detainee with capital murder and terrorism Monday for his alleged role in the 1998 bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Tanzania and his suspected ties to Al Qaeda. The Defense Department's chief military commissions prosecutor filed nine charges against Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani, and is seeking the death penalty if the Tanzanian is convicted of playing a central role in planning and preparing the truck bombing that killed 11 people and injured dozens. READ MORE
Washington Post Features ICAR Professor Susan Hirsch
By Josh White and Joby Warrick
(Washington Post, April 1, 2008)
Pentagon prosecutors have charged an alleged al-Qaeda operative with capital murder in helping to plan the 1998 attack on the U.S. Embassy in Tanzania, the first time prosecutors have sought the death penalty at a military commission at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for anyone other than an alleged conspirator in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. READ MORE
Jewish Arabs and a New Middle East
By Marc Gopin, ICAR Professor
(Middle East Online, March 29, 2008)
In 1998, Prince Hassan of Jordan appeared on video at the University of Notre Dame, marking one of the first academic conferences in the field of religion and conflict resolution. As he spoke via teleconference, he quoted at length and with great love from the writings of Moses Maimonides—the world-famous medieval Jewish philosopher who had been a chief conduit between Arab neo-Aristotelian philosophy and the Christian world. READ MORE
Holocaust Memories
By Carlos Sluzki, ICAR Professor
(Washington Post, March 29, 2008)
While the record of the transport of that Austrian Jewish couple on their way to their killing is correct, their names had already been tainted by the Nazi extermination machine. After the Nazi takeover of Austria, all Jewish citizens had second names added to their passports: Israel for men and Sara for women. This was done so that Jews could be easily recognized to block their emigration as well as to easily select them for extermination, as happened to that unfortunate couple…and to millions more. READ MORE
U.N. Security Council Must Act Preemptively - on Climate Change
By Michael Shank, ICAR Ph.D. Student, and US Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY)
(Christian Science Monitor, March 24, 2008)
The United Nations tackled the task of troubleshooting climate change last month. Between holding special General Assembly meetings at headquarters in New York, bringing 100 environmental ministers to Monaco in the largest meeting of ministers since Bali, and launching a Climate Neutral Network to highlight best practices in tackling global warming, the UN appears to be doing what it can to ensure that climate change does not fall off the political radar. Yet, it still isn't enough. A concerted international strategy, on a par with the seriousness and scope of an UN Security Council resolution, is what's needed to counter this climate crisis. READ MORE
Calling for Clarity in Iraq
By Matt Shugert, ICAR M.S. Student
(Washington Post, March 24, 2008)
The March 20 editorial "Fantasies on Iraq" bemoaned the lack of clarity and the unspecific nature with which Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton describe their "Iraq strategy." Realistic approaches are needed. Enhancing the strategies put forth by the candidates is necessary if voters are to understand what the next commander in chief will do to increase the chances of success in Iraq. READ MORE
CTV News Interviews ICAR Professor Marc Gopin
By Jacqueline Milczarek
(CTV News, March 23, 2008)
Marc Gopin, Professor at the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution and Director of the Center for World Religions, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution discusses the visit of Vice President Cheney to the Middle East where he called for concessions from both sides. Dr. Gopin discusses these concessions, prospects for a breakthrough during this US administration and the next, and proposes religious and culturally based negotiations as an alternative to traditional diplomacy which has excluded many people. Interview conducted on CTV, March 23rd, 2008. Video courtesy of CTV.ca. WATCH BROADCAST
Lincoln Journal Star Features ICAR Professor Solon Simmons
By Sam Erb and Samantha Heng
(Lincoln Journal Star, March 23, 2008)
Josh Withrow will always remember the Nov. 2, 2004, election. The next day, Robert Aguirre burst into a University of Nebraska-Lincoln classroom, looked at the students and offered this pronouncement: Republicans are going to destroy the country, and they should all be quarantined and removed from society. Aguirre was the teacher. READ MORE
