Dynamic Co-Evolutions of Peace Frames in the United States, Mainland China, and Hong Kong

This chapter employs semantic network analysis to investigate the online database LexisNexis to study the dynamic co-evolutions of peace frames embedded in the news coverage from the Associated Press (AP--United States), Xinhua News Agency (XH--Mainland China), and South China Morning Post (SCMP—Hong Kong). From 1995 to 2014, while the war and harmony frames were relatively stable in AP and XH respectively, there was a trend toward convergence of the use of war frames between AP and XH. The convergence of semantic networks of coverage of peace in AP and XH may have left more room for SCPM to develop a unique peace frame, and the divergence of semantic networks of coverage of peace in AP and XH may lead SCPM to develop strategies of balancing the frames employed by AP and XH, thus creating a hybrid peace frame.

Identity and Social Peace in the Digital World

The concept of identity is changing and developing with digitalization. Macro and national identities, which are the basis of conflicts in the world, have started to decrease and lose their importance against micro-identities introduced by digitalization. This forms the basis of re-shaping the concept of power in the world. Digital identities play a key role in sustaining conflicts and peace in this new balance of power. With digitalization, individuals get numerous identities and have the opportunity to form a joint identity with other individuals and groups at a micro level. These new identities formed in micro level against macro identities are becoming an organic structure that has horizontal and vertical components in order to establish peace in the world by creating time, place and memories. This enables the concept of peace to have multiple intelligence in digital platforms. The aim of this study is to search the power and effect of micro-identities which are formed in virtual platforms and in the process of building social peace in the digital world.

Tackling Islamic Terrorism and Radicalism in Indonesia by Increasing the Sense of Humanity and Friendship

In regard to the rise of Islamic terrorism and fundamentalism, this paper aims to (1) explore the ways in changing jihadists' mind and behavior; that is, by guiding them away from “war situation” and by persuading them to conduct good deeds and to relate Islam to daily life such as by giving sermons on peace or helping others. To the convicted terrorists, the authors present the project findings showing that developing dialogs about humanity and peace could increase the level of cognitive complexity through which it can lead them to be more positive to others. (2) The authors also discuss religious fundamentalism and how to deal with it. Two studies revealed that although eliminating religious fundamentalism is almost not possible, there are still ways to lead them to have positive perceptions toward other religious groups. One of them is to make the fundamentalists believe that Muslims and Islam perceive non-Muslims in a positive way, instead of in a negative way.

Sacred and Secular Activists Are Now Joining Their Strategies for Peacebuilding

The common ground approaches of the new peace networks are based on an implicit trust in the human spirit, be that defined sacredly or secularly. When there is recognition of common humanity, innate spiritual qualities of tolerance, compassion, forgiveness, and love can be awakened. With these positive human qualities present, it is easier for people to shift their mindset. A new consciousness arises, one where they can start to discern that the “others” are not the problem, but rather that they may share similar problems, such as poverty, corruption, or political manipulation. From there, it is possible to face problems together instead of attacking each other. In essence, the approach was similar to a meditation practice: help a person move beyond fear, expand their identity or consciousness, and experience a sense of oneness or connection with other people and nature. This process opens people to their innate spiritual potential and allows them to tap into collective creativity and possibly higher states of consciousness to identify win-win solutions.

Interethnic Conflicts

The argument in this Chapter is that the key to bringing about lasting ethnic peace and harmony in Kenya – and in the rest of Africa – lies in understanding the attitudes and values found in community folktales. Folktales reflect a community's attempt to give form and shape to its hopes and fears and answers to its important questions. They touch on the very core of who they are, both personally and corporately. When it comes under threat, a community will return to its traditional stories to look for direction and to regain a sense of what made it great in the past and what will nurture it into the future. The Chapter uses examples from Kenya where a disastrous post-election ethnic violence in 2008 landed several prominent Kenyans at International Criminal Court in The Hague charged with crimes against humanity.

Education for a New Age

Time immemorial education has been experimenting and diversifying. In this digital age everything seems mundane. Life appears in turmoil. The earth is trembling by actions of ignorant people. In this circumstance, it is common thought to establish peace in this lovely world. To get peace we have to go to the core part of man the psychic. It is the leader of the march. The nature of the psychic is semblance with soul, i.e. Truth, Beauty, Power, Love, Wisdom, Light, Peace etc. These are Godly qualities. Each human being has two paths namely God and devil. Devil's path directs to become and show demon like behaviors. God's path leads to become divine and show the divine qualities. For peace and harmony, we have to discover the psychic and follow the integral approach of education. The essence of this education is fusion of spirit and matter. Here both teacher and taught seek together the wisdom. School will be considered as a Temple where every learner will go with love. God is the source of all knowledge. The teacher is a medium to connect the learner with the Source.

Peacebuilding, Media, and Terrorism in 21st Century and Beyond

The 21st century faced challenges that undermine peace and harmony among humankind on the planet earth. Apart from scary man made environmental related calamities, the 21st century emerged with the mass media era, where the internet, digital and social media based threats and terrorizing propaganda has catapulted to unspeakable and unprecedented extreme radicalization from all over the globe. The propaganda messages are spread at the lightning speed, from one end of the globe to another instantly, and impacts of the outcomes shake the core of humanity from psychological, political, and socioeconomic aspects as well. Through available literature, this chapter examines the impacts of digital media to peace and conflict resolution, and investigates the psychosocial aspects and modules or hypotheses of media and paths to terrorism behavior as well. Hypotheses suggest a strong link leading to association between digital media and pathways to terrorism and associated psychological impacts.

Minimizing the Danger of Nuclear Weapons

Many of those concerned about global peace advocate a policy of nuclear disarmament in order to eliminate the danger posed by these weapons. The logic is that eliminating the weapons would eliminate the danger they pose. But I argue that these are separate goals, that eliminating the weapons would not eliminate the danger, and in fact might make it worse. After the cold war, many thought that it was finally possible to rid the world of nuclear weapons, but since 1991, the world has not moved substantially towards this goal. The reason is that nuclear weapons create a security dilemma in which efforts to use them to make societies safer, through the practice of nuclear deterrence, end up making them less safe. This is because efforts (through minimum deterrence) to use them to avoid a deliberate nuclear attack create risk of nuclear war by escalation, and efforts (through counterforce deterrence) to minimize the risk of nuclear war by escalation, create the risk of deliberate nuclear attack. The way out of this dilemma is through delegitimization of nuclear weapons.

Understanding Our Potential for Love and Peace

In this presentation, we explore a view of our human potential as an intuitive and evolving understanding on a personal level. Using a phenomenological approach, rather than a traditional analytical social science approach, we can discover the vital qualitative aspects that are not normally considered in a traditional quantitative analysis. The nature of universal love and peace are more experiential and subjective at a primary level, involving a deeper inquiry from the individual's perspective, interpretation and experience. Consciousness and self-awareness are central themes that are essential to a sustainable humanity and planet in this unparalleled epoch of quantum change. Technology, and the more recently emerging real-time worldwide social interactions, are accelerating this new paradigm where typical survival instincts are transforming into creative and collaborative, holistic actions on a global scale. Love and peace are the core attributes leading this shift of the ages and it is all beginning from within.

Importance of Classroom Settings in Educational Institutions to Promote Peacebuilding Through a Specific Intended Learning Outcome

Over the decades, there has been an emphasis on the importance of peace education for improving culture of peace in society. The effect of this is very much important and attached to classroom settings in education, because classroom settings in a culture of peace situation have created an enabling environment for stakeholders to get engaged in activities, that are geared towards building positive peace. It indicated that peace education creates conducive environments to meet the emotional, social, and intellectual needs of diverse groups of individuals interested in empowering themselves. The emphasis on classroom settings and peace education is based on the fact that these two areas are inseparable aspects of culture of peace. No culture of peace is truly progressive without the universal principles of peace building.