Systemic Influences of Newcomer Violence in Canada

As a result of the perception that newcomer youths are inherently dangerous, there is a limited understanding of the systemic factors in Canadian society that contribute to newcomer youths susceptibility to involvement in criminal activity or violence. Therefore, there is also limited information about what can be done to better support newcomer youths that are vulnerable to involvement in dangerous or illegal activity. It is my contention that while existing research is valuable in that it discusses how family, education, and community impact newcomer youth violence, the degree to which these factors are systemic is under-represented. In order to adequately intervene and prevent newcomer youth violence and criminal activity it is necessary to avoid demonizing the individual and, instead, focus on holding public policy accountable and changing social, political, and economic systems.

Understanding Peacebuilding in Derry/Londonderry, Northern Ireland

Two qualitative data sets from 2010 and 2016 are compared to explore the respondents’ perceptions of peacebuilding in the wake of the 1998 Belfast Agreement (BA) and the ensuing peace process. Fifty-two Civil Society Organization (CSO) leaders from Londonderry/Derry were interviewed during the summer of 2010 to delve into their perceptions of the BA, and building cross community contact through peacebuilding and reconciliation processes. The International Fund for Ireland and the European Union Peace Fund funded these respondents CSO peacebuilding projects. They held many viewpoints on peacebuilding. Seven grassroots peacebuilders from Derry/Londonderry were interviewed in 2016. These peacebuilders revealed that Northern Ireland has a long way to go to build an authentic and genuine peace. A key stumbling block to the Northern Ireland peace process is heightened societal segregation that results from the BA institutionalizing sectarianism, and the recent fallout from Brexit. Politicians continue to refuse addressing the past that has long-term implications for peace.

From Religion and Resources to Conflict: the Yazidis and ISIS

The Yazidis, surely one of the most unknown communities in the Middle East, made it to the front page of international media in 2014 when the Dáesh added them to their long list of victims. However, it was not the first time in history that this community suffered direct attacks and discrimination for their religion. On October 5, Iraq celebrated the award of the Nobel Peace Prize to one of its citizens, Nadia Murad, awarded for her fight against the use of sexual violence as a weapon in armed conflict. With this, Murad placed her people, the Yazidis, a religious minority in northern Iraq, in the center of hundreds of articles in the international press. Murad was also the first Kurd to win the award, which made her, as stated by the leader of the Kurdistan National Party, a symbol of firmness for Kurdish women and youth.