Master's theses in peace and conflict transformation: Recent submissions
Now showing items 161-180 of 254
-
Hot tensions in a cold region: territory and peace in the European Arctic
(Master thesis; Mastergradsoppgave, 2014-05-15)This thesis focuses on relations between territorial issues and peace in the European Arctic. The objective of this research is to examine region‘s political decision makers‘ views and reflections on state of peace in the European Arctic and how it is influenced by territorial disputes. It utilizes a conceptual framework based on theory of zones of peace. The results of qualitative research indicate ... -
'Witch' hunt in contemporary Tanzania : exploring cultural and structural factors leading to violence against women in a Sukuma village
(Master thesis; Mastergradsoppgave, 2004)The presented work investigates root causes behind contemporary ‘witch’ hunt in Tanzania and is based on a four months research in the region Shinyanga in Tanzania. For many years elderly women in Tanzania’s north-western region have been victims of brutal collective violence, accused of being ‘witches’. While some manage to flee, others are killed in their home villages. The perpetrator is the ... -
The Kabarett of the Kynics. Satirical Peace Activism in an Era of Enlightened False Consciousness?
(Master thesis; Mastergradsoppgave, 2014-02-24)»›We‹, the ›enlightened‹ peace students; the ›informed public‹ might even have a good feeling to be involved in do-good NGOs and other help-the-world groups that shout out loud: Kill Kony 2012! Free Syria! Free Africa! Free Kuwait! Free Tibet! Free Libya! -- Free Pizza! But it is us who do fulfil the most cynic notion of a contemporary cynic. In both its contextual and contentual orientation, ›The ... -
Invisible Survivors: NGO-workers Reflections on Male and Female Survivors of Sexual Violence in Gulu, Northern Uganda
(Master thesis; Mastergradsoppgave, 2013-11-15)The objective of this thesis is to map out the NGO-practitioners reflections on male and female survivors of sexual gender based violence (SGBV), in violent “peace” post conflict Gulu, Northern Uganda. To better understand how the NGO-practitioners make sense of sexual violence, perceive its survivors and how they address the survivors’ needs. The empirical data is analysed through a gender lens, ... -
Gender-based violence versus Human Security: Cases from South Sudan
(Master thesis; Mastergradsoppgave, 2013-09-02)This thesis is based on the concept of gender-based violence (GBV), violence that mostly targets women due to socially constructed perceptions about their gender. The context that has been chosen is South Sudan and the analysis has been carried out on the background of a document study of the Transitional Constitution and the customary court system in South Sudan. GBV is a highly prevalent threat ... -
Political Opinion and National Identity: Dilemma of the Sahrawi Ethnic Unity after 38 Years of Diaspora
(Master thesis; Mastergradsoppgave, 2013-08-15)Western Sahara has been called “the last colony” of Africa. The territory was colonized by Spain in 1884. During the pan-Maghreb liberation period in the 1950s, the local population, Sahrawi people also joined the resistance against colonial powers. However, when Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Mauritania obtained own independence as nation-state, the “Maghrebian dream” ended. Western Sahara has not ... -
Am I Norwegian Yet? Government and Grassroots Approaches to Integration: The Introduction Act and the Tea Time Campaign
(Master thesis; Mastergradsoppgave, 2013-06-01)This thesis examines different approaches and methods used for the integration of immigrants in Norway. The study compares two different cases. The first is the government‟s main tool of integration, the introduction program for newly arriving refugees. The second is an initiative from a civil society non-governmental organization, The Norwegian Center against Racism, call the Tea Time campaign. The ... -
Sacrifice and devotion among women in the Communist Party of Peru
(Master thesis; Mastergradsoppgave, 2010)In 2001 ended a 21 years long violent conflict between the Peruvian state and the Peruvian Communist Party (PCP). During the violent period were hundreds of women and men imprisoned for affiliation to the PCP. The PCP had a significant number of women participating in the violence, these women were present in all levels of the party. The PCP represented a higher level of female political participation ... -
Is It Always the Economic Stupid?: Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) and Petroviolence in the Niger Delta of Nigeria
(Master thesis; Mastergradsoppgave, 2013-05-13)Economics narratives concluded that the availability of natural resources propels conflict and underdevelopment instead of stability and progress in resource-rich states; that the drive and duration of conflict in resource-rich states rest on three premises: Financing – appropriation of natural resources by the rebel or militia groups, Recruitment – opportunity to induce fighting power and thirdly ... -
Functionings and Failures: Challenges to Human Security as a Local Capability
(Master thesis; Mastergradsoppgave, 2013-06-01)This thesis focusses on the perspectives of community level actors in Liberia regarding their efforts to pursue locally valued human security objectives. It utilizes a theoretical framework based on human security, the capabilities approach, and the Copenhagen school of securitization to evaluate local actor agency and how that agency is impacted by imbalanced power relations with national and ... -
Cod Peace - Peace, Crises, and the Joint Norwegian-Russian Fisheries Commission
(Master thesis; Mastergradsoppgave, 2013-05-16)The thesis uses a peace-studies perspective to examine the relationship between crises, peace-values, and the Joint Norwegian-Russian Fisheries Commission. It uses crises as focal points to shed light on values, and to explore alternatives. The thesis has triangular data collection at its empiric basis, and uses 4 qualitative interviews along with Commission protocols, to better understand the ... -
Building Houses into Homes: Essential Networks and Informal Living in Cape Town, South Africa
(Master thesis; Mastergradsoppgave, 2013-06-01)This study explores the potential assets of informal living as a consequence of historical spatial planning and urbanization in Cape Town South Africa. Micro realities of informal living are illustrated against a backdrop of wider socio-political policies that effectively produce informal settlements through arguably flawed housing delivery systems. Qualitative interviews conducted across a small ... -
The USSR/Russia, Norway and international co-operation on environmental matters in the Arctic, 1984-1996
(Master thesis; Mastergradsoppgave, 2013-05-14)This thesis examines the USSR, Norway and international cooperation on environmental matters in the Arctic (1984-1996). During the Cold War, the region attracted much attention from of the main adversaries. It was a playground for strategic planners and a laboratory for the improvement of military technology. But at the same time these territories were also – at least potentially – a source for ... -
Isn’t it too early to drop out of school? A study of girls’ education in the Chepang community of Nepal
(Master thesis; Mastergradsoppgave, 2013-06-01)This thesis examines the problem of girls’ illiteracy in one of the poorest and most disadvantaged indigenous communities of Nepal – the Chepang community. The problem of education in this community is very serious, since a significant portion of its members have never been to school and can neither read nor write. The vast majority of uneducated Chepangs are women. The aim of the thesis is to find ... -
Toy Gun instead of Doll: Politicization of Children's Literature in the Declining Public Sphere of Iran (1963- 1979)
(Master thesis; Mastergradsoppgave, 2013-05-13)Abstract The present research is an attempt to shed light on the process of politicization of children’s literature in the shaky public realm of Iran during a historical period between 1963 and 1979. The main purpose has been to show how under the pressure of the absolutist regime of Pahlavi many suppressed conflicts have not had any spaces and realms to be manifested and discussed in public or ... -
A MOVE TOWARDS RESTORATIVE JUSTICE IN ETHIOPIA: ACCOMMODATING CUSTOMARY DISPUTE RESOLUTION MECHANISMS WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
(Master thesis; Mastergradsoppgave, 2013-06-01)Restorative justice is an alternative way of thinking about crime and justice which views crime as a violation of a relationship among victims, offenders and community instead of putting a state as a sole victim, and has the objective of “putting right” or “healing” the wrong and to restore the broken relationship in the community. Unlike the restorative justice perspective, the Ethiopian criminal ... -
The Moral Geographies of Political Violence: Using GIS to Map and Explain Public Opinion on Political Violence
(Master thesis; Mastergradsoppgave, 2013-06-02)Conflict research is generally focused on explaining those people that engage in violence. This thesis suggests that we also study ordinary civilians and their opinions and support for violence. Such a civilian-centered research focus is necessary because implicit in much of conflict research there are some underlying assumptions, moral judgments, and geographic ideas about violence-supporters. These ... -
“I don't owe anyone anything”. Draft-avoidance in contemporary Russia
(Master thesis; Mastergradsoppgave, 2013-01-16)This thesis examines draft-avoidance in the context of contemporary Russia. The objective of the research is to shed light on army-avoiders' views and reflections, not only for a better understanding of the issue of the conscription crisis, but also to provide insights into the transition from the Soviet to the Russian era and how young men negotiate and relate to processes of social change. To meet ... -
From lofty rhetorics to workable politics? The case of federalism in post-war Nepal
(Master thesis; Mastergradsoppgave, 2013-02-15)This thesis investigates federalism (state restructuring) through the empirical analysis of the views held on federalism by a few members of the major political parties in Nepal. A decade long conflict was ended when Comprehensive Peace Accord was agreed in 2006. The terms of CPA and the interim constitution became a source of political argument for Nepal’s leaders; controlled and over represented ... -
Life without a husband : enforced disappearance and female livelihoods in Western Nepal
(Master thesis; Mastergradsoppgave, 2012-06-05)This study focuses on the livelihoods of women, whose husbands disappeared during the civil war (1996-2006) in Nepal. It is about the strategies adopted by the women for daily basic needs in absence of their husbands. Being uneducated and rural dwellers, the informants are mostly living on agriculture and other rural activities. Assets especially land, plays a significant role in rural livelihoods. ...