Journal of Human Rights and Peace Studies

Ethnic Democracy, Deterrence and the Monadic Democratic Peace Model in Israel's Policy towards the Palestinians

Yakub Halabi — 2025-12-30

This article examines whether monadic democratic peace theory (MDPT) (a subset of democratic peace theory (DPT)) applies to Israel's policy towards the Palestinians. MDPT assumes that democracies are less likely than non-democracies to initiate war or escalate military threats, and that democracies are more likely to follow the prescriptions of international law, regardless of whether their rival is a democracy. Further, obeying international law provides stability and predictability in a democracy's foreign relations with its neighbors. The article examines both the issues of ethnic democracy and deterrence, which lead to behavior in Israel's foreign policy that is in contradistinction to MDPT. Israel, as an ethnic democracy, seeks to privilege and serve the interests of Jews at the expense of Palestinians in the West Bank. Ethnic democracy is a democracy that fully applies democratic processes of free and fair elections. However, the governing coalition is run by nationalist political parties that seek to privilege their ethnic group and are ready to violate international law in order to serve the interests of that group. Another explanation for Israel's military overreaction is based on the deterrence conception. In light of MDPT, the article scrutinizes Israel's policy of violating international (humanitarian) law, its pre 7/10 blockade of the Gaza Strip, Israel's reaction (jus in bello or law in war) to Hamas's 7/10 attack and whether Israel's actions/response are compatible or not with the assumptions of MDPT.

Analyzing the Evolution of UN Peacekeeping through Positive Peace (1948-2025)

Sabeel Ahmad Naeem — 2025-12-30

United Nations peacekeeping was among the earliest operations and a significant step undertaken by the Security Council in 1948. This initiative established the groundwork for later peace operations. However, over time, peace operations have undergone notable shifts in their roles and mandates, largely driven by evolving conflict dynamics. This paper traces the evolution of UN peace operations from their origins to the present, analyzing them through the lens of positive peace. Using qualitative documents and literature analysis, the research examines primary sources, such as UN reports, and secondary scholarly studies. The study tracks the evolution of peace operations from a traditional observer role to multidimensional operations. The findings indicate that increasing fatalities among peacekeepers, the proliferation of intra-state conflicts and asymmetric warfare, along with environmental pressures and technological challenges, have intensified operational risks. Based on these insights, the study recommends revisiting peacekeeping strategies with theory-informed policies and practical adaptations to enhance the effectiveness of UN peace operations.

The Relevance of Foucault’s Theory of Power to an Understanding of Military Indoctrination, a Culture of Violence and Human Rights Discourse in Myanmar

Cheery Zahau — 2025-09-09

This article examines the intricate dynamics of military indoctrination in Myanmar and its entrenchment of a culture of violence, with particular attention to its implications for human rights discourse. Through a systematic review of secondary literature, the study employs Michel Foucault’s theory of power, focusing on the concepts of repressive and normalizing power. The analysis highlights how the state wields its powers through the military apparatus, employing indoctrination to transform soldiers and perpetuate violence, simultaneously facilitating the normalization of authoritarian rule within broader society. By linking military repression to societal compliance, the study critically interrogates how these power structures shape, limit, and redirect discourses on human rights. Grounded in secondary data, the research warrants further empirical inquiry into the lived experiences and social consequences of military indoctrination processes in Myanmar.

Evaluating Legal Education Reform in Myanmar: Implications for Peace and Justice (2010-2020)

Nan Kham Mai — 2025-12-30

This study examines the reform of legal education through Critical Legal Studies, with a particular focus on how practice-oriented reforms contribute to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16.3 by promoting the rule of law and ensuring equal access to justice. It assesses whether the new legal education system can produce legal professionals who possess not only legal skills but also the motivation to serve society by disseminating knowledge to raise awareness of people's rights, duties, and privileges. The research uses online surveys and interviews to collect information and explore the opinions of lecturers and students on five issues: curriculum, capacity-building, teaching methodology, teaching materials, and research. Drawing on surveys of 33 teaching staff and interviews with 19 faculty members and 18 students from 10 universities, the study found that there has been inequality in implementing all five aspects (curriculum, teaching methodology, capacity-building, research, and academic freedom) of the reforms among universities, teachers, and students to achieve SDG 16.3. The report suggests that the accessibility and equitable distribution of resources should be included in the state’s reform framework and are as important as curriculum reform.

Designing learning activities on climate change through Metaverse media with Spatial Audio to promote environmental awareness among high school students in Khon Kaen Province

Sarayoot Ratsamee — 2025-09-15

This research aimed to 1) study the effect of learning activities on climate change via Metaverse media with spatial audio in promoting environmental awareness of high school students in Khon Kaen Province and 2) study the satisfaction of high school students in Khon Kaen Province towards learning activities on climate change via Metaverse media with spatial audio. The research used a research and development (R&D) model. The sample group was 170 high school students in grades 4 and 5 from schools under the Office of the Secondary Education Service Area, Khon Kaen. The study was conducted both simultaneously and in small groups according to the social studies class schedule. The research instruments were 1) a learning management plan, 2) Metaverse media with spatial audio, 3) a knowledge and understanding test, and 4) a satisfaction assessment form, The statistics used for analysis were mean (x̅), standard deviation (S.D.), percentage, and t-test. The results of the study found that 1) after learning through Metaverse media, students had significantly higher environmental knowledge and awareness scores about climate change at the .01 level compared to their pre-learning scores, and 2) students had the highest level of satisfaction (x̅ = 4.81, S.D. = 0.32). This study indicates that the integration of metaverse technology into environmental learning can promote youth civic awareness in realizing environmental rights, environmental justice, and citizen participation towards sustainable development goals in the future.

Home Visits as a Tool for Promoting Peace Education and Cooperation Between Schools and Families in Borderline Communities

Natataporn Singsorn — 2025-09-15

This study aims to explore the role of home visits as a tool for promoting peace education and cooperation between schools and families in border communities, with a focus on Suphanburi Province. The research used in-depth interviews and participatory observation as the primary data collection methods, selecting 12 key informants from teachers and parents in the study area through purposive sampling. The data obtained from the interviews and observations were analyzed through content synthesis and validated using the triangulation technique. The findings reveal that home visits help foster understanding and build positive relationships between teachers and families in Suphanburi. Teachers gain insights into the daily challenges faced by students, such as economic issues, access to education, and family problems, which directly impact student learning. Home visits also create a space for discussions on peace and coexistence in a diverse society, where parents and teachers can exchange views on cultural and religious differences, which are essential for building peace in the community. Furthermore, home visits contribute to enhancing cooperation between schools and families in addressing educational challenges, particularly in areas with limited resources and access to education. Teachers and parents collaborate to support students' learning, such as organizing supplementary educational activities at home. This cooperation helps foster sustainable, high-quality education.

Political Epistemology and Insufficient Cognizance of the Truth of Climate Change

Theptawee Chokvasin — 2025-10-31

This research is to offer a philosophical examination of climate science knowledge in relation to the justification for the need to address the issue of global warming. This study begins with the observation that there is no universal viewpoint when addressing the implications of climate change. However, researchers in this field suggest that formulating economic and political government policies is essential for facilitating knowledge in recognizing the issue. To establish sustainable cooperation, these policies should encourage the dissemination of knowledge. Nevertheless, the truth about global warming is frequently communicated with insufficient understanding, and in some cases, a lack of awareness, which may prevent individuals from recognizing it as a problem that warrants addressing through a well-integrated, long-term policy. During this investigation, I discovered that these issues are referred to as a narrowing or "trap" that restricts the knowledge of individuals who are not typically climate experts. I then recognized that the issue is associated with the distinction between knowing how global warming policy should be successfully evaluated and knowing that it is a sound phenomenon. The latter is a widely accepted fact, whereas the former is a prediction of the future. This paper argues that when climate science is recognized as having the special characteristics of a consensual truth, the connections between the two, despite their apparent differences, are not so significant as to restrict the public's understanding of climate change to individuals who are not experts.