Journal of Human Rights and Peace Studies

Mathias Risse and the Concept of Collective Ownership of the Earth for Responsible to Migration Issues in the Present Day

Phao Nawakul — 2026-03-26

In this study of Mathias Risse’s work, the researcher aims to demonstrate that political philosophy is not dead but continues to thrive as a meaningful framework for addressing global issues. It calls to interested scholars to trace the intellectual development of Mathias Risse's concept of "Collective Ownership of the Earth." Risse's theoretical framework draws on two main sources: first, the works of political philosophers in the Global Political Philosophy or Cosmopolitanism area, such as Peter Singer and Thomas Pogge; and second, the religious notions of "Gift of God" and "Freedom of the Seas." Moreover, the Gift of God notion reflects the roots of connecting with the issue of migration, as illustrated in the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, in cases such as Ger, Ruth, and Jesus. Risse's connection of his ideas to the issue of migration follows a pattern similar to Testaments. Mathias Risse's development of the idea of "Collective Ownership of the Earth" in response to the issue of migration is more concrete than the proposal of most philosophers, which tend to be highly abstract. Risse advances a framework grounded in diverse philosophical ideas, including reciprocity, the overuse and underuse of resources, the measurement of value in relation to resources and culture, and the role of regulatory bodies overseeing human rights, among others. This proposal was developed into a set of suggested solutions that were linked to the social contexts of the Netherlands, Australia, Kiribati, the United States, and Canada, thereby making the idea clearer and more concrete.

Dynamics of the Peaceful Countermovements in Southern Thailand

Chayanon Kongkakul — 2026-06-30

This research aims to explain the countermovement against violence in Thailand's southern border provinces, which has emerged from the conflict among movements, the state, and countermovements. It also seeks to develop a correlation model to describe the interactions among these actors and to identify the mechanisms and processes underlying the interactions during the period from 2004 to 2024. A mixed-methods research approach is employed. The qualitative component is based on documentary research and a review of 207 works to analyze and explain the situation in the southern border provinces. This paper enables a better understanding of the emergence and decline of various forms of resistance in the region. The quantitative component involves content analysis to study the status of the countermovement against violence, which has evolved through four distinct phases of conflict. This evolution reflects a growing awareness that "violence contradicts the normal or peaceful state of society" and is a major cause of the ongoing cycle of conflict. This realization has led to increased involvement by various actors, such as civil society organizations and international organizations, who have incorporated peace-based approaches into their operations, with variation across different periods. In the first phase, where violence escalated, efforts are focused on providing relief and support to those affected. In contrast, during the third phase, marked by a gradual decline in violence, efforts are focused on strengthening local capacity, improving effectiveness, and advancing a peace process to resolve the conflict.

Nonviolent Action: Reconsidering Operation and Factors for Successes and Failures

Uchen Cheangsen — 2026-04-17

This research article seeks to present a foundational understanding of nonviolent action as a method of confronting conflict without the use of physical violence. The operation of nonviolent action rests upon the theoretical premise that political power ultimately derives from the consent of the governed. Consequently, this power can be diminished by strategically restricting its sources through various methods. This approach is more effective than violent methods. Moreover, nonviolent actions create more opportunities for negotiation and dialogue. The factors contributing to the success of nonviolent movements can be grouped into three main categories: (1) structural conditions or political opportunity structures, which provide either enabling or constraining contexts for mobilizing people; (2) organizational and mobilizational factors, requiring systematic preparation and collective coordination, whereby mass participation enhances both the diversity and effectiveness of tactics; and (3) external factors, particularly state responses, which are shaped by the dynamic interaction between opposition actions and state reactions. While severe repression may stifle mobilization, excessive state violence can also generate regime defections, a critical determinant of movement success. Importantly, nonviolent strategies provide greater opportunities for such defections compared to violent ones.

Internally Displaced Persons’ Resilience: An Analysis of Southeast Myanmar Airstrike (Civil War) Survivors’ Experiences for Better Solutions of Humanitarian Aid Programs

Suphatmet Yunyasit — 2026-06-29

This study investigates the experiences of internally displaced persons who are also airstrike survivors in Hpapun (Mutraw) District, Karen (Kayin) State, Myanmar. It highlights the importance of resilience and localized strategies used by IDPs, as well as the human rights challenges they encounter. The study uses a qualitative research design, including in-depth interviews with 10 IDPs from Hpapun District and 6 representatives from humanitarian aid organizations, with qualitative data analysis as the main analytical approach. The findings show that: (1) in the three domains of resilience—managing risks, adapting to change and securing basic needs—IDPs in Hpapun perceive their greatest weaknesses are in adapting to change and securing basic needs. In these areas, they are heavily dependent on outside players, especially religious leaders and humanitarian agencies, to sustain their resilience; (2) Most IDP participants are subjected to multiple human rights abuses, such as inadequate access to food, health care and education as well as sexual violence in displacement settings; and (3) Humanitarian and civil society groups that continue to be major providers of basic services despite the restrictions of military operations can improve IDPs’ resilience by providing them with practical survival skills and appropriate information for contingency planning, thereby improving their risk management ability.

Examining the Challenges of South Asian NHRIs: De Facto Independence and Domestic Constraints

Farhana Syead — 2026-05-17

Against the backdrop of student-led movements across South Asia challenging systemic discrimination, corruption, and human rights abuses, this article explores the difficulties faced by National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) in the region. By reviewing annual reports, official websites, stakeholder assessments, and other relevant sources from three randomly selected NHRIs—Bangladesh, India, and Sri Lanka—it seeks to identify obstacles to their effectiveness and suggest practical solutions. The paper identifies concerns regarding the de facto independence of these NHRIs, noting that the three institutions studied in South Asia face notable constraints in their investigative authority, appointment and selection mechanisms, and the adequacy of financial and resource allocations. The study reveals that domestic challenges for these NHRIs include politicization, an excessive focus on individual complaints, the reluctance of authorities to implement recommendations, unrealistic public expectations, and societal divisions. The paper demonstrates that while international involvement may have contributed more to the establishment of NHRIs than domestic initiatives, human rights promotion and protection depend more on domestic action than on international efforts. It argues that institutional reforms consistent with the Paris Principles, coupled with awareness campaigns on NHRIs' roles and mandates, are essential to address these obstacles.

Religious Rights and Freedom as an Alternative Path for Bhikkhunī Ordination in Thailand: A Proposal for Sri Lankan Lineage Ordination

Noppachai Thiratitsakun — 2026-06-26

This article explores the issue of religious rights and freedom as an alternative path for Bhikkhunī ordination in Thailand. Although Buddhist teachings emphasize equality by granting both men and women intellectual freedom to cultivate themselves toward the ultimate goal of Nibbāna, the ordination of bhikkhunīs remains contested within Thai society. The central challenge lies not in national law—which protects religious freedom - but in the Theravāda Vinaya, which sets conditions for female ordination that are currently viewed as unfulfilled in Thailand. Thai women ordained in Sri Lanka insist that their bhikkhunī status is valid under the Theravāda tradition. This situation has raised questions about recognition and legitimacy within the Thai Sangha. This article argues that a constructive solution might involve the Thai state and the Sangha Supreme Council formally recognizing a bhikkhunī saṅgha under the designation of the Sri Lankan lineage. Furthermore, clear guidelines for ordaining women should be developed to ensure consistency with both Vinaya principles and Thai law. Such measures would affirm gender equality in religious practice, while addressing institutional concerns surrounding bhikkhunī ordination in Thailand. This approach would create a legally recognized pathway for women who wish to be ordained, while simultaneously providing the Sangha institution with a clear regulatory mechanism. This proposal, therefore, addresses both the principle of gender equality and the institution's administrative concerns.

Reimagining Peacebuilding: Reconceptualizing Agency and Emerging Conflicts in the Posthuman Era

sujin jeong — 2026-05-17

This article reimagines the anthropocentric peacebuilding paradigm in response to the multifaceted challenges of the posthuman era. Using conceptual and philosophical methodology, this study engages Actor-Network Theory and Simondon’s theory of individuation, expanding the concept of agency toward nonhuman actors. It identifies emerging social, ecological, and ethical conflicts, distinguishes them from traditional conflicts, and critiques current peacebuilding practices. The analysis explores ontological and epistemological shifts necessary for this transition, attending to distributed cognition and responsibility entangled between human and nonhuman actors. This article contributes to the field by providing a philosophical and conceptual framework for human-nonhuman coevolution. It also proposes a minimum operational framework for posthumanist peacebuilding and outlines how this ontological shift translates into practical peace governance through three core principles: relational impact assessment, shared vulnerability examination, and the adoption of multifaceted and distributed responsibility protocols. Ultimately, it argues that a posthumanist approach remains necessary for addressing the complexities of technological autonomy and the climate crisis while enabling human–nonhuman coevolution.

Editorial Note

Mst Umme Habiba Fahmina Karim — 2026-06-30