Citizenship transformations in a global world

Working Group Reports

Lisa — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 14:04:46 +0000

The working groups represented the main bulk of academic debates during the conference. They were organized thematically and chaired by senior development researchers and practitioners. Please find below the key issues and findings emerging from each of the working group sessions, with the proceedings summarized by the coordinator of each working group.

Working Group 1

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:51:17 +0000

Working Group 1: Aid, Fragile States and Conflict

Chair: Prof. Juhani Koponen (juhani.m.koponen[at]helsinki.fi)
Coordinator: Dr Lauri Siitonen (lauri.siitonen[at]jyu.fi)

The working group had three sessions, each with a loose theme. The first session included three papers which looked into the role of aid in fragile’ or ‘failing’ states, with Nepal and Somalia as the case countries. In particular, the role of faith-based (Islamic) organisations and various theories of state-building were discussed. It was also pointed out that different narratives (‘histories’) may lead to different (national) identities.

In the second session there were two papers which addressed the new aid architecture and dynamics from the point of view of new EU member states and the empirical conditions of peace and political order. Factors common to all new member states (strengths in assisting transition, weakness in knowing the really poor countries in Africa and Asia) as well as national differences were discussed. The analytical division between what is there and – from a liberal-democracy perspective – what ought to be there provoked a lively discussion on the dynamics of aid in fragile situations.

The third session saw two papers focusing on questions of good governance, with Bangladesh and Mozambique as the case countries. Definitions of good (enough) governance and different data bases and their effects on the local level were discussed.

- Proceedings by Dr Lauri Siitonen

Working Group 2

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:51:10 +0000

Working Group 2: Climate Change, Energy and Environmental Risks

Chair: Dr Irmeli Mustalahti (irmeli.mustalahti[at]helsinki.fi)
Coordinator: Ms. Lisa Marika Jokivirta (lisa.m.jokivirta[at]jyu.fi)

This working group convened over a two-day period to discuss themes of environmentally induced conflict, where climate change, livelihood and human security are directly linked. The first day was devoted to examining multi-faceted issues in climate change, including natural disasters, food security, diminishing natural resources and the gendered aspects of climate change. The second day was more specifically focused on the United Nations Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (UN REDD) Initiative.

It was acknowledged that climate change is not simply an environmental issue – it is also a human one. It was emphasized that although REDD, for example, is surely about forests, it is ultimately about the communities living within them. A healthy dose of criticism is thus required with regards to the implementation of mechanisms such as REDD: to what extent does REDD promote community capacity-building so that the local people are able to monitor the results? What is the longer-term sustainability of REDD? Is it likely to lead to poverty alleviation, and are key considerations such as gender equity being addressed? In terms of land ownership, who actually owns the land? What kind of security or sustainability can be ensured if local community members are without rights to land ownership?

There was a general consensus that the theoretical and conceptual grounding of the link between climate change and human security needs to be deepened and diversified. A critical approach is required, one which takes into account the power structures embedded in human-nature and North-South relations. The need for gender mainstreaming in climate change research and policy was also emphasized. Participants called for more research and sex-disaggregated data to further explore the potentially differentiated role of women in adaptation and mitigation as well as to diversify the rather simplistic understanding of the climate change-gender link that currently exists.

- Proceedings by Lisa Marika Jokivirta

Working Group 3

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:51:04 +0000

Working Group 3: Financial Crisis and Development

Chair: Prof. Wim Naudé (naude[at]wider.unu.edu)
Coordinator: Mr Joni Valkila (joni.valkila[at]helsinki.fi)

CANCELED

Working Groups 4 and 5

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:50:58 +0000

Joint Working Groups 4 on Gender Equality, Development and Peacebuilding and Working Group 5 on Integrated and Comprehensive Crisis Management

Chairs: Dr Pirjo Jukarainen (pirjo.jukarainen[at]uta.fi) and Kirsi Henriksson (kirsi.henriksson[at]cmcfinland.fi)
Coordinators: Ville-Veikko Pitkänen (ville-veikko.pitkanen[at]cmcfinland.fi) and Jari Mustonen (jari.mustonen[at]cmcfinland.fi)

The working group discussed the implementation of UNSCR 1325, particularly regarding the training of peacekeeping and peacebuilding personnel. Another major point of discussion was the narrow interpretation of UNSCR 1325 and the official UN discourse having a narrow approach to gender (from the point of view of women alone).

The working group also discussed reconciliation (with Rwanda and Columbia as examples) as a precondition to building sustainable peace, as well as the different roles played by regional actors (in this case the ASEAN) in conflict management.

The major outcome of the discussions was the identification of parallel discourses and practices in the field of peacebuilding. The discourses given by politicians, academics as well practioners on UNSCR 1325 and its implementation do not meet. It is of utmost importance that the gender issue be taken into account as a major opportunity to enhance development while using different peacebuilding instruments, such as peacekeeping, civilian crisis management and reconciliation.

- Proceedings by Kirsi Henriksson

Working Group 6

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:50:45 +0000

Working Group 6: Legal Pluralism and Human Rights

Chair: Prof. ad int Jarna Petman (jarna.petman[at]helsinki.fi)
Coordinator: Henri Onodera (henri.onodera[at]helsinki.fi)

The working group examined the various ways in which legal systems and norms, particularly the international law, are constituted and, at times, contested in Southern development contexts. The participants discussed especially the cases of Liberia and Zambia. It was contended that the problematisation of law in itself – a never-ending debate among legal scholars – would greatly benefit development researchers.

Firstly, the notions of law and legality refer to human-made constructs which imply pluralism in themselves, just as moral systems and cultural values are heterogenous. At the same time, the international human rights law represents, due to its formal and universalist character, “the rules of the game” which may empower citizens in various forms and fora. The problem is, however, that legal principles are highly abstract and easily adopted as mere political rhetoric, for instance, in legitimizing various forms of interventionism from small-scale capacity building projects to overseas military operations. As such, the formation and instrumental uses of international law cannot be divorced from politics. Secondly, the national legislations in post-colonial countries base on various sources of law, such as the British Common law, executive discretions, customary laws and local litigation practices as well as the international human rights and property laws that are often backed by international donor agencies. It was suggested that crafting the national legislation in post-conflict situations, such as in Liberia, may benefit from incorporating elements from customary law as a measure to prevent future conflicts between existing social authorities. Finally, concerns were raised as to the methodological challenges in studying legal systems and the ways in which the law functions in and shapes people’s everyday lives. One suggested strategy is to focus on specific court cases, such as corruption charges against Zambia’s second president Frederick Chiluba, and refer to both text-based analysis and ethnographic research on the legal processes and public debates they engender.

- Proceedings by Henri Onodera

Working Group 7

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:50:38 +0000

Working Group 7: Peace Research and Development

Chair: Prof. Tuomo Melasuo (tuomo.melasuo[at]uta.fi)
Coordinator: Mr Gibril Massaquoi (gibmass[at]yahoo.com)

This working group discussed and analyzed the challenges of achieving sustainable peace and development in democratic and authoritarian regimes as well as in post-conflict environments. It was generally found that human security needs are as challenging to address in post-conflict settings as in democratic systems. Issues such as dictatorship, development, unequal wealth-sharing and energy security (water and fuel) constitute a challenge to growing human development needs. It was suggested that dictatorship in some cases brings equal – if not more – development than some democratic governance systems, and that conflict can bring about development just as development interventions can contribute to conflict in certain cases as well.

The working group concluded that conflicts have different existential dimensions depending on the diverse social, cultural, economic, historical and political origins of the conflict. However, what is needed is an emphasis on addressing human development needs without gender bias or the marginalization of some sectors of society. This will require effective monitoring practices and good governance considerations including transparency and accountability to be addressed. Overall, it became clear that peace research should be mainstreamed as a cross-cutting area of study across the wide range of theoretical and more practice-oriented approaches to promoting development. This is because the local and international dimensions of development are increasingly connected, and the reciprocal relation between peace research and development is of growing importance.

- Proceedings by Gibril Massaquoi

Working Group 8

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:50:32 +0000

Working Group 8: Post-conflict Management of Natural Resources

Chair: Prof. Olavi Luukkanen (olavi.luukkanen[at]helsinki.fi)
Coordinator: Dr. Mohamed Elfadl (mohamed.elfadl[at]helsinki.fi)

This working group brought together researchers and students who are interested in the sustainable use and conservation of agricultural and tree-based production systems in regions of previous or ongoing serious political conflicts, with Sudan as one special case. The participants discussed the need for continuity in development projects. VITRI’s continuous activities in Sudan for more than 25 years was cited as an illustrative example of how long-term commitment can bring about good results. The main aim of VITRI’s project to date has been capacity-building and the strengthening of partnerships with and between local level institutions and organizations. Some of the lessons learnt from VITRI’s project include that a multi-stakeholder process must recognize the complex and sometimes conflicting interests of the parties involved in natural resource utilization and management, thereby necessitating multi-stakeholder meetings and dialogue.

It was also suggested that REDD funds and carbon trading cannot be expected to contribute much to sustanable forest management or to generating livelihoods and socio-economic development in developing countries unless there is a fair sharing of benefits among the various stakeholders. Other issues discussed included how to determine best practices; how to assess the quality and impacts of those best practices; what measures are needed and for how long; as well as the core importance and type of monitoring criteria and indicators.

- Proceedings by Dr. Mohamed Elfadl

Working Group 9

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:50:26 +0000

Working Group 9: Poverty, Inequality and Human Security

Chair: Prof. Marja Järvelä (marja.jarvela[at]jyu.fi)
Coordinator: Mr Mikko Perkiö (mikko.perkio[at]uta.fi)

This working group discussed how diverse issues such as tourism, income grants, as well as informal and formal groups can improve livelihoods in various parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. A debate was held on the multiple levels of governance, for example at the global level (HIV/AIDS policies and gender education) or at the local level (managing peace and resettlement after certain conflicts). One of the presenters critically evaluated a basic income initiative in Namibia. Especially insightful was an analysis on how global development issues can be used – besides actual problems – as a means of producing liberal subject.

- Proceedings by Mikko Perkiö

Working Group 10

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:50:17 +0000

Working Group 10: Renewing Peace Education

Chair: Prof. Reijo E. Heinonen (reijo.e.heinonen[at]jippii.fi)
Coordinator: Jani Lassila (jani.lassila[at]helsinki.fi)

This working group noted that national cohesion, a condition of stability, is not assimilation. Cohesion is the complementarity of diverse elements of society in mutual trust and an ethically sound sense of community, where diverse cultures and languages can thrive and prosper. In order to achieve a sense of national cohesion, a healthy sense of local community and citizenship is necessary. If achieved and felt at the local level, this concept is more readily transferrable to the national level.

Teachers were cited as being potentially central agents of social change at the local level. Teacher training aiming at such change would include essential elements of peace education, interfaith dialogue, and cultural diversity. Such education–driven progress in villages and localities could act as piloting examples whose experience could then be utilized within a broader process of social development in the country. Women’s participation was also noted as a crucial factor in building peaceful societies. Peace education, for example, should aim to raise awareness of the potential role and contributions of women to peacebuilding efforts.

Many grassroots-level initiatives as well as ongoing UN-based projects exist within the interfaith dialogue and cultural diversity movement. The problem is, however, the lack of well-organized citizen information channels of such projects and their results. Better grassroots-level information dissemination channels would help in building bridges between people from different cultures and promoting peaceful dialogue.

- Proceedings by Jani Lassila and Partow Izadi