Creating the conditions for peacemaking: theories of practice in ethnic conflict resolution

Establishing the conditions for effective intergroup peacemaking is a formidable task in severe ethnic conflicts. Conflict resolution practitioners argue that a critical first step is developing preconditions which convince competing groups that there are opponents to whom it is worth talking, that it is possible to create structural changes conducive to a stable peace, and that an agreement is possible which can meet each side's basic concerns and needs. This article compares six theories of practice of ethnic conflict resolution: community relations, principled negotiation; human needs; psychoanalytically rooted identity; intercultural miscommunications and conflict transformation, examining how each understands ethnic conflict; the goals it articulates; the effects of good practice on participants in interventions; the mechanisms by which the project achieves its impact; and the dynamics of transfer affecting the course of a wider conflict. It is argued that clearer articulation of these assumptions will improve both theory and practice in the search for settlements to severe ethnic conflict.     

Teaching ethnic and racial relations: some comments on Michael Banton

Banton's critique of race and ethnic relations highlights differences between the U.K. and the U.S.A. The interplay between ethnic politics and the teaching of the subject in the universities reflects differing reactions to the demise of Marxism, the impact of globalization and the growth of transnationalism. In America, anthropology, economics, cultural studies and conflict resolution have had a mixed impact on the field, but an examination of textbooks over the past thirty years - as well as Banton's prolific scholarship - suggests that most of the core problems remain the same.     

The impact of civil conflict on child health: Evidence from Colombia

Internal armed conflicts have become more common and more physically destructive since the mid-20th century, with devastating consequences for health and development in low- and middle-income countries. This paper investigates the causal impacts of the long-term internal conflict on child health in Colombia, following an identification strategy based on the temporal and geographic variation of conflict intensity. We estimate the effect of different levels of conflict intensity on height-for-age (HAZ), weight-for-age (WAZ), and weight-for-height z-scores among children under five years old, and explore the underlying potential mechanisms, through maternal health behavior and health care utilization. We find a harmful effect of exposure to conflict violence in utero and in early childhood for HAZ and WAZ, in the full sample and even more strongly in the rural sample, yet these estimates are smaller than those found for shorter term conflicts. The underlying pathways appear to operate around the time of the pregnancy and birth (in the form of maternal alcohol use, use of antenatal care and skilled birth attendance), rather than during the post-birth period (via breastfeeding or vaccination), and the impacts accumulate over the childhood. The most adverse impacts of conflict violence on child health and utilization of maternal healthcare were observed in municipalities which suffered from intermittent presence of armed groups.     

Resolving the Conflicts Between Biodiversity Conservation and Socioeconomic Development in China: Fuzzy Clustering Approach

Resolving the conflicts between biodiversity conservation and socioeconomic development is a global pursuit for the long-run prospects of the human species. Based on Wenchuan County, a typical county in southwestern China, a group of 20 indicators quantifying regional biodiversity and socioeconomic development was established to classify and evaluate the county area spatially. A fuzzy c-means clustering (FCM) algorithm was used as the classification method. Three indices including BD, DL and DR characterizing the value of biodiversity, the level and rate of socioeconomic development of the delineated regions were formulated. The results indicated that Wenchuan County was optimally classified into 4 types of regions (region I to IV). The area percentages of the regions vary widely from 4.3 to 65.7%. The sequences of the regions on biodiversity, socioeconomic development level, and socioeconomic development rate were, respectively, IV > II > III > I, I > III > II > IV and III >I >II >IV. The spatial strategy on coordinating biodiversity conservation and regional development is to develop mainly from the east(I, II, III) and to conserve mainly in the west(IV). Eco-industry, such as eco-tourism and eco-agriculture, need to be emphasized in the process of regional development. The quantitative methods used here may have a wide applicability.     

Actual numbers and effects of recreational disturbance on the distribution and behaviour of Greylag Geese (Anser Anser) in the Neusiedler See – Seewinkel National Park Area

The Neusiedler See – Seewinkel National Park area is confronted with a remarkable increase in tourism and recreational activities during the last years. The “Koppel” area, situated on the eastern shore of the lake, is one of the most important breeding sites for Greylag Geese. Behaviour and distribution of the geese on the breeding site as well as touristic activities on the adjacent road leading along the Koppel were examined to investigate relations and interactions between the Greylag Goose population and tourism. Taking into account the excellent weather and breeding conditions in the year 2000 the results of the survey indicate a stable or even rising Greylag population, increasing numbers of visitors and high disturbance frequencies in the vicinity of the study area. The number of disturbances on the adjacent road seems to affect the suitability of the site in general, leading to a specific temporal and spatial distribution of the birds, whereas different disturbance qualities result in changes of the birds behaviour.     

Patterns of intermediate host use and levels of association between two conflicting manipulative parasites.

For many parasites with complex life cycles, manipulation of intermediate host phenotypes is often regarded as an adaptation to increase the probability of successful transmission. This phenomenon creates opportunities for either synergistic or conflicting interests between different parasite species sharing the same intermediate host. When more than one manipulative parasite infect the same intermediate host, but differ in their definitive host, selection should favour the establishment of a negative association between these manipulators. Both Polymorphus minutus and Pomphorhynchus laevis exploit the amphipod Gammarus pulex as intermediate host but differ markedly in their final host, a fish for P. laevis and a bird for P. minutus. The pattern of host use by these two conflicting manipulative parasites was studied. Their incidence and intensity of infection and their distribution among G. pulex were first examined by analysing three large samples of gammarids collected from the river Tille, Eastern France. Both parasites had low prevalence in the host population. However, temporal fluctuation in the level of parasitic infection was observed. Overall, prevalence of both parasite species was higher in male than in female G. pulex. We then assessed the degree of association between the two parasites among their intermediate hosts, using two different methods: a host-centred measure and a parasite-centred measure. Both measures gave similar results; showing random association between the two acanthocephalan species in their intermediate hosts. We discuss our results in relation to the selective forces and ecological constraints that may determine the pattern of association between conflicting manipulative parasites.     

Breeding performance of Indian Sarus Crane Grus antigone antigone in the paddy crop agroecosystem

The breeding performance of the Indian Sarus Crane Grusantigone antigone Linn. was studied in the agriculturallandscape of Gujarat, India during 1996. Detailed records of a total of22 nests were compiled from egg-laying till fledging. Eleven clutches(50.0%) produced at least one chick. Ten clutches (45.45%) weredestroyed due to various mortality factors, and one clutch (4.50%)failed to hatch. Of the 10 pairs whose clutches were destroyed, at leastfour renested. Renesting in the wild was reported for the first time.Egg destruction was mainly due to flooding (12.20%), predation (21.95%)and conflicts with farmers (14.64%). Predation accounted for 31.58% ofchick mortality. The egg and chick mortality factors identified wereunique to the agricultural ecosystem. The number of chicks that hatched andof chicks fledged per nest did not differ significantly in differentmicrohabitats. Hatching success was higher in non-cultivableagricultural marshland (68.18%) compared to paddy cultivated marshland(38.48%), mainly due to human disturbance and higher predation risk.Overall breeding success was 19.51%. Juveniles comprised only 8.96% ofthe total number of Sarus Cranes sighted during the post-breedingperiod. One of the causes of poor breeding performance in theagricultural landscape was increasing conflict with the farmers, whosuffer economic loss due to nesting in the crop field. If compensated,farmers may help in Sarus Crane conservation efforts.     

How ecology shapes exploitation: a framework to predict the behavioural response of human and animal foragers along exploration–exploitation trade‐offs

Understanding how humans and other animals behave in response to changes in their environments is vital for predicting population dynamics and the trajectory of coupled social‐ecological systems. Here, we present a novel framework for identifying emergent social behaviours in foragers (including humans engaged in fishing or hunting) in predator–prey contexts based on the exploration difficulty and exploitation potential of a renewable natural resource. A qualitative framework is introduced that predicts when foragers should behave territorially, search collectively, act independently or switch among these states. To validate it, we derived quantitative predictions from two models of different structure: a generic mathematical model, and a lattice‐based evolutionary model emphasising exploitation and exclusion costs. These models independently identified that the exploration difficulty and exploitation potential of the natural resource controls the social behaviour of resource exploiters. Our theoretical predictions were finally compared to a diverse set of empirical cases focusing on fisheries and aquatic organisms across a range of taxa, substantiating the framework's predictions. Understanding social behaviour for given social‐ecological characteristics has important implications, particularly for the design of governance structures and regulations to move exploited systems, such as fisheries, towards sustainability. Our framework provides concrete steps in this direction.     

Estradiol and neuropeptide Y (intra-lateral septal) reduce anxiety-like behavior in two animal models of anxiety

Anxiolytic-like effects of intra-lateral septal nuclei (LSN) infusions of the neuropeptide Y (NPY) alone or combined with estradiol benzoate were assessed in ovariectomized Wistar rats in two animal models of anxiety-like behavior. In a conflict test, immediately punished responses were assessed: 17-beta-estradiol (50.0microg/rat, P<0.05) plus vehicle (intra-LSN) or intra-LSN infusions of NPY (2.5microg/microl, P<0.05; 3.0microg/mul, P<0.05) plus vehicle (systemic route) or the combination of subthreshold doses of 17-beta-estradiol (25.0microg/kg) plus intra-LSN infusions of NPY (2.0microg/mul, P<0.05) increased the amount of immediately punished reinforcers. In the elevated plus-maze test several spatial-temporal variables were evaluated: 17-beta-estradiol (50.0microg/kg, P<0.05) plus vehicle (intra-LSN) or intra-LSN infusions of NPY (2.5microg/mul, P<0.05; 3.0microg/mul, P<0.05) plus vehicle (systemic route) or the combination of subthreshold doses of 17-beta-estradiol (25.0microg/kg) plus intra-LSN infusions of NPY (2.0microg/mul, P<0.05) produced anxiolytic-like actions without affecting locomotion. It is concluded that estradiol or NPY may produce anxiolytic-like actions and that subthreshold doses of estradiol and subthreshold doses of NPY when combined produced anxiolytic-like actions.