GCDC Termly Update Spring 2022
In this issue: • The “Do no harm” principle • Conflict and the SDGs • Entering our “Chaotic Era”
Spring update
message from Dr Beth Breeze GCDC director
My new year in 2022 began in the company of two of our wonderful first year GCDC students: Mark from Nigeria and Basma from Palestine had not returned home for the Christmas break, so we celebrated the start of a fresh calendar year together. It was a joy to hear how their first terms had gone, and to learn more about their plans as they settle into their doctoral studies at Kent. Just a few weeks later, the hopefulness of that conversation contrasted sharply with the fear and misery caused by the start of Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine. Our students are conducting research that has global application, including studies of conflict situations, so are following developments particularly closely. They, and all of us connected to GCDC, are watching in horror and sadness as reports of new atrocities emerge every day. The urge to help is strong, and I congratulate all who are using their time and what resources they have, to help fellow students and citizens that are affected by war in Ukraine and in all the many other conflicts that continue to rage and cause suffering around the world. The colour scheme in the front image of this newsletter makes clear that, no matter what part of the world our students are focused on in their research, we are all keeping the proud people of Ukraine in the front of our minds and hearts. Read Beth’s full message: https://research.kent.ac.uk/gcdc/gcdc-director-spring-2022-update/
What’s been happening at the GCDC? Theresa Bachmann
GCDC Student Violetta Ritz Gets Published in Prestigious Environmental Law Journal We congratulate GCDC student Violetta Ritz who recently published her paper “Towards a Methodology for Specifying States’ Mitigation Obligations in Line with the Equity Principle and Best Available Science” in the prestigious Transnational Environmental Law Journal. Well done! Violetta’s PhD research focuses on ways of specifying states’ obligations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by means of an interdisciplinary approach spanning the fields of climate law and climate sciences. To access her paper see
https://www.cambridge.org/core/ser vices/aop-cambridge-core/content/ view/04C3CDE4566AB800873AFC6755D00CEC/S2047102521000327a.pdf/ towards_a_methodology_for_specifying_states_mitigation_obligations_in_line_ with_the_equity_principle_and_best_available_science.pdf
GCDC Student Valentina Manente Presents Research at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana Bogotá Currently on fieldwork in Colombia, GCDC student Valentina Manente presented her research “The Urban Agriculture Nexus: An Investigation about Urban Food Cultivation in the Barrios of Bogotá” at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá. While in Colombia, Valentina is affiliated with Javeriana’s Facultad de Arquitectura y Diseño- Departamento de Estética. For further information on Valentina’s research, see https:// research.kent.ac.uk/gcdc/person/valentina-manente/
GCDC Students Worldwide Several GCDC students are now pursuing their research across the world. After numerous Covid-related delays and setbacks, this is great news and we wish Will (Guyana), Michaela (Indonesia), Ardiantiono (Indonesia) and Valentina (Colombia) all the best in their research endeavours and a safe return to Canterbury. GCDC Get Together on Campus GCDC students of all cohorts and Beth met on campus on March 29 to enjoy the ‘Frankenstein: How To Make A Monster’ guest stay at the Gulbenkian Theatre. The show provided an excellent opportunity to catch up face to face.
Challenges of ethnographic peace research amidst violence Theresa Bachmann
Clombia PDET regions, which are the most affected by the armed conflict_ © Wikimedia commons
My own discipline, peace and conflict studies, historically emerged with the normative goal of promoting peace and reducing violence. In recent years, there has been a remarkable increase in ethnographic(-inspired) research which requires scholars to spend extended periods of time in highly violent settings, interacting with people who have endured almost unbearable suffering and, as
a result, are frequently heavily traumatised. This is also the case of the region of my research, the Colombian Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (SNSM). Figuring among the regions most affected by the armed conflict, the SNSM is being prioritised in the implementation of the 2016 peace agreement between the Colombian government and the FARC-EP guerrilla.
Nevertheless, the implementation pace is slow and armed groups have actually increased their control in the past years. Overall, there is a generalised sense of fear among the people whose lifeworlds represent the heart of my thesis. Scholars face profound challenges and ethical issues when operating in such settings. Clearly, the “Do no harm” principle must be beginning and end point of anything that is asked, said, or done. In very practical terms, trauma knowledge must figure much more prominently in the curriculum of peace and conflict researchers. Personally, I found my training very useful to learn how to better manage the high emotional toll associated with research in violent contexts as well. While inevitably limited, such steps are essential to avoid further harm through research on communities and people who have already had to endure incredible suffering and cruelty.
“ The “Do no harm” principle must be beginning and end point of anything that is asked, said, or done.”
Read the full article at: https://research.kent.ac.uk/gcdc/challenges-ofethnographic-peace-research-amidst-violence/
This issue’s graph Putting SDG16 into practice
11 steps to promote peace justice and inclusion by Safeworld
Putting SDG16+ into practice
11 steps to promote peace, justice and inclusion
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Raise awareness of SDG16+ Raise awareness of SDG commitments to peace, justice and inclusion
Map the context Map political and conflict dynamics, identify stakeholders and current development plans
3 Find out what people want Consult people about the priorities for peace, justice and inclusion in their context
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Start a conversation
What is SDG16+?
Link up initiatives Enable dialogue on SDG16+ issues between authorities and civil society
The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) include SDG16, as well as a number of targets under other goals that are also critical for building peaceful, just and inclusive societies – particularly SDG5 on
Connect SDG16+ with existing initiatives to support peace, justice and inclusion
inequalities. The term ‘SDG16+’ is used to describe these commitments across the 2030 Agenda, and it provides a framework for comprehensive action on a range of peace-related issues. For more see: https://cic.nyu.edu/sites/default/files/
6
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Develop new partnerships
Mobilise champions
Work with a range of people: authorities, academics, civil society, private sector and the media
Identify and invest in individuals who will champion SDG16+ nationally and globally
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Strengthen accountability Support independent reporting to promote accountability for SDG16+
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Connect national to global
Job done? Not quite… Monitor changes in the context that may present either threats to the process or new opportunities
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Don’t get stuck in structure
Enable new voices to participate in global forums and present local experiences
A formal coalition or network can help sustain action on SDG16+, but beware of bureaucracy
Why this approach?
To achieve the 2030 Agenda commitments to peace, justice and inclusion depends on engagement, ownership and action on SDG16+ by a range of people and institutions at national and sub-national levels. There is no blueprint for this process, but – based on
approaches with Saferworld’s experience of testing https://www.cspps.org/ partners over several years – we have identified lessons news/putting-sdg16on how to catalyse and support a locally-led process. practice These lessons are illustrated above. For more see: https://www.saferworld.org.uk/globalaction-against-conflict/2030-agenda
Student profile Valentina Manente
Valentina Manente joined the GCDC in September 2020 and is currently spending four months in Bogotá (Colombia) for her fieldwork. Her PhD project “The Urban Agriculture Nexus in informal settlements” is carried under the supervision of Dr Silvio Caputo (KSAP) and Professor Jaime Hernandez-Garcia (Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá).
“I am currently finishing my second month of field-work in Bogotá and I am very happy with my experience so far: I am collaborating with 18 urban gardens that are helping me in gathering data about their productivity from a physical and social point of view. The work is tough (I have to travel around town for about 6 hours each day!) but extremely rewarding. In parallel to my work in Colombia I am also taking part to the design exchange partnership project launched in 2021 by the Design Museum of London; through this program I was given the opportunity to design a circular model for food waste recycling in a social housing estate in London. Last but not least, I am happy to announce that the article I co-authored with my supervisor Dr Silvio Caputo on the on-line presence of hydroponics techniques will soon be published! I am very grateful to the GCDC and the University of Kent for the amazing opportunities I have been given for my personal and professional development.”
Read the full article at: https://research.kent.ac.uk/gcdc/phd-profile-valentina-manente/
Sustainable Development and Conflict Polina Bishenden
The UN’s key activities in Ukraine_ source: https://ukraine.un.org/en/sdgs
The 2030 Agenda states, that ‘‘there can be no sustainable development without peace and no peace without sustainable development”. I can’t think of a single SDG that isn’t affected by violence. The world watches the Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine in horror. What can be said of green city plans or sustainable transport initiatives, in the face of extreme destruction and abominable acts of cruelty? Read the full article at: https://research.kent.ac.uk/ gcdc/sustainable-developmentand-conflict/
Though violence is an immense challenge to sustainable development, people sustain their efforts in a context-specific way. The Ukrainian Women’s Fund have written on their homepage, that, “the war in Ukraine may be changing the women’s/ feminist movement, but it’s not stopping it”. Tech innovators (SDG 9) have redirected their skills into developing apps for wartime, sharing information, and participating in Ukraine’s IT Army. A women’s shelter in Chernivtsi (SDG 5) contributes to supporting people on the frontline and accommodates those internally displaced due to the war. I have hope in the claim that sustainable development brings about peace. The implementation of SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) is vital. This war is proof that without the attainment of institutional transparency, representative decision-making, and public access to information and fundamental freedoms, peace will remain at threat.
Development in the Era of Conflict and Disorder Huawei Zheng
The year of 2022 witnessed some major international events: the nonstop spread and mutation of COVID, the Ukraine War, increasing tension between global powers, and a significant disruption of global supply chains. Put together, these factors could in turn lead to a severe economic recession. Its ramifications may include food insecurity, high commodity price, and a refugee crisis. International dynamics can thus have direct and observable impacts on daily lives of individuals. As a generation that has enjoyed decades of peace and
prosperity, we have strong reasons to stay cautious and remain vigilant. Global sustainable development may therefore face serious challenges. Against these alarming dynamics, we may need to be ready for an era of conflict, disorder, and unpredictability. While there is no easy way to secure important sustainable development goals, such as no poverty, zero hunger, and good health/well-being, what we can do is to get prepared for change, build our resilience, work together, embrace unpredictability, and mitigate our loss.
Read the full article at: https://research.kent.ac.uk/gcdc/development-in-the-era-ofconflict-and-disorder/
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