Introduction to Justice and Peace Studies Exam Prep

A set of vocabulary flashcards to review key concepts and terms from the Introduction to Justice and Peace Studies lecture notes in preparation for the exam.

Prison Industrial Complex

A term used to describe the overlapping interests of government and industry that use surveillance, policing, and imprisonment as solutions to economic, social, and political problems. It encompasses the web of correctional facilities, private companies profiting from them, and political policies that promote mass incarceration for financial gain and social control, often disproportionately affecting marginalized communities.

-criminalization

-media

-surveillance

-policing

-courts

-prisons

Prison Abolition Movement

A social and political movement advocating for the complete dismantling of prisons and the broader carceral system. It argues that prisons are inherently harmful, ineffective, and perpetuate systemic inequalities, instead proposing alternative approaches to justice that focus on community-based solutions, restorative practices, addressing root causes of crime, and radical decarceration.

Reform vs. Abolish

This refers to two distinct approaches to addressing societal issues, particularly within the criminal justice system. 'Reform' seeks to improve, modify, or mend existing institutions without fundamentally altering their structure (e.g., reducing sentences, improving prison conditions). 'Abolish' aims to completely dismantle and replace existing institutions with entirely new systems, believing the current ones are beyond repair or inherently flawed (e.g., replacing prisons with community-led justice initiatives).

Restorative Justice

An approach to justice that focuses on repairing harm caused by crime and conflict by involving victims, offenders, and community members in a direct dialogue. Rather than emphasizing punishment, restorative justice seeks to identify harms, needs, and obligations, aiming to heal relationships, reintegrate offenders, and find constructive ways forward through processes like mediation, victim-offender conferencing, and peace circles. It prioritizes repairing relationships and community welfare over retribution.

Mass Incarceration

The dramatic and unprecedented increase in the number of incarcerated individuals in a society, particularly prominent in the United States since the 1970s. This phenomenon is characterized by exceptionally high incarceration rates, overcrowding, racial and ethnic disparities in sentencing, and its profound social, economic, and political consequences on communities and families.

Approaches to Peace

Various theoretical frameworks and practical strategies employed to prevent, manage, and resolve violent conflict and build sustainable peace. These include concepts like 'negative peace' (absence of direct violence), 'positive peace' (presence of social justice, equality, and human well-being), conflict resolution, diplomacy, nonviolent direct action, peacebuilding (post-conflict reconstruction), and addressing structural and cultural violence.

Desmond Tutu

A South African Anglican archbishop, theologian, and human rights activist globally recognized for his tireless work against apartheid and his leadership in promoting truth and reconciliation. He chaired South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, advocating for forgiveness, restorative justice, and the peaceful resolution of conflict, for which he received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984.

Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC)

A formal body established in post-apartheid South Africa (1995-1998) to investigate gross human rights violations committed during the apartheid era (1960-1994). The TRC aimed to uncover the truth of past abuses, provide a platform for victims and perpetrators to share their stories (often in exchange for amnesty), and foster national healing and reconciliation through a process of historical accounting rather than purely retributive justice.

Vandana Shiva

An Indian scholar, environmental activist, food sovereignty advocate, and anti-globalization author. She is a prominent figure in the ecofeminist movement, known for her critiques of corporate agriculture, genetic engineering (GMOs), and intellectual property rights over seeds. Shiva advocates for biodiversity, sustainable farming practices, and the rights of local communities to control their resources (seed freedom).

Amy Chua, World on Fire

Amy Chua's 2003 book, 'World on Fire: How Exporting Free Market Democracy Breeds Ethnic Hatred and Global Instability,' argues that the simultaneous imposition of free-market capitalism and democracy in developing countries often creates conditions for ethnic conflict. She posits that in many nations, a 'market-dominant minority' (an ethnic group that, for historical or cultural reasons, prospers disproportionately in a free-market system) coupled with nascent democracy can incite resentment and violence from impoverished majorities.

Liberal Peace Model

A dominant theoretical framework in international relations and peacebuilding that posits that liberal democratic states, characterized by democratic governance, market economies, and integration into international institutions, are inherently more peaceful and stable. This model advocates for promoting democracy, free trade, and human rights as the most effective means to achieve global peace, often influencing foreign policy and post-conflict reconstruction efforts.

Genocide

As defined by the 1948 United Nations Genocide Convention, genocide is 'any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such: killing members of the group; causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group; [and] forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.'

Rwanda Genocide

The systematic mass slaughter of approximately 800,000 to 1,000,000 Tutsi people by Hutu extremist militias and elements of the Rwandan government over a period of about 100 days in 1994. Prompted by ethnic tensions and fueled by propaganda, it stands as a stark example of a rapid, large-scale genocide with a severely inadequate international response at the time.

Multi-lens Approach

A methodology in Justice and Peace Studies that encourages analyzing complex issues (like conflict, injustice, or peacebuilding) by incorporating diverse perspectives, theoretical frameworks, and levels of analysis. This means examining a problem through political, economic, social, cultural, psychological, and historical lenses simultaneously, recognizing that no single viewpoint can fully explain multifaceted realities.

Documentary Ghosts of Rwanda

A powerful 2004 PBS Frontline documentary that recounts the horrifying events of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide through the personal testimonies of survivors, UN peacekeepers, journalists, and government officials. The film critically examines the failure of the international community, particularly the United Nations and major world powers, to intervene and prevent the mass slaughter.

International Response to Genocide

Refers to the actions (or inactions) taken by global actors, including states, international organizations (like the UN), and NGOs, in response to acts of genocide or potential genocide. Historically, responses have ranged from diplomatic condemnations and sanctions to humanitarian aid, peace enforcement missions, and the establishment of ad hoc international criminal tribunals, often criticized for being too late or insufficient.

David Barash

A prominent American evolutionary biologist and peace studies scholar. Known for his contributions to the field of peace and conflict studies, Barash writes extensively on topics such as the biology of peace, nonviolence, deterrence theory, arms control, and the psychological dimensions of war and peace, often approaching these subjects from an interdisciplinary perspective.

Responsibility to Protect (R2P)

An international norm endorsed by the United Nations in 2005, asserting that sovereignty entails a responsibility to protect one's own population from mass atrocity crimes (genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity). If a state fails to do so, or is itself a perpetrator, the international community has a responsibility to intervene through diplomatic, humanitarian, and, as a last resort, military means.