Positive Peace: Part 3

Free flow of information

• Pillar within Positive Peace; measured as part of the Positive Peace Index as a factor that contributes to peaceful outcomes.

• Core idea: free and independent media disseminates information that builds knowledge, helping individuals, businesses, and civil society make better decisions. This tends to yield better outcomes and more rational responses during crises.

• Why it matters for positive peace: informed populations can participate more effectively in democratic processes, hold power to account, and respond more constructively in times of stress.

How the Free Flow of Information is Measured in the Positive Peace Report

• Measures the degree to which citizens can access and exchange information with minimal restrictions or censorship.

• Contextual factors considered:

  • Economic context

  • Legal context

  • Political context in which journalists operate

  • Informal constraints (e.g., self-censorship)

  • Diversity of content

• Accessibility indicators:

  • Mobile phone subscription rates to gauge basic access to information

  • Data are captured via the level of information exchange on a global scale; specifically, the number of mobile subscriptions is used as a proxy for access to information.

• Additional indices used:

  • World Press Freedom Index (measures media pluralism, independence, and protection)

  • Freedom of the Press Index (analyzes press freedom across print, broadcast, and internet)

• Broader connection to human rights: freedom of expression is a human right (connected to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights).

• Temporal context: the concept is relatively new within the broader peace literature.

• World context: In 2023, the United Nations celebrated thirty years of World Press Freedom Day, which began in 1993. $30 ext{ years}$ since 1993.

Colombia: A Case Study in Free Flow of Information and Peace

• Colombia’s long civil conflict lasted over >50 years (five decades).

• Main actors: guerrilla groups (FARC, ELN), paramilitary groups, and state security forces.

• Origins: FARC emerged in the 1960s in response to state-sponsored attacks on peasants; the state’s arming of civilians helped form paramilitary structures; ELN formed in the same period, modeled on Cuban revolutionaries.

• 2016 peace agreement with FARC: included commitments to media reform and support for local radio projects.

• Local radio importance: local stations operate in violence-prone areas and provide essential access to information where journalists face danger traveling to communities.

• Role in accountability: radio stations enable rural communities to understand the causes and impacts of conflict and hold government and other actors accountable post-peace agreement.

Misinformation, AI, and the Free Flow of Information (2023 Index)

• The 2023 World Press Freedom Index highlighted the spread of misinformation and the rise of AI as threats to free flow of information.

• Quotation: In 118 countries, two thirds of the 180 countries evaluated reported that political actors were often or systematically involved in massive disinformation or propaganda campaigns. $118 ext{ countries} \ \ \ \$\$\frac{2}{3} \ of \ 180 \text{ countries}$

• Propaganda as a powerful tool across conflict: used to control narratives during and after crises.

• Ukraine example (hybrid warfare): rather than only using violence, Russian forces also disseminate propaganda to occupied zones and attempt to weaken communications resources.

• Reporters Without Borders findings: Russia established a regional broadcasting empire in occupied southern Ukraine to promote propaganda and frame Russia as humanitarian actors.

• Implications: media can either strengthen democracy or undermine it; media use in peacebuilding (including social media) will be explored later in the course.

The Role of Media in Peacebuilding and Future Topics

• Emphasizes the dual power of media: it can support democratic governance and peace, or be used to undermine them, depending on how information is managed and who controls it.

• Preview: future discussions will cover social media’s role in peacebuilding and how it intersects with positive peace.

Corruption (a Pillar of Positive Peace)

• Corruption is included as a pillar in the Positive Peace Index, but defining and measuring it is challenging and varies by culture.

• US Institute of Peace (USIP) notes that corruption exists at multiple levels; cultural norms can make certain practices appear acceptable in one context but illegal in another (e.g., gift-giving to officials).

• Core problem: corruption creates a system where money and connections determine access to public services and favorable treatment.

• 2022: corruption was the only pillar in the Positive Peace report to deteriorate; the reasons for this deterioration are unclear (could reflect growing corruption or increased awareness).

• Indicators used by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) to measure corruption:

  • Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI)

  • Control of Corruption

  • Degree of factionalized elites within countries

• Consequences for peace: deterioration in corruption correlates with reduced peacefulness; corruption undermines state capacity, legitimacy, and the ability to mediate conflicts.

• Relevance to conflict and development:

  • For post-conflict recovery, needed funds for rebuilding (roads, education, health, utilities) can be diverted by corrupt actors, hindering progress.

  • UNDP notes that corruption costs the developing world billions annually.

• Common terms related to corruption (as described by USIP):

  • Bribery: offering something of value in exchange for a favorable action

  • Fraud: deception by someone in a trusted position for profit

  • Embezzlement: theft of government resources by those in authority

  • Nepotism: favoritism to friends/relatives by those in power

  • Favoritism: preferential treatment beyond rules

• Not solely about money; it also concerns power and access to decision-makers and legal authorities.

Example: Mexico

• Mexico’s case shows strong links between corruption, organized crime, and drug trafficking.

• Since 2015, organized crime activity increased by about 64 ext{%}, and corruption became more prevalent.

• Impunity is widespread: since 2016, about 93 ext{%} of homicides have gone unsolved.

• High-profile cases involve diversion or embezzlement of public funds by public officials, undermining democratic institutions.

• Transparency International views corruption as a fundamental threat to peace and security, since it can fuel grievances, weaken state capacity to protect citizens, and erode trust in government and the legitimacy of the state.

Corruption, Development, and Economic Implications

• Corruption reduces the effectiveness of public service delivery, exacerbating poverty and inequality and undermining political stability.

• It interacts with other peace and development indicators, creating a vicious circle where weak governance and poor public services reinforce grievances and violence.

Sound Business Environment and Peace

• Relationship between peace and economic performance:

  • Between 2005 and 2016, countries improving in positive peace had on average 2 ext{%} higher GDP growth per year than countries deteriorating in positive peace.

  • This suggests a mutually reinforcing relationship: economic performance supports peace, and peace supports economic performance.

• IEI findings on business and peace:

  • Peaceier environments generally offer better conditions for investment and stability; some research suggests that more peaceful countries provide better returns on investment.

  • World Bank findings mentioned: returns on investment can be up to 8 ext{%} higher in countries with lower levels of peace—indicating that peaceful conditions may change risk, return, and investment dynamics. (Note: this point highlights a nuanced view where lower peace can co-exist with higher perceived investment opportunities in some analyses; see webinar for more details.)

• Connection to sustainability and ecological well-being: sound business environment supports sustainable development, which ties into broader discussions of positive peace.

• A recommended resource: a webinar from the Institute for Economics and Peace on how positive peace can make businesses more profitable (about one hour).

Reconciliation and Its Place in Positive Peace

• Reconciliation is not listed as one of the pillars of the Positive Peace Report, but it is discussed as an important aspect of positive peace and conflict transformation.

• Definition: reconciliation means acknowledging past grievances, injustices, violence, and abuses, and addressing them in a way that fosters peaceful coexistence between victims and perpetrators.

• Common mechanism: truth and reconciliation commissions, used in multiple countries to facilitate national healing.

• Notable examples and approaches:

  • South Africa: Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) granted pardons to perpetrators seeking forgiveness; the focus can be restorative rather than punitive.

  • Rwanda: related video explores how truth and reconciliation processes function in a post-genocide context.

• Pros of truth and reconciliation commissions:

  • Allows victims to voice their experiences and receive public acknowledgement or apologies, contributing to emotional closure and validation.

  • Generates documentation and historical records that support learning and prevent historical revisionism.

• Cons and criticisms:

  • Reliving trauma can be extremely painful and not suitable for everyone (e.g., survivors of sexual violence).

  • Some argue traditional, punitive justice is more effective at preventing future atrocities.

  • In cases with widespread crimes (e.g., Rwanda), prosecuting everyone in a traditional court could be logistically impossible; reconciliation can complement, not replace, formal justice.

• Conceptual link: reconciliation ties to conflict transformation and addressing root causes to achieve holistic peace, beyond stopping direct violence.

The Triangle of Violence and the Role of Positive Peace

• The model divides violence into direct violence, structural violence, and cultural violence.

• Positive Peace serves to strengthen democratic institutions and norms to prevent direct violence from arising.

- Bottom half (structural and cultural violence) supports the top half (direct violence); the goal of positive peace is to reduce structural and cultural drivers that lead to direct violence.

Additional Notes and Next Steps

• The discussion points encourage exploring the links between media, information integrity, and peacebuilding, including future sessions on social media’s role in peace.

• Resources mentioned include Brightspace materials and a webinar by the Institute for Economics and Peace for deeper understanding of positive peace and business outcomes.

• Key cross-cutting themes:

  • Information freedom, media independence, and human rights protection as foundations of peace.

  • The role of corruption in undermining state capacity and social trust.

  • The mutual reinforcement between economic development and peaceful governance.

  • Reconciliation as a pathway to healing, memory, justice, and prevention of revisionism.

Quick Reference: Key Figures and Terms (LaTeX)

• \frac{2}{3} of 180 countries: $rac{2}{3} imes 180 = 120$, with 118 actual countries reporting(disinformation campaigns) per the Index.

• 118 countries: $118$.

• Civil conflict duration in Colombia: >50\text{ years} (five decades).

• World Press Freedom Day: $30\text{ years}$ since 1993.

• AI and misinformation: discussed as a rising threat to information integrity in 2023 Index.

• Corruption indicators: $ext{CPI}, ext{Control of Corruption}, ext{Factionalized elites}$.

• Post-2016 Mexico: $64\%$ increase in organized crime activity; $93\%$ of homicides unsolved.

• GDP growth premium associated with improved peace: $+2\% \, \, ext{per year}$ (average).

• Investment returns: up to $8\%$ higher in lower-peace contexts (World Bank finding referenced in the course materials).

Closing thoughts

• Positive peace emphasizes proactive, holistic approaches to governance, information integrity, and social trust to prevent conflict and foster sustainable development.

• The pillars of free flow of information, anti-corruption, and sound business environments are interconnected with reconciliation and larger peacebuilding efforts.

• The concepts discussed connect to real-world contexts (Colombia, Ukraine, Mexico) and to ongoing debates about how best to translate information freedom into durable peace.