… the sound of crickets chirping on calm summer nights…
Adversaries, Psychology, and World Politics
Statement of Study
In The Experience of “Negative Otherness”: How Shall We Treat Our Enemies (2002) psychologist Stephen Gilligan, Ph.D. argues for an alternative to dealing with our enemies rather than simply fighting or fleeing. He claims that these two options are often insufficient, limited in their effectiveness to resolve conflicts.
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“Shamanism” is a term that is shrouded in mystery or dismissed as non-relevant to many who are unfamiliar with the concept. However, the concept is surprisingly modern as it is ancient, and its benefits valuable, although largely hidden from view in our society. Metaphysics and the concept of soul have been largely pushed aside by our culture ever since the scientific revolution, and removed from the realm of “reality,” as in that which is empirically, objectively provable. Incidentally, despite this development, metaphysics is still the basis of contemporary, mainstream religions. Although undermined by the scientific method and rejected by religions outside of shamanic cultures, shamanism has not disappeared from society, but has surfaced in a variety of potent ways in the United States.
This essay is the result of a research project which discusses the results of four interviews with local “shamans” against the backdrop of existing literature on the subject.
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The Green Belt Movement (GBM) in Kenya and the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN) in Chiapas, Mexico share many similarities. Both movements had issues to mobilize over. Both were rooted in the common cause of poverty alleviation, contextualized in their respective political landscapes. The political scenes in which they were engaged were responding to new political environments, ushered in by the rise of inter-global dependency among a range of actors. The changing dynamics provided these social movements with an opportunity to take advantage of new political openings and force their governments to allow them to voice the various concerns of indigenous communities. Without the interplay of actors on a global level, these movements would not have the success they have gained for themselves in their struggles against oppressive regimes. These groundswells of opposition remain limited by continued assaults on democracy by their respective governments. However, these governments operate amongst various international pressures. The two movements described in this study have made significant contributions to their cause and gave indigenous communities a voice on a local, national, and global level. They provide an insight into factors pertinent to the success and limitations of social movements operating within the context of a global community, representing diversified interests including human rights, democracy, sustainable development, neoliberal economics, and national security.
As human beings have moved through history into post-modern times, religion has not receded into the background of human concern as science and reason came to the fore-front in Western society. On the contrary, it appears to be a prominent feature guiding human actions around the globe, which have become increasingly violent. Douglas Johnston addresses this in his book Faith-Based Diplomacy, as he asserts the limitations of “Realpolitik”, a western-style foreign policy practice that addresses conflict in a strictly realistic manner surrounding political, economic, and security factors, in which religious discourse has been absent. He asserts that Realpolitik falls short in being an effective tool in policy formation, because it leaves out factors that are crucial to some people in conceptualizing the world. Realpolitik is the child of a society that has separated religion from the rest of its culture. However, it is only recently that the west has divided the sacred and the secular, and the concept is at odds with much of the rest of the world. (Johnston, 11) This is an observation that must be examined in any attempt to negotiate peace.
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Scholars weighing in on happiness and displeasure, society, the Spirit of Capitalism, and “new consumerism.”
It may be true that in order for us to co-exist harmoniously in society, we must exercise self-control when it comes to our natural sexual and aggressive instincts, and that this plainly causes frustration and a degree of unhappiness. What has been presented in this essay is that images of sexuality and violence in the media do not make us happier with civilization, but on the contrary, the effects of this phenomenon do more harm than good as some people imitate some of the violent acts they witness through it. Additionally, what is revealed is that media is a large contributor to unhappiness in society with the ratcheting up of standards of what we perceive we should own and what our lives should look like. These phenomena are far-reaching, as consumerism is exported through media throughout the globe. With all of these factors there is cause for concern regarding not only the contentment of individuals with their own individual and unique lifestyles, but the well-being of all citizens in the world, who live in a world already plagued with violence prior to the infusion of media with sometimes violent content.
Nina Lois is a graduate student at the University of Colorado at Denver obtaining a Master's Degree in Humanities with a B.A. in political science. Her passions are broad when it comes to the human condition. She is deeply interested in philosophy, psychology, environmental and social justice, peace studies, music, nutrition, tradition, and progress. 
Upon her imminent graduation, she wishes to contribute to the health, wealth, and happiness of the community through involvement, writing, and research. For goodness's sake, love the body, cultivate the mind and a garden, and feed the soul!
She can be contacted at nlturtledove[at]gmail[dot]com
Steam from the coffee
Permeated our nostrils
An oboe carried a raw melody
in through the open window -
Lace curtains waved in an afternoon breeze
Drawing attention away
From paintings dotting greying walls
to an unfocused point
suspended somewhere in the air
The perfect scene of a film,
My czech cousin and I agreed. Who is to recognize the voice of the calling?
Thanks again