Stina Torjesen

R before D: the case of post conflict reintegration in Tajikistan1

Reintegration was prioritised over demobilisation and disarmament in Tajikistans peace process. Inadequate disarmament rates were disregarded, but integration of opposition fighters into military and law enforcement units was relatively swift. This created high levels of trust among the former fighters and commanders. The quick provision of incentives, such as comprehensive amnesties and the offer of government positions and economic assets created stakes in the peace process for a number of actors. Transitional justice was largely overlooked. In this way, the case of Tajikistan runs counter to key elements of what has been termed the ‘post-conflict reconstruction orthodoxy’. At the same time, Tajikistan is a rare example of the emergence of post-war stability. This article provides a detailed account of the DDR process and outlines the incentives that it created for the warring parties. It also assesses the emergence of spoilers and the governments counter strategies. The article concludes by highlighting the consolidation of President Rakhmonovs power since 2001, but also raises some questions regarding the viability of Tajikistans long-term political and economic development.

New avenues for research in the study of DDR

The increase in the scope and number of peace operations since the early 1990s has entailed an expansion in disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) initiatives. This growth has spurred efforts to systematise and professionalise the way DDR strategies are formulated and implemented. Yet, as Nat Colletta and Robert Muggah point out in this volume, systematised and uniform approaches, even as they aspire to more coherent responses, may render practitioners unable to address complex ground realities. This special journal issue on DDR takes this uneasy dilemma as its starting point and engages with the following overarching question: what happens when a technocratic blueprint is inserted into complex social, political and economic settings? The authors explore the compelling stories that surface in the encounters between intervention and context, and highlight findings on, among other issues, the re-emergence of a post-war political order and its relation to DDR; the importance of family and fighter networks; the relevance of identity and feelings of deception among fighters; and the centrality of gender configurations. Some of the contributions engage directly with DDR programming, by assessing how standard concepts, after having been applied conventionally in a given context, have spurred innovation and setting-specific experimentation in the course of implementation. Others explore the complex programming context in which DDR is often implemented and highlight how the aims and modes of DDR may run counter to other aspects of peace-building programmes, such as initiatives associated with justice and reconciliation. The diversity of approaches and themes preclude a unified message

Making sense of crises: the implications of information asymmetries for resilience and social justice in disaster-ridden communities

Abstract New information and communication technologies (ICT) have enabled communities to collect and share information and tap into a network of peers in unprecedented ways. For more than a decade, information has been recognized as a vital part of disaster relief, and recently ICTs have been described to improve the resilience of disaster-ridden societies. At the same time, the humanitarian turn towards technology also entails increasing remote management and centralization. This paper highlights social justice concerns and critically reviews the role and potential of technology as an enabler of community resilience. We start from a discussion on essential concepts around information technologies for resilience and social justice. Having established the core concepts, we trace the development of ICT for resilience across three time periods. We discuss how technology development and disaster management practices co-evolved and highlight implications for resilience and social justice.

Higher Education in a Sustainable Society: Addressing Knowledge Disparities and Enabling Debate

Sustainability is a comprehensive concept. It addresses the complex relation between and effect of social and economic development. It is a concept that challenges us to see things in relation to each other and in a larger perspective. The sustainability challenge however, comes at a time when sciences and research has expanded but at the same time is more fragmented than ever. In this chapter we introduce Mutual Competence Building a concept for guiding the sustainability engagement of Higher Education.

The Challenge of Mutual Competence Building

Mutual Competence Building has emerged as a key concept when working on this book with our colleagues at the University of Agder. In this conclusion we develop and explore the concept further in relation to sustainability. Our point of departure is the definition we presented in the introduction: mutual competence building is a conversation between scholars and societal and work life partner organisations about what sustainability, and efforts to create a sustainable society, might entail for distinct sectors.

Agder as Mutual Competence Builders: Developing Sustainability as a Competitive Advantage

In this chapter, Agder as Mutual Competence Builders: developing sustainability as a competitive advantage, Karen Landmark, Marianne Rodvelt and Stina Torjesen provide a discussion of companies in the Agder region which are organised in the Eyde-network, and how they have developed a common sustainability agenda in co-operation with the university. The chapter shows how this is followed up by organising an Eyde-school as vocational training in co-operation with the university.