9 Feb 2005 @ 18:55, by Craig Lang
(7/8/05 Note: I just noted on Nora's newslog page, the link to Panden Jenkins' website at www.palden.co.uk. Thanks Nora)
I finally have gotten around to (almost) finishing the book "Healing the Hurts of Nations", written by Palden Jenkins. The book was recommended to me by someone on NCN, a year-plus ago (thank-you to whoever it was). The book is a heavy read, but a well-written and fascinating one. For anyone seriously interested in peace studies, I highly recommend it.
For Jenkins, the bottom line is the need for awareness.
In the early chapters, Jenkins talks about what he refers to as the "Circle of Power" - an informal linking of tribal authority: chieftains, shamans, etc., which provided a form of tribal governance and intertribal arbitration in the ancient world. He claims that it is the breaking of this "circle of power" that has caused much of the larger-scale systematic strife in the historical world.
Yet one must question just how peaceful the ancient world was. It seems that as we read much about human(pre)history, we find that many (though certainly not all) of the ancient and indigenous cultures seem to be warrior cultures. They are a mixture of very beautiful, harmonious spirituality and of culturally built-in warfare. Yet, even given this, there is/was a closeness to nature that provided a stable balance with the Earth and in the relationship between tribes (even between enemies). This appears to be the Jenkins' point - not that there was no bloodshed, but that the equilibrium of the tribal circle of power prevented the larger-scale "formalized" conflict that we refer to as war.
Jenkins next cites regional histories which have formed backdrops to the current world situation. These include the UK, the Balkans, Afgnanistan and Iraq. He makes many comments about the role of the USA in most of these - some negative and some positive. But the biggest contribution of these chapters is their portrayal of how the politics of each region interrelates to that of other regions. Thus is formed the tapestry of world history.
The final (and largest) part of his book is on the future: What do we need to do to achieve a stable world of true peace?
I will paraphrase some of his key points, and they are these:
1) The need for empathy - accepting that someone who disagrees with one's beliefs may have a valid point, even though one may not understand that point. The key is to form a bridge between the points, to seek a solution which benefits all.
2) The need for a balanced, pluralistic society: Jenkins consideres that this is the sign of health in a culture - that different ethnic groups and beliefs can live side-by-side. Conversely, he describes fundamentalism (in any religion or belief system) as a key sign of ill-health in a society.
3) The role of women: As women gain more rights and assume a functional role in more world societies, the built-in conflicts of these societies may decrease. He describes how in many cultures, women tend to be better at bridging between cultures, and thus can defuse crisis and brinksmanship.
4) Hope: Probably the most basic requirement for peace is the need for each person to feel that his/her needs can be met, and that there is hope for the future. This implies the need for economic security, personal safety, education and the feeling that one's voice can be heard.
In the final chapters, Jenkins tries his hand at prediciton, and speculates on where the aggregate currents of war and peace may be taking us. His conclusion is - assuming that as a whole society pursues the present course - the near/intermediate term prospects do not look too pretty. Yet, he envisions, by the late 21st century, a far brighter future - as we presumably learn to solve more of our problems using tools other than guns and bombs.
This is a (very) rough paraphrase of the book, but it I think it captures the gist of Palden Jenkins' message. In summary, this book is probably one of the best I have read on global issues resulting in war, and prospects for peace in the near future. I recommend it for anyone seriously interested in peace studies. And I thank whoever it was on NCN that first told me about it.
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