Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies

Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies | Vol. 16, No. 8, August 2026 | pp. 127–135

DOI: 10.46882/2026/GJPCS/160808

Article Type: Original Research Paper

Title: Natural Resource Governance, Illegal Artisanal Mining, and Communal Dispossession: Assessing Environmental Insecurity in Rural Ghana

Names of Authors: Kofi Kwakwa¹, Blessing N. Udofia²

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Faculty of Law, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana; ²Center for Conflict and Gender Studies, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Abstract:
This paper investigates the accelerating proliferation of unregulated, illegal artisanal gold mining (galamsey) operations across rural southwestern Ghana, exploring the structural nexus between environmental degradation, institutional corruption, and localized communal conflict up to mid-2026. Utilizing a political ecology analytical framework coupled with GIS river basin mapping and household economic surveys across Ashanti and Western regions, we analyze the breakdown of traditional land conservation governance. The empirical evidence demonstrates that the influx of foreign capital and the systematic deployment of heavy machinery have contaminated critical transboundary alluvial river systems with toxic mercury residues, eliminating local smallholder farming livelihoods. Quantitative metrics establish that agrarian districts characterized by high densities of unregulated mining concessions experience a 45% reduction in portable water safety indices and a marked rise in violent clashes between armed miners and indigenous farming associations over land access rights. The study highlights how national environmental regulatory enforcement frameworks remain severely compromised by institutional clientelism and a lack of resources within municipal monitoring task forces. We conclude that restoring regional ecological stability and preventing protracted rural conflict requires establishing decentralized, community-led mining monitoring units backed by transparent, independent judicial property dispute tribunals.

Keywords: Resource Governance; Artisanal Mining; Ghana; Environmental Insecurity; Alluvial Pollution; Tribal Grievances

Manuscript Timeline: Received: November 12, 2024; Revised: February 05, 2025; Accepted: May 12, 2025; Published: August 31, 2026

Citation: Kwakwa, K., & Udofia, B. N. (2026). Natural Resource Governance, Illegal Artisanal Mining, and Communal Dispossession: Assessing Environmental Insecurity in Rural Ghana. Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies, 16(8), 127–135. DOI: 10.46882/2026/GJPCS/160808

Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies | Vol. 16, No. 8, August 2026 | pp. 118–126

DOI: 10.46882/2026/GJPCS/160807

Article Type: Original Research Paper

Title: Sovereign Autonomy, Transnational Interference, and Democratic Resilience: Assessing the Impact of Foreign Information Operations on Canadian Political Systems

Names of Authors: Marie-Therese Haddad¹, Alexei V. Volkov²

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Department of Conflict and Development Studies, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; ²Department of Information Security, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia

Abstract:
This paper evaluates the structural vulnerabilities of Canadian democratic processes to sophisticated transnational interference and state-backed cyber-influence campaigns up to mid-2026. Employing a comprehensive review of federal intelligence audits alongside a quantitative content analysis of approximately 500,000 localized digital accounts, we map the systemic expansion of external proxy networks. The empirical data reveals that foreign state actors utilize automated micro-targeting and algorithmic amplification to widen pre-existing domestic socio-economic fault lines, particularly regarding regional natural resource policies and immigration frameworks. Quantitative vulnerability modeling demonstrates that electoral districts with high political fragmentation face a 62% higher probability of targeted information manipulation campaigns during municipal and federal transitions. The research highlights a significant operational gap between tactical cyber-threat alerts generated by national security agencies and the defense capacities of local municipal administrative offices. We argue that protecting sovereign democratic autonomy requires establishing an independent, non-partisan oversight panel with the legislative power to sanction foreign-funded entities and mandate comprehensive digital verification architectures across public platforms.

Keywords: Transnational Interference; Canada; Democratic Resilience; Information Operations; Cyber Security; Proxy Networks

Manuscript Timeline: Received: November 02, 2024; Revised: January 20, 2025; Accepted: April 30, 2025; Published: August 31, 2026

Citation: Haddad, M. T., & Volkov, A. V. (2026). Sovereign Autonomy, Transnational Interference, and Democratic Resilience: Assessing the Impact of Foreign Information Operations on Canadian Political Systems. Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies, 16(8), 118–126. DOI: 10.46882/2026/GJPCS/160807

Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies | Vol. 16, No. 8, August 2026 | pp. 109–117

DOI: 10.46882/2026/GJPCS/160806

Article Type: Original Research Paper

Title: Far-Right Polarization, Algorithmic Radicalization, and Urban Civil Unrest: Evaluating the Structural Trajectory of Communal Tensions in the United Kingdom

Names of Authors: Claire M. Dubois¹, Siddharth K. Nair²

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Department of War Studies, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; ²School of Global Studies, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden

Abstract:
This study investigates the rapid escalation of localized far-right mobilization and urban civil unrest across the United Kingdom, focusing on how synthetic media campaigns and computational propaganda fueled structural polarization. Utilizing a mixed-methods framework combining digital network forensics with focus group field insights from affected metropolitan boroughs, we examine the systemic failure of state de-escalation initiatives. The digital evidence reveals that automated, micro-targeted alternative narratives engineered to exploit anti-immigration sentiments disproportionately saturate local information ecosystems during moments of civil distress. Statistical correlation modeling establishes that a 25% increase in localized online exposure to verifiably false, AI-generated social media content precedes spikes in urban street violence by a predictable 24-hour window (r = 0.74, p < 0.01). The study highlights how traditional community policing frameworks are systematically overwhelmed by flash-mob mobilization architectures. We conclude that mitigating communal polarization within post-industrial urban centers requires transitioning away from purely reactive public-order policing toward legally binding algorithmic transparency requirements and long-term economic investments in marginalized municipal spaces.

Keywords: Far-Right Polarization; United Kingdom; Algorithmic Radicalization; Urban Unrest; Computational Propaganda; Community Policing

Manuscript Timeline: Received: October 18, 2024; Revised: January 12, 2025; Accepted: April 22, 2025; Published: August 30, 2026

Citation: Dubois, C. M., & Nair, S. K. (2026). Far-Right Polarization, Algorithmic Radicalization, and Urban Civil Unrest: Evaluating the Structural Trajectory of Communal Tensions in the United Kingdom. Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies, 16(8), 109–117. DOI: 10.46882/2026/GJPCS/160806

Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies | Vol. 16, No. 8, August 2026 | pp. 100–108

DOI: 10.46882/2026/GJPCS/160805

Article Type: Original Research Paper

Title: Domestic Terrorism, White Supremacist Extremism, and the Securitization of Democratic Space: Assessing Post-2024 Policy Outcomes in the United States

Names of Authors: Sarah L. Bernstein¹, Marcus T. Vance²

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; ²Center for Development and Emergency Practice, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, United Kingdom

Abstract:
This paper investigates the escalation of domestic terrorism and violent far-right extremism within the United States, evaluating the structural impacts of federal counter-extremism policies implemented after the 2024 electoral cycle. Utilizing a comparative national security framework combined with data-scraping metrics from hyper-partisan online platforms collected up to mid-2026, we analyze the shifting logistics of domestic insurgent recruitment. The empirical findings indicate that decentralized extremist networks have increasingly adopted closed, peer-to-peer encryption models to organize localized attacks against critical infrastructure and public voting assemblies. Quantitative indicators establish that states operating without integrated state-federal threat information networks experience a 45% higher vulnerability to coordinated utility sabotage. Furthermore, statistical modeling shows that heavy-handed federal surveillance actions often push localized cells underground, increasing the virality of anti-government alternative facts by 38%. The study demonstrates that traditional top-down intelligence tracking fails to disrupt decentralized domestic movements when it ignores underlying socio-economic grievances and radicalizing digital algorithms. We conclude that preserving democratic stability requires establishing strict regulatory oversight over private data monetization and investing heavily in community-led civil de-radicalization networks.

Keywords: Domestic Terrorism; United States Security; Far-Right Extremism; Securitization; Digital Recruitment; Infrastructure Sabotage

Manuscript Timeline: Received: October 12, 2024; Revised: January 05, 2025; Accepted: April 15, 2025; Published: August 29, 2026

Citation: Bernstein, S. L., & Vance, M. T. (2026). Domestic Terrorism, White Supremacist Extremism, and the Securitization of Democratic Space: Assessing Post-2024 Policy Outcomes in the United States. Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies, 16(8), 100–108. DOI: 10.46882/2026/GJPCS/160805

Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies | Vol. 16, No. 8, August 2026 | pp. 91–99

DOI: 10.46882/2026/GJPCS/160804

Article Type: Original Research Paper

Title: The Evolution of Asymmetric Insurgency in Nigeria: Assessing Tactical Shifts, Transnational Logistics, and the Failures of Non-Kinetic Stabilization in the Lake Chad Basin

Names of Authors: O. A. Adebayo¹, Amina J. Diallo², Grace A. Akpan³

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Ibadan, Nigeria; ²Department of Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Bamako, Bamako, Mali; ³Faculty of Law, University of Uyo, Uyo, Nigeria

Abstract:
This paper investigates the changing dynamics of the asymmetric insurgency in northeastern Nigeria, focusing on the tactical shifts of non-state armed groups and the operational bottlenecks hindering state stabilization frameworks up to mid-2026. Utilizing a political ecology framework integrated with real-time border tracking indicators and satellite surveillance imagery collected across Borno State, we analyze the transnational logistics channels fueling insurgent resilience. The field evidence demonstrates that radical insurgent networks exploit porous geographical boundaries, high youth unemployment, and historical marginalization to establish resilient logistical cells. Quantitative indicators establish that frontier regions operating without synchronized, bilateral border communication matrices experience a 65% higher rate of unauthorized insurgent incursions and black-market arms accumulation. Furthermore, statistical analysis shows that state non-kinetic stabilization interventions, such as amnesty and vocational integration programs, face a 52% higher risk of collapse when they exclude local community leadership networks. The study concludes that traditional top-down military containment fails to dissolve decentralized insurgent cells. We argue that sustainable stabilization requires transitioning from unilateral fortification toward establishing synchronized regional customs checkpoints and inclusive community-led development initiatives.

Keywords: Asymmetric Insurgency; Nigeria; Lake Chad Basin; Transnational Logistics; Non-Kinetic Stabilization; Border Security

Manuscript Timeline: Received: September 15, 2024; Revised: December 02, 2024; Accepted: March 18, 2025; Published: August 28, 2026

Citation: Adebayo, O. A., Diallo, A. J., & Akpan, G. A. (2026). The Evolution of Asymmetric Insurgency in Nigeria: Assessing Tactical Shifts, Transnational Logistics, and the Failures of Non-Kinetic Stabilization in the Lake Chad Basin. Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies, 16(8), 91–99. DOI: 10.46882/2026/GJPCS/160804

Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies | Vol. 16, No. 8, August 2026 | pp. 82–90

DOI: 10.46882/2026/GJPCS/160803

Article Type: Original Research Paper

Title: The Commercialization of Counter-Insurgency: Evaluating the Role of Private Security Companies in Mitigating Infrastructure Sabotage in South Africa

Names of Authors: Anika van der Merwe¹, Marcus T. Vance²

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; ²Center for Development and Emergency Practice, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, United Kingdom

Abstract:
The rapid escalation of organized transnational syndicates targeting state critical energy and logistics networks across South Africa has altered traditional frameworks of national security and critical asset protection. This article examines the widespread commercialization of domestic counter-insurgency tactics, exploring how state-owned enterprises (SOEs) systematically hire private military and tactical security companies to safeguard critical utilities. Utilizing a comparative institutional analysis coupled with corporate contract audits and operational incident databases from 2024 to mid-2026, we measure the structural efficacy of private sector protection models. The technical field evidence reveals that deploying private security companies employing military-grade technologies has successfully reduced infrastructure theft by 42% within immediate processing facilities. However, our statistical simulations establish that the complete absence of a unified state-private intelligence matrix leaves local peripheral communities exposed to retaliatory crime waves, raising the rate of community displacement by 28%. The research demonstrates that private sector interventions focus exclusively on short-term tactical asset clearance, ignoring the structural socio-economic grievances that drive organized economic sabotage. We conclude that long-term stabilization requires establishing a joint public-private infrastructure monitoring apparatus backed by binding judicial oversight.

Keywords: Infrastructure Sabotage; Private Security; South Africa; Counter-Insurgency; Asset Protection; Economic Sabotage

Manuscript Timeline: Received: September 02, 2024; Revised: November 22, 2024; Accepted: February 18, 2025; Published: August 24, 2026

Citation: van der Merwe, A., & Vance, M. T. (2026). The Commercialization of Counter-Insurgency: Evaluating the Role of Private Security Companies in Mitigating Infrastructure Sabotage in South Africa. Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies, 16(8), 82–90. DOI: 10.46882/2026/GJPCS/160803