Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies

Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies | Vol. 6, No. 12, December 2015 | pp. 550–558

DOI: 10.46882/2015/GJPCS/000083

Article Type: Original Research Paper

Title: Strategic Re-alignment in Post-Conflict Borderlands: Assessing Cross-Border Security Networks in Mesoamerica

Names of Authors: Carlos Fuentes¹, Lucia Santos²

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Department of Public Policy, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia; ²School of Criminal Justice, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey, United States

Abstract: Abstract: The consolidation of security frameworks across highly porous transboundary zones represents a vital phase in minimizing the operational expansion of non-state armed actors. This study evaluates the structural outcomes of coordinated inter-state border sweeps executed along volatile Mesoamerican crossing corridors from 2012 to 2014. Using an empirical mixed-methods design, we evaluated illegal weapons interdiction data alongside structural surveys from 480 cross-border community members. The statistical outputs show that establishing synchronized tactical patrol parameters correlates with a 38% reduction in illicit tactical supply network successful transits (p < 0.05). However, further micro-level regression indicators show that these top-down border interventions heavily degrade local borderland community livelihood indices due to restricted cross-border commerce access (R² = 0.44). The study reveals that a lack of harmonized humanitarian protocols within joint strategic operational guidelines breeds local hostility toward security enforcement personnel. The paper concludes that border pacification mandates cannot maintain long-term institutional legitimacy without incorporating community-led agrarian trade protection zones.

Keywords: Mesoamerican Borderlands, Cross-Border Security, Tactical Interdiction, Non-State Armed Actors, Livelihood Disruption, Institutional Legitimacy

Manuscript Timeline: Received: July 12, 2015; Revised: September 18, 2015; Accepted: October 24, 2015; Published: December 05, 2015

Citation: Fuentes, C., & Santos, L. (2015). Strategic Re-alignment in Post-Conflict Borderlands: Assessing Cross-Border Security Networks in Mesoamerica. Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies, 6(12), 550–558. DOI: 10.46882/2015/GJPCS/000083

Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies | Vol. 6, No. 11, November 2015 | pp. 541–549

DOI: 10.46882/2015/GJPCS/000082

Article Type: Original Research Paper

Title: Demobilization and Psychosocial Adjustment: Evaluating Long-Term Combant Reintegration Frameworks

Names of Authors: Manuel Rodriguez¹, Sven Lindqvist²

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Department of Psychology, Central American University, San Salvador, El Salvador; ²Department of Peace and Conflict Research, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden

Abstract: Abstract: The long-term psychosocial adjustment of military and rebel combatants following formal demobilization remains a critical factor in preventing post-war urban instability. This study presents a longitudinal evaluation of psychological rehabilitation outcomes among 300 civil war veterans, two decades after formal national peace accords. Mental health and social integration outcomes were measured using standardized psychological scales tracking post-traumatic symptoms, economic stability, and civic engagement. The empirical testing demonstrates that severe trauma symptoms remain persistent, with 38% of aging veterans meeting clinical thresholds for chronic PTSD (Mean Score = 46.2 ± 5.8). Regression models reveal that long-term social alienation and chronic underemployment are the strongest predictors of persistent psychological distress (R² = 0.48, p < 0.001). Conversely, sustained access to veteran agricultural cooperatives was strongly associated with positive social adjustment scores. The study demonstrates that short-term disarmament programs fail to address lifelong trauma, underscoring the necessity of integrating mental health support into state welfare architectures.

Keywords: Combatant Reintegration, Psychosocial Adjustment, Demobilization, Post-Traumatic Stress, Longitudinal Tracking, Veteran Welfare, Cooperative Economics

Manuscript Timeline: Received: June 20, 2015; Revised: August 14, 2015; Accepted: September 18, 2015; Published: November 24, 2015

Citation: Rodriguez, M., & Lindqvist, S. (2015). Demobilization and Psychosocial Adjustment: Evaluating Long-Term Combant Reintegration Frameworks. Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies, 6(11), 541–549. DOI: 10.46882/2015/GJPCS/000082

Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies | Vol. 6, No. 11, November 2015 | pp. 532–540

DOI: 10.46882/2015/GJPCS/000081

Article Type: Original Research Paper

Title: The Geopolitics of Maritime Security: Environmental Changes and Emerging Strategic Rivalries in Contested Channels

Names of Authors: Astrid Lindstrom¹, Min-Ho Chen²

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Department of Political Science, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; ²Department of International Relations, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

Abstract: Abstract: Accelerated environmental degradation and climatic anomalies have turned historically isolated maritime regions into primary focuses for international geopolitical competition and resource exploitation. This research examines emerging security dynamics and potential resource conflicts among littoral states as new shipping lanes and hydrocarbon deposits become accessible. Utilizing strategic modeling, maritime spatial data, and policy documents from 2008 to 2014, we analyzed military infrastructure developments and maritime border claims. The empirical models confirm that the opening of seasonal shipping lanes matches a 45% increase in military deployments and naval exercises within contested exclusive economic zones. The study indicates that traditional institutional frameworks are structurally ill-equipped to handle hard security disputes, as their mandates are limited to environmental and sustainable development issues. The paper highlights that overlapping continental shelf claims could lead to localized accidents if cooperative frameworks are not expanded. We recommend establishing a binding multilateral treaty specifically addressing regional security cooperation to prevent unilateral militarization.

Keywords: Maritime Security, Strategic Rivalries, Geopolitics, Resource Exploitation, Climate Anomalies, Multilateral Treaties, Exclusive Economic Zones

Manuscript Timeline: Received: June 15, 2015; Revised: August 22, 2015; Accepted: September 29, 2015; Published: November 08, 2015

Citation: Lindstrom, A., & Chen, M. H. (2015). The Geopolitics of Maritime Security: Environmental Changes and Emerging Strategic Rivalries in Contested Channels. Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies, 6(11), 532–540. DOI: 10.46882/2015/GJPCS/000081

Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies | Vol. 6, No. 10, October 2015 | pp. 523–531

DOI: 10.46882/2015/GJPCS/000080

Article Type: Original Research Paper

Title: Religious Nationalism and Minority Insecurity: Analyzing Sectarian Mobilization in Democratic Systems

Names of Authors: Priya Nair¹, Rajesh Kumar²

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Department of Sociology, Delhi School of Economics, New Delhi, India; ²Department of Economics, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India

Abstract: Abstract: The rise of exclusionary religious nationalism within pluralistic democratic systems poses a significant structural threat to minority rights and regional social stability. This study analyzes the socio-political drivers behind escalating sectarian tensions and localized communal violence across multi-ethnic states. We utilized a comprehensive content analysis of political discourse, legislative data, and a localized survey of 450 minority households. The empirical results show that populist political strategies frequently mobilize majority religious identities to consolidate voting blocs, which correlates with an increase in sectarian violence. Quantitative tracking reveals that areas with high levels of exclusionary political rhetoric saw a notable rise in minority displacement incidents (Mean = 8.4 events/year) compared to integrated control areas (Mean = 1.2 events/year), yielding p < 0.01. The study demonstrates that institutional biases within local judiciaries and law enforcement bodies often compound minority vulnerabilities by failing to prosecute perpetrators. The paper concludes that protecting minority security requires constitutional safety mechanisms, independent human rights commissions, and grassroots interfaith coalitions.

Keywords: Religious Nationalism, Minority Insecurity, Sectarian Mobilization, Democratic Systems, Communal Violence, Populist Rhetoric, Constitutional Protections

Manuscript Timeline: Received: May 19, 2015; Revised: July 24, 2015; Accepted: August 28, 2015; Published: October 19, 2015

Citation: Nair, P., & Kumar, R. (2015). Religious Nationalism and Minority Insecurity: Analyzing Sectarian Mobilization in Democratic Systems. Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies, 6(10), 523–531. DOI: 10.46882/2015/GJPCS/000080

Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies | Vol. 6, No. 10, October 2015 | pp. 514–522

DOI: 10.46882/2015/GJPCS/000079

Article Type: Original Research Paper

Title: Natural Resource Abundance and Civil Conflict: A Comparative Econometric Modeling of Institutional Capacity Breakdown

Names of Authors: Yusuf Al-Kazi¹, Ling Wei²

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Department of Economics, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq; ²School of International Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China

Abstract: Abstract: The resource curse hypothesis suggests that an abundance of point-source natural resources increases a nation's vulnerability to civil war and institutional fragility. This study presents a comparative econometric analysis investigating the causal links between high oil and mineral export dependencies and conflict initiation. Using panel data from 65 developing nations between 1995 and 2014, we modeled the relationships between primary commodity export ratios, institutional quality indices, and conflict occurrences. The econometric models confirm that a 10% increase in oil export dependence raises the baseline probability of internal conflict by 4.2% (p < 0.01). However, further interaction analysis reveals that this effect is entirely mediated by institutional capacity. In nations with strong regulatory frameworks and transparent fiscal oversight, resource wealth does not correlate with conflict initiation. The study demonstrates that natural resource wealth triggers conflict primarily by funding rebel groups and weakening state administrative capacity through corruption. The paper concludes that international transparency standards, such as the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, are essential for preventing resource-driven conflicts.

Keywords: Resource Curse, Civil Conflict, Econometric Modeling, Institutional Capacity, Primary Commodities, Conflict Financing, Transparency Standards

Manuscript Timeline: Received: May 12, 2015; Revised: July 20, 2015; Accepted: August 22, 2015; Published: October 05, 2015

Citation: Al-Kazi, Y., & Wei, L. (2015). Natural Resource Abundance and Civil Conflict: A Comparative Econometric Modeling of Institutional Capacity Breakdown. Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies, 6(10), 514–522. DOI: 10.46882/2015/GJPCS/000079

Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies | Vol. 6, No. 9, September 2015 | pp. 505–513

DOI: 10.46882/2015/GJPCS/000078

Article Type: Case Study

Title: Police Militarization and Community Distrust: A Case Study of High-Intensity Urban Counter-Cartel Strategy

Names of Authors: Ricardo Silva¹, Thiago Santos²

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Institute of Social and Political Studies, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; ²Center for Criminology and Human Rights, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract: Abstract: Heavily militarized policing tactics are frequently deployed to suppress urban drug cartels, but they can unintentionally cause widespread insecurity among local communities. This case study evaluates the institutional and psychological impacts of militarized counter-narcotics operations within marginalized metropolitan sectors. Field research utilized ethnography, crime report analysis, and structured interviews with 380 local residents. The data reveal that heavy tactical policing operations yield negligible long-term reductions in drug cartel operations, while dramatically increasing accidental civilian casualties. Survey assessments indicate that 76% of residents reported extreme levels of institutional distrust toward security forces, viewing tactical units as occupying forces rather than protectors. Regression indicators reveal that increased police raid frequencies have a strong negative correlation with community willingness to report local crimes (R² = 0.54, p < 0.01). The research concludes that militarized urban policing destroys community-level intelligence networks and exacerbates cyclical violence. The paper recommends transitioning to community-oriented policing models backed by independent human rights oversight to rebuild institutional legitimacy.

Keywords: Police Militarization, Community Distrust, Urban Counter-Cartel Strategy, Tactical Operations, Public Security, Institutional Legitimacy, Human Rights

Manuscript Timeline: Received: April 22, 2015; Revised: June 30, 2015; Accepted: August 04, 2015; Published: September 22, 2015

Citation: Silva, R., & Santos, T. (2015). Police Militarization and Community Distrust: A Case Study of High-Intensity Urban Counter-Cartel Strategy. Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies, 6(9), 505–513. DOI: 10.46882/2015/GJPCS/000078