Recently, we had to turn-in our final thesis title, summary, and abstract to the school, so I wanted to share them with you all to let you know about my thesis work progress. I have just over two weeks before I submit it!
My thesis titles in both English and Japanese are:
Beyond Japan's Peace Constitution: Working towards a new definition of peace constitutions by looking at constitutions from around the world and the transnational social movement Global Article 9 Campaign to Abolish War.
日本の平和憲法を超えて：世界中の憲法とトランスナショナルな社会運動の研究による、平和憲法の新しい定義創出の試み。
My official thesis abstract is:
Jay Gilliam's thesis is a thorough examination of peace constitutions that (re)defines—beyond Japan's constitution—the various kinds of peace constitutions around the world and looks at their impact on state policies on war & peace, military & arms build-ups, development, human rights, and other policy tools that states have to resolve conflicts between and among each other through peaceful methods and that, ultimately, work to create sustainable cultures of peace. The study has four main objectives: to understand what peace constitutions are and the elements that form the various kinds; to learn about and profile the types of countries that have peace constitutions; to look at the current transnational social movement The Global Article 9 Campaign to Abolish War, a strong advocate of peace constitutions working to raise awareness and appreciation for their practical benefits; and to analyze the use and impact of state policies based on promoting the values in peace constitutions.
The first section looks at The Global Article 9 Campaign to Abolish War, a non-profit advocacy group that is at the forefront in thinking about Japan's peace constitution beyond that nation's borders and connecting it to other peace constitutions in the world. This Japanese peace movement is both an extension of previous Japanese peace movement groups working to uphold the values of Article 9 and a new, larger transnational peace network that is working to seek alternative means of security through peace constitutions. This section is based on a year-long study and looks more closely at the beginnings and growth of the Global Article 9 Campaign within the framework of its aims and focus, its relationships with earlier Japanese peace movement groups, the peace constitution conferences it has held, and the changing and expanding issues of the campaign. Jay also had the opportunity to work more closely with the Global Article 9 Campaign as an intern at its office in Tokyo, Japan for six months in 2009. A study of this campaign is essential in understanding the development of the broader global peace constitution movement and in a new understanding of peace constitutions that goes beyond Japan and connects it to other states' constitutions and their peace clauses.
The second section works towards a (new) definition of peace constitutions. Jay argues that while a substantial body of literature exists about Japan's peace constitution, too often that body of work fails to make connections between Japan's peace constitution and other states' constitutions with similar peace articles. In other words, he believes today's understanding of a peace constitution is not defined by a comprehensive survey of peace constitutions or a serious discussion of the elements that should make up peace constitutions but an uncritical look at and reference to Japan's constitution. His research project (re)defines peace constitutions beyond Japan's post-war constitution and makes a more inclusive, updated definition to identify Japan and other countries that constitutionally mandate that their state work towards peace and non-violent means for conflict resolution. Jay's research finds that there are many kinds of peace constitutions in 35 different countries that explicitly make a commitment for the state and its people to work towards creating a global culture of peace through policies and actions that go against or seriously limit military action, war, and violent solutions to state conflicts and, instead, embrace peace, international law, and human rights.
The third section of Jay's thesis examines more closely the states found through his research that have peace constitutions and answers the questions: What are the characteristics of a peace constitution state? How much more peaceful are these states with peace constitutions compared to states without peace constitutions? The study analyzes data collected about geography; economic, social, and human development; human rights; and military and defense spending to answer these questions. This data serves as a barometer for measuring foreign policy choices and preferences that these states have when confronted with conflict and the values it places on preventing or mitigating violent conflict.
Finally, Jay’s study explains why some countries have a perceived gap between what its constitutions say and what policies the states actually follow to uphold peace constitution values. Building upon the concept of strategic culture from security studies, the study posits that some states have put to good use their histories with war and violence and, through their peace constitutions, work hard to develop, nurture, and solidify a state culture of peace. That is to say, for some states their peace constitutions have become a symbol of and anchor for promoting a state culture of peace. This section further develops this concept of peace constitutions as anchors for building state cultures of peace.
Jay Gilliam's thesis is a thorough examination of peace constitutions that (re)defines—beyond Japan's constitution—the various kinds of peace constitutions around the world and looks at their impact on state policies on war & peace, military & arms build-ups, development, human rights, and other policy tools that states have to resolve conflicts between and among each other through peaceful methods and that, ultimately, work to create sustainable cultures of peace. The study has four main objectives: to understand what peace constitutions are and the elements that form the various kinds; to learn about and profile the types of countries that have peace constitutions; to look at the current transnational social movement The Global Article 9 Campaign to Abolish War, a strong advocate of peace constitutions working to raise awareness and appreciation for their practical benefits; and to analyze the use and impact of state policies based on promoting the values in peace constitutions.
The first section looks at The Global Article 9 Campaign to Abolish War, a non-profit advocacy group that is at the forefront in thinking about Japan's peace constitution beyond that nation's borders and connecting it to other peace constitutions in the world. This Japanese peace movement is both an extension of previous Japanese peace movement groups working to uphold the values of Article 9 and a new, larger transnational peace network that is working to seek alternative means of security through peace constitutions. This section is based on a year-long study and looks more closely at the beginnings and growth of the Global Article 9 Campaign within the framework of its aims and focus, its relationships with earlier Japanese peace movement groups, the peace constitution conferences it has held, and the changing and expanding issues of the campaign. Jay also had the opportunity to work more closely with the Global Article 9 Campaign as an intern at its office in Tokyo, Japan for six months in 2009. A study of this campaign is essential in understanding the development of the broader global peace constitution movement and in a new understanding of peace constitutions that goes beyond Japan and connects it to other states' constitutions and their peace clauses.
The second section works towards a (new) definition of peace constitutions. Jay argues that while a substantial body of literature exists about Japan's peace constitution, too often that body of work fails to make connections between Japan's peace constitution and other states' constitutions with similar peace articles. In other words, he believes today's understanding of a peace constitution is not defined by a comprehensive survey of peace constitutions or a serious discussion of the elements that should make up peace constitutions but an uncritical look at and reference to Japan's constitution. His research project (re)defines peace constitutions beyond Japan's post-war constitution and makes a more inclusive, updated definition to identify Japan and other countries that constitutionally mandate that their state work towards peace and non-violent means for conflict resolution. Jay's research finds that there are many kinds of peace constitutions in 35 different countries that explicitly make a commitment for the state and its people to work towards creating a global culture of peace through policies and actions that go against or seriously limit military action, war, and violent solutions to state conflicts and, instead, embrace peace, international law, and human rights.
The third section of Jay's thesis examines more closely the states found through his research that have peace constitutions and answers the questions: What are the characteristics of a peace constitution state? How much more peaceful are these states with peace constitutions compared to states without peace constitutions? The study analyzes data collected about geography; economic, social, and human development; human rights; and military and defense spending to answer these questions. This data serves as a barometer for measuring foreign policy choices and preferences that these states have when confronted with conflict and the values it places on preventing or mitigating violent conflict.
Finally, Jay’s study explains why some countries have a perceived gap between what its constitutions say and what policies the states actually follow to uphold peace constitution values. Building upon the concept of strategic culture from security studies, the study posits that some states have put to good use their histories with war and violence and, through their peace constitutions, work hard to develop, nurture, and solidify a state culture of peace. That is to say, for some states their peace constitutions have become a symbol of and anchor for promoting a state culture of peace. This section further develops this concept of peace constitutions as anchors for building state cultures of peace.
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I hope some of you are as excited as I am to read the finally copy later next month-I know I am, and I'm writing it! As always, if you are interested in reading a copy, please send me a message requesting one. I promise it won't be as boring a read as many other master's theses!
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