Release Peace: The Magazine
From Around the World
This section brings you underreported stories, mostly from outside Europe and North America, that rarely make it into the global news cycle. Take a closer look with us at societies, their histories, and the people who make for inspiring stories.
From Around the World: Find the Stories Beyond the Headlines
The Price of Passage: Extortion and State Inaction Along Guatemala’s Migrant Trail
Criminal gangs operate some of the most pervasive extortion networks in Guatemala. But corruption has long permeated all branches of the Guatemalan government. Like 'la renta' imposed by criminal gangs, corrupt members of Guatemala’s security forces extort migrants by demanding payments in exchange for safe passage.
A Closer Look: Housing Policy for Palestinians in Jordan
Jordan hosts the largest number of Palestinian refugees in the world. For decades, the Jordanian state, together with the international community, has supported them with accommodation. However, strict rules and restrictions apply to not permit permanence. This article explores that tension.
Loneliness in Natsume Sōseki’s Famous Novel "Kokoro"
“You see, loneliness is the price we have to pay for being born in this modern age, so full of freedom [and] independence,” Sensei says. This “modern age” is the Japan of well over a century ago. While that may seem a far cry away, one of Japan’s foremost novels about a man’s struggle with loneliness and isolation offers a unique perspective into what is at the root of one of the biggest challenges faced today.
Child Exploitation and Fake Orphanages in Cambodia
Over the past few decades, Cambodia has emerged as one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing tourist destinations. The influx of foreign visitors has also fuelled a profitable voluntourism industry, attracting travellers who pay to work at local childcare institutions.
A Caribbean Island and its Freshwater Consumption Paradox
Antigua’s water system is shaped by geography rather than choice. The island features no rivers or permanent streams, and its groundwater reserves are limited by size and rainfall variability. These structural constraints have historically forced reliance on rainwater harvesting and small-scale storage systems.
Bhutan: A Dark Past Casts a Shadow on the Small Country's Future
small nation of just over 770,000 people, Bhutan consists of three main ethnic groups. Their history is a fascinating one that serves as a stark reminder of what ethnic tensions can lead to.
Not Just Computer Chips: How Taiwan's Reputation in Many Dimensions Shapes its Foreign Relations
Taiwan’s strategic geographic position in the Pacific Ocean affects regional security dynamics. The island’s dominance in advanced computer chip manufacturing, and its historical context make its sovereignty one of the most pertinent geopolitical debates in the world.
Observations on How Syria’s Islamist Rulers Are Building a State
In contrast to the Taliban and other revolutionary organisations that aim to deeply transform society and the state, the Syrian experience thus far has been characterised by gradualism in institution building and bureaucratic reform.
Beyond Gold Medals: The Role of North Korean Athletes
The Olympic games and other high-profile tournaments have given the DPRK a platform to showcase elite athletes. The success of its athletes is not only a window into the inner workings of North Korea, but also indicates when the secluded nation reaches out to others.
Former U.S. Ambassador Susan Page About South Sudan, Russian Influence, And an Emergency Evacuation
She was the first ambassador to a country that had just declared independence, organised humanitarian aid, and left to the international airport in a city under gunfire. This is an interview with former U.S. Ambassador Susan Page.
Overlooked and Underreported: Peace and Precarity in Timor-Leste
This tiny country has experienced four UN peacekeeping mission. In hindsight, they seem to have worked out. But the journey of a country many will never visit or have heard of was a bloody one.
Challenges and Opportunities With Lithium Mining: The Cases of Argentina and Chile
Lithium already is a key commodity in the industrial transition that can be observed around the world. With Argentina and Chile being amongst its biggest producers, a closer look at their approaches to lithium mining is warranted.
Can a Port Build Peace? Morocco’s $1.2 Billion Project
Forty kilometers north of Dakhla, where the Sahara meets the Atlantic, workers are constructing a $1.2 billion deepwater port. The isolated peninsula sits at the center of an ambitious Moroccan infrastructure initiative. Yet the port’s location raises a deeper and intellectually challenging question: Can building the material foundations of peace be a substitute for addressing its political roots?
How Syria's President Went From Terrorist to Internationally Recognised Leader - A Playbook for Groups in the Sahel?
As recently as December 2024, the current president of Syria had a $10 million bounty from the U.S. on his head. It was removed in that month and by 29 January 2025, Ahmed al-Sharaa declared himself the president of Syria. What is lesser known is the years-long path of dialectic legitimisation by the international community, both from humanitarian and government actors. We might just witness the same right now with terrorist groups in the Sahel.
Where History Went Wrong: A Review of De-Ba'athification in Iraq Post-2003
To this day, the redesign of the institutions of Iraq during the post-2003 U.S. occupation of the country shapes its politics. It were two key decisions that had a lasting impact. They were well-intentioned but badly executed.
The power of gangs in Haiti has grown since the 2010 earthquake, They filled a vacuum left by a corrupted and failed state. As of 2025, gangs control up to 85% of the capital Port-au-Prince and had imposed their tyrannous reign on the entire population, including children. Almost 300 children were recently killed or injured.
The Dark History of Rubber in the Congo
In 1885, the Congo Free State was established as the personal territory of King Leopold II of Belgium. This arrangement gave the King extraordinary control over both governance and resource extraction. This was markedly different the approach of other European powers at the time, where the state, not the ruler personally, would own the colony. It was a fateful decision with horrific consequences for the Congolese.
Eastern Congo, A Rebel Leader, and Potential Future President?
The notorious armed group M23 will be known to many. But one of the leaders of the alliance that M23 belongs to is studied less. He has attempted for years to rule of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. And had just set his eyes on a new target in the country's South. This is the story of Corneille Nangaa. Remember his name.
1920s Russia experienced extraordinary levels of censorship, yet authors produced some of the most influential and political art under Stalin’s oppression. The Master and Margarita is one of these novel.
Taiwan, China, and Political Questions of National Identity
Taiwan's two major parties have long defined Taiwanese identity differently. With the KMT historically arguing that Taiwanese identity is indistinguishable from Chinese identity. The DPP, by contrast, always took a more nationalist stance. But this article explores how times, definitions, and self-identification are changing.
Struggling to Survive in a New Reality? Christians in Syria
Before the outbreak of civil war in 2011, Syria was home to approximately 1.5 million Christians, accounting for around 10% of the population. What does the future of Christians look like in a country now governed by former members of Al-Qaeda?
Coffee and Costa Rica: A Symbiotic Relationship?
Coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world behind oil. And it holds cultural importance globally. While most of the world's coffee comes from Brazil and Southeast Asia, how the small nation of Costa Rica does things is worth an investigation.
Policies & Practice: Gender Dynamics and Parental Leave Policies in Georgia
An insightful UNDP survey sheds lights on gender dynamics in the caucasus nation of Georgia. A new paternity leave law is yet to make an impact with Georgian families. This article looks closer at policies and practices of gender equality in a country often hidden away from global attention.
The Film "Walkabout": A Depiction of an Outback that Never Existed
In Nicolas Roeg’s 1971 film ‘Walkabout’, the vast, sun-drenched Australian outback takes on a haunting silence. This silence is far from empty; it echoes the weight of colonial history.
The Mapuche Raise Their Voice. Does Chile Listen?
When three police officers were killed in the spring of 2024, Chile paid attention to the Biobio region. Conflicts in the region run deep. And one law from 1984 is still in place.
The Congolese Mine Where the Uranium for the U.S. Atomic Bombs Came From
It was the Shinkolobwe mine in that part of the DRC that provided two-thirds of the uranium used in the atomic bombs dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The mine's legacy for the local population lives on. This is a story few will have heard about.
Beauty can be deceptive: This country shows us the long-term consequences of war like no other.
To most of the world, Laos represents a beautiful country of rolling green hills and rice paddies. Few know of the dangers lurking just below the ground of this picturesque scene. Since the end of the Vietnam War, Laos has held the unfortunate title of being the most bombed country in human history. The effects of unexploded ordnances from that time go beyond simple safety risks.
Why HIV Rates Remain High Among Australia's First Nations
Between 2011 and 2016, the rate of new HIV diagnoses among First Nations People increased from 3.6 to 6.3 per 100,000. Between 2016 and 2019 this saw an increase of 33%, whilst there was a decrease of 22% among the non-Indigenous population. A closer look at centuries of discrimination and misguided policies is warranted.
Civil Society Perspective
Inside the Last Absolute Monarchy in Africa
A recognised UN member state that few have heard of, and whose head of state even fewer will know. But his power is virtually unchecked. As this small southern African nation heads to the polls, a closer look seems warranted.
Local Perceptions Matter: How do You Feel About Pro-Democracy Foreign Interventions?
Little covered by most of the world's media outlets, the West African nation of The Gambia provides for an incredible and unique case study on what happens once a dictator is removed from power peacefully...but only due to the help of foreign powers.
Russian Journalists Abroad - And Their Impact in Russia
A great share of independent Russian journalists see emigration as the only choice to preserve their journalistic -and physical- integrity. But their reporting continues. A new way of journalism seems to emerge, where people in a country are informed by journalists from outside said country.
Where There is Light There is Darkness: Russian Hybrid Warfare Against Georgia
The 2008 war was the first deployment of cyber warfare in any armed conflict globally. Today, Russia's toolbox in Georgia includes much more than that.
Surprising Revelations on When the Police Use Deadly Force in Brazil and the Philippines
Brazil and the Philippines have been in the headlines in recent years over their use of deadly force by the police. A closer look at the data reveals what might contradict some common assumptions.
Welcome to the Sultanate of Sokoto
It would be easy to assume that the advent of colonialism in Africa meant the definitive end of the states that had previously occupied the vast lands of the continent. The Sultanate of Sokoto in Nigeria exists to this day. And a leader representing about 80 million people is a case study you should hear about.
Millions Still at Risk in South Indian Water Dispute
In the South Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka rice for millions is at risk, water levels are at historical lows and 2,000 organisations called for a general strike. A closer look is needed.
Countries and Cultures That Disappear Into the Ocean
Despite contributing a combined less than 0.03% of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2019, the island nations in the Pacific will face disproportionate impacts of climate change.
Dying to Breathe: A Case Study in Air Pollution
Imagine living in a place where air pollution can reach 133 times the World Health Organization’s accepted, safe limit. That's the case in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia. It can serve as a case study for the multitude of reasons causing air pollution. How can a city's air be polluted if located in the least densely populated country in the world?
David v Goliath: A Story of Ecuador’s Indigenous Community
The Waorani indigenous group of the exuberant Southern region of Ecuador are one of 14 indigenous nationalities currently in the country. Indigenous territories cover an 22% of our planet’s natural landscape and house an astonishing 80% of Earth’s biodiversity. In a trend discernible globally, indigenous peoples are banding together to challenge industries destroying their land.
Refashioning: The Tswana and Threads of Power
Over the past three centuries, the evolution of cultural fashion trends has frequently revealed an intricate relationship between style and power, not least during the era of colonialism. The Tswana in South Africa and Botswana displayed had an intriguing relationship with British colonial fashion.
Peace in Mexico - The Women Who Make it Happen
The National Women’s Institute in Mexico created the MUCPAZ Initiative, a grassroots women’s network that collaborates with public institutions to prevent gender violence. The MUCPAZ Initiative represents a cutting-edge endeavour deploying local and gender-balanced peacebuilding paradigms.
Distress Calls: The Crisis Faced by Australia's Transgender Community
imagine you seek the help of a doctor or psychologist, but every time you reach out, they assume you are overreacting, or that a childhood trauma or psychological disorder is to blame. All you require is the treatment you desperately need, but it is unattainable. This story will open your eyes.
+ Environmental Challenges of the 21st Century +
An Impressive Achievement: Nature has Constitutional Rights in this South American Country
A significant task for humanity in the 21st century is to recognize its dominant -and often detrimental- role in shaping the planetary environment. One country has an ecocentric part in its constitution and enshrines RoN (rights of nature). Largely unnoticed, it might just be the role model the world has been looking for.
The shadow of history: Cameroon's struggles for peaceful coexistence.
Previously ruled by Germany, Cameroon was partitioned after Germany’s defeat in the First World War, with France being handed 80% of the country, whilst Britain was to rule the remaining 20%. It was during this colonial-era split that tensions began to rise between the French-speaking and English-speaking communities. Today, little has changed.
