Release Peace: The Magazine
Context & Background Stories on
What Drives our World
In times of growing polarization, we look unemotionally at the context and background of the stories that shape our societies.
Continued Institutionalisation - Disability Rights in Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina
Following the dissolution of Yugoslavia in 1991, its successor states faced the challenge of reforming disability policy and shifting from institutional care toward community-based support. This article explores the cases of EU member state Slovenia and EU candidate country Bosnia and Herzegovina on a vital yet often underreported topic.
The Chinese Concepts that Have Shaped the Country's Modern History
A new phrase, coined by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), began to take hold in China’s political discourse from 2013 onwards: “The Chinese Dream”, or zhongguo meng. The concept, introduced by Xi Jinping, framed China’s future as one of national rejuvenation. This article will go through the concepts that shaped modern Chinese political leadership.
A Nuanced Article on a Key Question in Post-Conflict Societies: Amnesty or Punishment?
At the age of 12, Thomas Kwoyelo was abducted by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) while walking to his primary school in northern Uganda. During nearly twenty years in captivity, he participated in atrocious acts of violence. His case makes for one that highlights the hard decisions a country must face after violent conflict.
Informed by its Dark Past, Free Speech is Uniquely Curtailed in Germany
Germany’s criminal code delimits free speech permissions. It criminalizes the approval, denial, or dismissal of Nazi atrocities and the Shoah. The strict interpretation of these laws by some German courts has caused controversy.
The Visible and Invisible Traumas of the War in Ukraine
The trauma inflicted upon Ukrainian service members and civilians by the ongoing war is multidimensional. This article looks at the mental and physical impact of the war through the examples of amputations and sexual violence against male service members.
Are Data Centers in Space the Solution for AI?
Computing has always consumed energy and water. However, the growing ambitions of the artificial intelligence (AI) industry are pushing demand to an unprecedented scale. As pressures on planetary resources mount, data centers in orbit around Earth have been pitched as a solution.
The Prosperity Paradox of Peru's Ica Valley: A Case Study for the World
Three hundred kilometres south of Lima, sandwiched between the Peruvian coast and the Andean foothills, sits Ica, one of the driest regions in the world. Between the cold upwelling from the Pacific, the relentless solar radiation, and its position along the 14th parallel, Ica is almost completely devoid of rainfall. Yet, one part of that region is a major agricultural exporter.
A War Unfiltered: The Events of Kosovo
“They tied our hands and told us to leave. We ran, and fell in a hole. They fired at us, and we didn’t move so that they would think that we were dead.” These were the words of a girl of only eleven years old and fearing for her life. The 1999 war in Kosovo remains a dire lesson of the effects of ethno-nationalism on a grand scale.
Mexico’s Faltering Migration System After U.S. Immigration Policy Changes
Mexico occupies a dual role, both as a transit country for migrants seeking to enter the United States, and as a popular destination country itself. Between 2020 and September 2025, Mexico received close to 500,000 asylum applications. How has funding and migration policy in Mexico changed since the U.S. made substantial changes to its immigration policy?
Legal Protections for Pregnant and Parenting Students in the U.S.
Title IX is a U.S. federal civil rights law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in educational institutions receiving federal funding. The law’s origins were shaped by the experiences made in the 1950s by Marvella Bayh. She was denied access to higher education because she was a woman.
Egypt and the Gulf: A Relationship under Pressure
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi has enjoyed a mutually beneficial relationship with Gulf leaders since he came to power. GCC countries have poured billions of dollars into Egypt over the years. Yet, skeptics in the Gulf are asking whether Cairo really has the GCC’s interests at heart.
A Comparative Analysis of the Politics of FGM in The Gambia and Somalia
The Gambia and Somalia have particularly high FGM prevalence rates. According to UN Women, their FGM rates are estimated at 76.3% and a staggering 99%, respectively. In The Gambia and Somalia, FGM legislation processes reveal how religious authority is both formally and informally embedded in policymaking.
The History of the Russian Orthodox Church and What it Means for Ukraine Today
The Russian Orthodox Church, established as a patriarchate in 1589 in Moscow, has maintained a historically close relationship with the Russian state. Under Patriarch Kirill, it emphasises unity among East Slavic peoples. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Church’s public statements have attracted significant international attention.
France's sovereignty can be felt 15,000 km away from Paris. French Polynesia might be at the centre of a new era of mining the minerals of the future at the Pacific's seabed, or it might be a case study in environmental protection at a massive scale.
Guatemala illustrates a broader dilemma facing resource-dependent economies across Latin America. Legal recognition of Indigenous rights has expanded significantly in recent decades, often through constitutional reforms and international agreements. Yet legal recognition alone rarely guarantees meaningful protection.
During the 2010’s, Spain stood out in the European context for its relatively limited far-right electoral success, compared to other European countries. What was often referred to as the “Spanish exception” ended towards the end of that decade. What is the situation like today?
According to the UN High-Level Advisory Body on AI, seven countries currently participate in all major global AI governance initiatives. By contrast, 118 countries do not participate in any. Various UN agencies have developed their own AI principles and capacity-building efforts.
Trust sits at the centre of the physician-patient relationship. It rests on the belief that a physician is competent, truthful, and committed to the patient’s welfare. During the COVID-19 pandemic, conflicting guidelines and ever-changing protocols created uncertainty for patients, physicians, and institutions.
Different Laws, Same Problem: The Limits of Fighting Workplace Bullying
Workplace bullying is a occurs globally. Two countries, Sweden and France, follow distinctly different legislative approaches to clamp down on bullying. To the surprise of many, the outcomes were nearly the same. And they were not good.
Around one in three people living in Latvia speak Russian as their first language. While this has led to challenges ever since the country's regained independence in 1991, the past few years have led to enormous changes for Russian speakers and Latvian society at large.
In 1965, Lee Kuan Yew faced a formidable challenge as Prime Minister of newly independent Singapore. Just a year before independence, ethnic riots had left 23 people dead and hundreds injured.
An Exploration of the Peruvian Concept of Ayni and Everyday Peace
Recent peacebuilding scholarship identifies a ‘local turn’ within peace and conflict studies, emphasising local-level initiatives and everyday practices. This concept highlights community-based action and sustainable peacebuilding methods. Everyday peace is a concept used to analyse how conflict is managed or contained in divided societies.
What is the Progress with the Second Phase of the Gaza Peace Plan?
On October 13, 2025, more than 20 world leaders gathered in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, to witness US President Donald Trump sign the ceasefire agreement meant to end the war between Israel and Hamas that had lasted for over two years. This article will look at the components of the second phase of the peace plan and its implementation to date.
The History of Women's Suffrage in the US and Current Women's Safety Concerns in Mexico
It took a World War and some ingenuity for women in the United States to achieve the right to vote. In Mexico, it was achieved only decades later and the country remains one where organisations on the ground seek to better the daily lives of women and improve public safety.
Frontline and Hinterland: Myanmar's Women in the War Against the Junta
“We are women warriors, which means we are ready to fight anytime and anywhere. Warriors are brave, decisive, and loyal. We are ready to fight for the people,” said Amara about her commitment to stand against the military junta. In a society where 70 percent of the population believes men make better political leaders, women in Myanmar have emerged as key figures in the resistance.
The UK Never Joining the Euro Might Not Have Had Much to Do With Economics
An analysis of surveys from the 1990s and early 2000s sheds new light on Britain's rejection of ever joining the Euro. The loss of empire, an identity crisis, and a desire to be different from continental Europe might all have played a role in the country's opt-out more important than economic or fiscal arguments.
National Identity, Tengrism, and Islam in Kyrgyzstan
In Kyrgyzstan, Islam and nomadic spiritual traditions have co-existed and interacted since the introduction of Islam in the region. Today, Kyrgyzstan's Tengrism and other forms of faith make for a fascinating case study like nowhere else on Earth.
The Beautiful World of Coral Reefs and New Methods for How to Protect Them
Coral reefs, among the Earth’s oldest ecosystems, face increasing vulnerability from both natural and human-driven stress factors. To ensure their protection and preservation, a tool known as rubble stabilisation has emerged.
Korea's demography problem has become a matter of national security. With the lowest birth rate in the world, its pool of available soldiers is shrinking so fast that the defence of the country is questionable.
Bipartisan Support or Universal Rejection? The State of Nuclear Energy in the U.S.
Nuclear energy has attracted considerable bipartisan federal support in the US over the past decade. Yet, there have been only three plants constructed since 2000; each at a pre-existing site. A few case studies provide unsurprising answers.
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.
Forgot to Pay the Piper? Scotland and its Post-Brexit Relationship with the EU
The UK's Office for Budget Responsibility estimates that Scotland is losing out on £3 billion in public revenues every year due to Brexit. Scotland was not part of the Brexit negotiations between London and Brussels. As of today, many new agreements with the EU are signed. And they came with surprising ramifications for Scotland.
One Kingdom, Many Tribes: The Politics of Jordan
Even after the establishment of Jordanian independence in 1946, tribes remained pertinent to the political system. Under the monarchy, tribes have acted as interest groups and have become interwoven with the state. For instance, up until the 1970s, tribal law and tribal courts were permitted.
Stigma and poor sanitary conditions lead to the phenomenon of period poverty in many parts of the world. Anyone, men or woman, should learn about it.
Statistics highlight a silent emergency in the United States, one that can be found in many other countries as well: People die in hospitals not from their illness, injuries, or surgeries gone wrong. But another killer is whose death toll seems preventable.
Mostly associated with The Americas, Australia, or Northern Europe, Indigenous groups are not a common consideration when it comes to Africa. Meet the Bagyeli/Bakola of Cameroon.
Demand for lithium-ion batteries has never been higher, spurred by demand for renewable energy technology and EVs, especially in China. Demand for AI-based solutions has skyrocketed even more. One country in South America holds the biggest lithium reserves in the world. Combining AI and lithium extraction offers an insight into the future of the world.
Centuries of violent conflict in Northern Ireland were meant to be brought to an end with the Good Friday Agreement. Almost three decades on, we came across an astonishing statistic: 93% of children are still educated based on the former divisions. And 67% of parents do not want that.
Failed Mediation, Hunger, and Daily Casualties: The War in Sudan and How We Got There
What the people of Sudan wanted in 2018 is toppling a long-time dictator. What they got to this day is a civil war. This articles looks at the grave humanitarian catastrophe that is ongoing in the country, as well as the failed mediation attempts by outside powers.
With over 98% of the population being Sunni Muslims, the national identity of Morocco is closely tied to religious practice. The country follows a moderate form of Islam, distinguished from other versions by its history and Sufi mysticism. And the Kind himself sets an example.
Lost in Translation: Language, Identity and Education in Haiti
Enshrined in the Haitian Constitution is the right to a free, comprehensive education. But 90% of children do not speak the country's language of instruction as their mother tongue.
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.
All “measures of a military nature” are prohibited by the Antarctic Treaty of 1959. It is meant to be a continent exclusively for research and cooperation. But conversations around militarisation are increasing.
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.
Marginalised and abused for centuries, the daily life of persons with disabilities has changed to the better in recent decades. Unbeknown to many, over 185 countries are parties to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CPRD) Was it a game changer or a paper tiger?
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.
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.
“Our current resistance has a particularly female face” was the way Olena Zelenska, the first lady of Ukraine, acknowledged and praised the role of women in defending their country. From frontline combat roles to humanitarian support, women play a pivotal role in Ukraine. And the world should take note.
Two years have passed since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, yet the repercussions of this conflict continue to reverberate globally, particularly in the energy sector. Looking at fossil fuels, nuclear energy, and renewables in South Korea exposes a glaring deficiency.
The UN General Assembly (UNGA) has adopted a resolution unequivocally condemning the atrocities of Srebrenica and instating 11 July as the “International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica”. It was a day when mostly men and boys were taken to forest and execute. A day of horror while UN troops stood by.
Nanotechnology exists on the nano-scale – between 1 and 100 nanometers, or an astonishingly tiny billionth of a meter. Breakthroughs on this tiny scale allow for improvements in various sectors including engineering, medicine, and biology. As has been true for most technology, there has been a growing interest in its weaponization.
Descendant of Indian royalty and goddaughter of Queen Victoria, Duleep Singh was focal to the British suffragette movement – a turning point in the emancipation of women. Born in 1876, Sophia Duleep Singh was the daughter of Maharaja Duleep Singh and Maharani Bamba. Her father was the last Maharaja (Indian prince) of Punjab before it was annexed by Britain in 1849.
In the midst of the ongoing war, Ukraine is not standing still on other important issues. While the world receives updates about the frontlines in the Donbas every day, we have a look at the latest developments on gender equality in the country.
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.
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.
Like no other nation in the world, Estonia has moved all civil service processes online over the past two decades. This culminated in a majority of Estonians now voting in national elections entirely online, rather than going to polling stations. How does it work and what are the risks?
'The Swedish Model' is often used as a case study for democracies due to its relatively peaceful early transition. Unlike many violent transitions to democracy, as seen in, for example, French history, Sweden never experienced a revolutionary break. Instead, it underwent a long-term structural change. Once Sweden had become a democracy, it did not break down, even under the pressure of the interwar period during which other democracies collapsed. But surprisingly, Sweden didn't always have the ideal conditions for democracy to emerge.
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.
Will Reconciliation be Given a Chance in Bosnia & Herzegovina? The Case Study of Prijedor
How can reconciliation be a success when the former killers resist it to this day? In a nation from which 2 million people have fled, can the diaspora play a pivotal role? Approaching the answers can be as difficult as anything else in Bosnia & Herzegovina.
Forty-one percent of Bangladesh's population live at sea level. 2 million people lost their livelihoods after cyclone Sidr hit the country back in 2007. Reports from the UNHCR and ICRC shed light on what is to come.
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.
The space programme has civilian and military dimensions. It is about more than just shooting satellites into space. However, it also presents a lifeline for Russia in light of the heavy sanctions the latter is under since its 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Throw C4ISR into the mix and the space race is on.
It was 1988 when a fifth of the entire population of modern-day Estonia came together to sing Eestimaa Laul. It was the song of independence and the first time that the restoration of independence was demanded publicly in this Baltic state. Soon after, the Baltic Way, a human chain stretching an almost unimaginable 600km and spanning three countries and capital cities showed to the world that freedom was a powerful force.
The whole world held its breath when a full-scale war broke out on February 24, giving Ukraine only days to resist. It has pushed the Ukrainian government and its innovative citizenry to develop apps, track Russian troops in real time, and pool donations online. Ukraine was already used to digital doctor's appointments, app-based communication with governments officials, and much more. But in the midst of war, the astonishing ingenuity of Ukrainians seems to have reached new heights.
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.
A Look at Norway's System of Father's Quotas
Soon-to-be parents in Norway are entitled to 49 weeks of combined paid leave. Mothers can take paid maternity leave of 18 weeks, and the “common period” which is 16 paid weeks for both parent. The country has set up a system to ensure both parents are spending time with their new-born and receive paid leave. Does this encourage fathers to stay home? Can it be a case study for other nations?
Still to this day, many North Koreans who live in Japan struggle to create a sense of belonging on the island they moved to decades ago. To provide its people with a cultural saturation and to pass on the Korean cultural heritage to future generations, the North Korean regime established ethnic schools across Japan. This is a story with two faces.
Inspiring Women and Their Stories
On 31 July, 2023 two countries signed a Strategic Partnership Agreement that came as a surprise to many. Largely ignored in the West, their trade relations and direct investments have rapidly increased over the past decade. The partnership might be even more surprising in light of China's amiable relationship with the Russian Federation.
Female genital mutilation or ‘FGM’ is defined by the World Health Organisation as “all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons”. Consideration of the long-term implications of FGM provokes a lump in one’s throat, devastation over the treatment of women and girls in today’s world, and sombre admiration for the resilience of FGM survivors.
