DOMESTIC
lution development advised by the
proactive and transdisciplinary analysis. Effectual application of peace
depends on the actualization of the
intrinsic source justifying extremity
and intractable needs. This prompts
the undertaking of uncovering centuries worth of compounded influences
at the grassroots to national level that
shaped human motivation. The effect
of nation building, history of war, religion, culture, ethnicity, socioeconomic dynamics, contemporary and
traditional ideologies intersect in cre-
VANDERBILT POLITICAL REVIEW
established. In the Vanderbilt case, the
justice system is clearly flawed for its
insensitivity towards potential psychological derangement, but even more so
for not markedly defining the immorality of rape. The “I’m the Girl That Ratted” campaign and the brave testimonies by Bosnian women in The Hague
were efforts to validate unrecognized
experiences. There cannot be gray areas or victim discretization if one is to
resolve and then prevent human rights
abuse. Bystander mentality and ignorance must transform into principals of
increases with more foreign aid in an
ethnically divided society though not
in an ethnically homogenous one”) or
the thought-process of attorneys and
traditional psychologists who blame
the rape victim for being in a state of
mind that warrants environmental manipulation and their inability to overcome trauma only proclaims a culture
of individual blame, self-segregation,
and apathy. This culture of violence
projects a cycle that houses acts of human degradation. Rape is the symptom of gender discrimination and the
As showcased by the incredible strength of Bosnian Muslim women,
survivors have the power of shaping the narrative and the extent of how
much destructive evil will carry over into their response. The women of
Srebrenica did not allow their abuse to predetermine the fate of Bosnia
and Herzegovina. They did not let rape translate into rape culture.
ating the complexity behind individual
consciousness. Within each category,
there lies a power dichotomy that projects a layer of oppression that develops deeply entrenched conflict group
identities. The Vanderbilt rape victim
will be subjected to reliving the horrific defilement of self endured as
she is cruelly forced to face assaulters to prove her dehumanization for
the second time. Trauma healing does
not mean survivors must forget. The
women of Srebrenica made certain
that their experiences were neither
invisible nor silent. It also does not
propagate exact retribution in order to
achieve transformative justice. Peace
is not found in sole dismantlement of
institutional discrimination, but rather
in the space created by the candor of
conflict acknowledgment. The raw,
revolting violations must be honestly
embraced by all players, victims and
perpetrators alike, if ever one hopes
to explain progress without devaluing
the human experience and enforce accountability. Collective truth must be
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behavior that guide the pursuit of what
is deemed right. Cultural change is that
determinant. Only then will structural
mechanisms be designed to fit all at the
table, and only then will equality be safeguarded for justice to be fully achieved.
As Vanderbilt students, we too must
unpack our predispositions and take
collective responsibility for the manners in which we contribute to the
existing subculture. The cycle of violence does not end until the culture of
violence has been converted to one of
respect. As members of the Vanderbilt
community, we possess the ultimate
autonomy over how we will respond
to systematic exploitation. Structural
reform establishes the environment
for equal opportunity and ensures accountability, but it is the will of collective community that decides upon
how to navigate freedom. Ideological
obstructions to justice such as William
Easterly’s belief in divisions along
ethnic lines despite the fact that it was
extreme ethnic identities that justified
out-group subjugation (“corruption
result of inequality. Prevention and
definitive transformation efforts must
be refocused to address disrupted
power imbalances and ecological systems rather than stereotyping perpetrators and victim-conducive individuals.
Structures of inequality create a
culture of inequality, but peacebuilding is sourced in the synergistic actualization of community. The acquisition
of transformative justice is inextricably tied to the culture it is immersed
in. The culmination of conflict resolution efforts leaves a residual footprint on the target community in the
priorities it promotes. The dynamic
nature of conflict proves that values
and beliefs are capable of being constructively shaped by the social environment. The culture of peace is created upon the efforts of forgiveness,
conscious recognition of guilt, and
collaborative consideration for humanity’s integrative development. Such
paradigm shift is the ultimate component that drives reconciliation. The
power to choose peace is within us.