Issue Theme: Resistance

Introduction

Welcome to Volume 3 # 2 of the International Journal of Conflict and Reconciliation. The articles in this issue are concerned with resistance. Resistance challenges the power of those who impose their will on others and exists at all levels of society including the household, community, national and international levels. It exists among the powerful and less powerful alike, is exhibited by those who attempt to hinder change and as well as by those seeking change.The three articles published in this issue cover very different topics. While they all focus on the resistance of community members to those in authority, each covers a different aspect of resistance in three different country: The United States of America, Thailand and Colombia.

Mibre Burch is an artist/scholar in Theatre and Performance Studies who uses storytelling and listening to engage others on social issues. Her interest in the present article is rebuilding community among non-citizens who are affected by public policies. Katrina Gaber’s work in Thailand draws attention to the use of social media in covert forms of resistance among individuals under repressive regimes. Many groups including religious minorities, women and LGBT groups are increasingly using such social media outlets. Juan Suarez-Gomez’s work examines some of the ways local communities resist government and corporate activities in Colombia that seek not only to relocate people, but to redefine community members in an effort to articulate particular visions of ‘development’. The IJCR is pleased to present these articles on resistance.