Israel: Schools as Recruiters

warresisters — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 16:52:04 +0000

By Sergeiy Sandler, assisted by Shir Givoni and Bar Rose, New Profile.

On 1 December 2009, hundreds of Israeli high school headteachers gathered for a special conference on “preparation for meaningful service in the Israel Defence Forces”, with the Chief of Staff of the Israeli military as the keynote speaker. Also present were Israel’s Minister of Education and many senior officials from the Ministries of Education and Defence and senior military officers.[1]

Quaker Peace worker for Counter Militarisation Of Youth Conference

maxwellzachs — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:36:01 +0000

My name is Maxwell Zachs and I am one of the lucky few who were picked to be a Quaker Peaceworker 2011-2012. In the current economic climate I can't tell you enough how lucky I feel to have a full time job for 12 months before I start my masters degree in September. Let alone a job where I get to learn so much and tackle such interesting topics.

Venezuela — Revolution as Spectacle

warresisters — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 16:57:15 +0000

Venezuela - Revolution as SpectacleVenezuela: Revolution as Spectacle analyses the Chávez regime from an antiauthoritarian Venezuelan perspective. It debunks claims made by Venezuelan and U.S. rightists that the Chávez government is dictatorial, as well as claims made by Venezuelan and US leftists that the Chávez government is revolutionary. Instead the book argues that the Chávez regime is one of a long line of Latin American populist regimes that — "revolutionary" rhetoric aside — ultimately have been subservient to the United States as well as to multinational corporations. The book concludes by explaining how Venezuela's autonomous social, labour, and environmental movements have been systematically disempowered by the Chávez regime, but that despite this they remain the basis of a truly democratic, revolutionary alternative.

Editorial

warresisters — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 16:35:12 +0000

Military out of schools — not a common theme for War Resisters' International, although obviously an important issue. As this issue of The Broken Rifle shows, the militarisation of our education system — be it for the purpose of indoctrination of youth, or for the purpose of military recruitment — is an extremely important issue.

Venezuela: Military in the classroom

warresisters — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 17:07:26 +0000

• Rafael Uzcátegui

Soldiers in the playground

warresisters — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 17:08:52 +0000

• David Gee

Military out of schools!

warresisters — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 16:47:31 +0000

Against the militarisation of education

UK Armed Forces at the Charles Darwin School

“On 1 August 1914, it was too late for pacifist propaganda, it was too late for militarist propaganda – in fact the militarists then only harvested what they have sown 200 years before. We have to sow." [1] This is what German pacifist Kurt Tucholsky wrote in an article titled “On effective pacifism”, published in 1927. More than 80 years later, the militarists are still sowing. The presence of the military in schools is only the most outrageous example of the sowing and planting of militarist values into the minds of children and soon-to-be soldiers, or supporters of militarism and war. It is the most outrageous, because on the one hand schools should be about learning positive values and knowledge, and not about propaganda, and on the other hand children are most vulnerable to propaganda and indoctrination.

Militarism All Over Schools in Turkey

warresisters — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 17:23:22 +0000

• Serdar M. Değirmencioğlu

Schools provide fertile ground for militarism: there is a captive audience, a comprehensive mandate, a hierarchical structure, and a clear power differential between students and professionals. Schools can easily be turned into paramilitary institutions.

Georgia extends military service to 15 months

warresisters — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 12:14:14 +0000

TBILISI, DFWatch – Georgia’s defense ministry says the current twelve month service length is not enough to properly prepare persons called up for compulsory military service. It is now asking parliament to increase the length of service to 15 months.

The bill is certain to be passed, since parliament always fulfills the government’s wishes.

Publicity campaign in the classroom

warresisters — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 17:12:00 +0000

Recruitment and publicity of the Germany military in schools

• Michael Schulze von Glaßer