Issue: 2443

As recruiters scramble to keep up the numbers in professionalised armed forces, they are increasingly trying to lure formerly undesirable groups. But Karen Joachim and Dubravka Zarkov think the emphasis on "integration" reveals the need to go beyond cosmetics and make deeper changes in military culture.

What about the people whose lives are turned upside down when they decide that, yes, they will support their friends or family in their objection to military service. Ruth Hiller describes her experience as a mother of a CO and as a feminist activist.

Drawing on his personal experience, Sergeiy Sandler examines the motivations and consequences of resisting military service as part of a masculine identity.

So, we've heard the horror stories: mixed activism—with the men gallivanting about taking heroic action and the women staying on site, or choosing alternative forms of protest. Does mixed activism have to end up replicating patriarchal norms? Two activists from Trident Ploughshares discuss their experience.

In her ongoing examination of how women can and do operate across borders, and create spaces for dialogue, Cynthia Cockburn reports on a recent "bi-communal" experience in Cyprus.

It has been said that the Zapatistas had a revolution within a revolution in terms of the role of women and unique gender dynamics. Three activists from Mexico explain why they believe, as a movement, Zapatismo has more than just symbolic feminine qualities.

In October, for the first time, the UN adopted a resolution on women, peace and security. Angela Mackay looks at how this may impact current UN peacekeeping operations and the relationship peacekeepers have with local women.

Militarism and war have in some ways changed their nature in the last two decades. Or is it our perception of them that's changed? As women in Europe involved in groups opposing militarism and war we have found ourselves having to re-organise our resistance and re-think the alternatives we are calling for.

Arguing that complex social masculinities coexist—as opposed to a biologically determined singular form of masculinity—Bob Connell believes that a strategy for peace concerned with masculinities does not demand a complete break with patterns of behaviour men are familiar with. In fact, he argues, some of the qualities in "traditional" definitions of masculinity—such as courage and steadfastness—are needed in the cause of peace.

An examination of women's participation in formal and informal peace-building activities shows that in most cases women are excluded from formal peace negotiations. Anu Pillay argues that women's participation in designing strategies is essential in adding value to the process of negotiating peace, and reconstructing society after conflict.

Franco Perna reports on the initiatives of the Quaker Peace Centre and recent political and social events affecting the "new" South Africa.

Writing from prison with an update on the experiences of US activists, John La Forge continues the debate on the law and nuclear weapons.

Protesting at Coca-Cola

Action by Israelis, Palestinians and internationals

The second military trial against Russian environmental journalist Grigory Pasko started in Vladivostock in March, after the Military Collegium of the Russian Supreme Court decided to overturn the original verdict.