Zones of Peace

This title looks at the ways people have used sanctuary throughout history and in present-day conflicts to avoid or challenge violence. Authors have practical experience in peace zones throughout Asia, Europe, Africa and Latin America. The notion of having sanctuary from violence or threat has probably existed as long as conflict itself. Whether people seek safety in a designated location, such as a church or hospital or over a regional border, or whether their professions or life situations (doctors, children) allow them, at least in theory, to avoid injury in war, sanctuary has served as a powerful symbol of non-violence. The authors of this collection examine sanctuary as it relates to historical and modern conflicts from the Philippines to Columbia and Sudan. They chart the formation and evolution of these varied zones of peace and attempt to arrive at a theory of sanctuary...