TFF 1996-2006 – The Transnational

This page presents the TFF 1996-2006 highlights archive from the legacy site, with links updated to the current Transnational Foundation site where matching articles exist.

What we are proud of today

Network of more than 100 Associates – some of the best scholars, thinkers, activists and opinion-leaders of our time. Many of them have pioneered work that later became widely accepted fields: peace research, field-applied conflict-mitigation, humiliation studies, reconciliation research, multi-disciplinary academic+ work, nonviolence, alternative defence…
Many analyses in academic journals and some 50 TFF books and reports.
The founders have contributed to some 40 internationally recognised books beyond TFF’s own publications.
Ever more partners worldwide – NGOs, institutes, Internet sites, etc.
Early contributions to the development of alternative military and civilian defence, among them “Winning Peace” by Associates Fischer, Nolte and Oberg.

Respect for non-Western values

Dialogue research in the 1980s before the end of the Cold War with American, Russian and Scandinavian scholars on economy, ecology and ethics.
More than 1000 newspaper articles, book chapters and media interviews, including CNN, Radio Netherlands, Kyodo.

Having created TNN, The TFF News Navigator – the largest collection of both mainstream and alternative media on the Internet.

One of the founders has given some 1200 public lectures and interviews around the world – TFF’s 100 Associates reach many thousands a year.
Getting on the ground early and doing conflict diagnosis, prognosis and therapy. TFF was among the first to apply peace research in conflict zones and not just at a safe distance in research institutes.
Long-range view of conflict formations and not just single spots at a time.
Having kept peace research alive and kicking in Lund while Lund University closed down LUPRI, the Lund University Peace Research Institute (1963-1989) and the Danish government closed down COPRI, the Copenhagen Peace Research Institute (1985-2004). Yet other Nordic peace institutes became highly institutionalized and well-funded but lost the original altenativist and nonviolent thrust.

Conflict-mitigation in ex-Yugoslavia since 1991, some 80 missions, 25 reports and books, the first being “After Yugoslavia, What?” from 1991.
Mediation between Serbs and Albanians about Kosovo, the only sustained dialogue and an alternative peace plan – years before the bombing of Yugoslavia when peace was still a possibility.
We wrote “Preventing War in Kosovo” already in 1992 and in 1996 presented a model for a negotiated solution, highly appreciated by the UN which, unfortunately, could not act at the time.
Conflict analysis in Georgia, including Abkhasia and South Ossetia in the early 1990s.
Alternative peace plans for the Balkans based on more than 3000 interviews.
Contribution to the United Nations 50th Anniversary Volume. It was edited by TFF Associate Jonathan Power, a columnist with the International Herald Tribune and 50 other dailies around the world. We publish him every week since 1997.

Participation in several UN-related projects and co-operation with various peace-keeping missions. We have worked consistently for the fine UN norm of "peace by peaceful means."
The Learning Conflict program – teaching peace, conflict-understanding and reconciliation. Given all over the Balkans, in Palestine, various places in Europe, universities and to the general public.
Training programs with the UN in Croatia and with the Council of Europe.
Reconciliation seminars with Croat and Serb youth, media people, young leaders.
Educational efforts – hundreds of lectures, training seminars, courses, visiting chairs, academic and public education, based on solid knowledge, theoretical as well as from the field.
A plan for peace education and reconciliation training for Burundi’s Ministry of Education and NGOs.
Making conflict-analysis and -mitigation in Iraq a priority when few others dared – see Iraq Forum and books and articles about alternatives to the war.
Tasked by the UNHCR to produce a comprehensive conflict risk-assessment for Macedonia.
The launch of our first homepage already in 1997 with the present one launched in 2006. It is one of the largest in the field with an average of 3000+ visits per day – or over 1 million a year.

Our free e-mail service to about 20.000 direct recipients, reaching de facto 2-3 times more in 75 countries with Associate articles, PeaceBrowser and PeaceTips.
Working also in the local community in Sweden, seeking to smoothen the integration of asylum-seekers and others coming from war-torn regions. See the project in Eslöv and Malmö, Sweden.
Working with 12 civil society organisations in Burundi to empower, educate and train citizens in reconciliation and non-violent conflict-resolution as part of the country’s peace process. Burundi Forum.
Having Paul McCartney – Sir Paul – as Honorary TFF Friend.
What people say about us – and what they have said in the 1990s
Having recently begun to work with conflict-resolution and reconciliation in Greenland

We are distinguished by…

Scholarly based + field-work + education + policy-oriented + activism.
Never only anti-violence – always pro-peace.
Small, flexible, networking, broad scope.
Multi-cultural, gender- and age-balanced.

Women’s empowerment

Producing facts + criticism + constructive proposals – never only one of them.
Remaining independent of commercial, party political, religious interests and every other special interest.
Genuinely Non-governmental while many NGOs have become Near-governmental .
All-volunteer – no one is employed or paid.
Consistent long-term commitment to peace and to citizens in selected conflict zones.
True to certain values, persistent in pursuing and stating them.
High productivity throughout the network.
People-financed. All achieved on an annual budget of about Euro 25.000 or US$ 30.000.
Motivated by what we believe is important – seeking nothing but what we see as the truth.
Largely critical of mainstream and, thus, politically incorrect to some extent.
Unconditionally supportive of the UN norm of peace by peaceful means.
More info in TFF Brochure.

Projects and Forums

Reconciliation and forgiveness — Hammerich, Hårleman, Lindner, ObergSupporting reconciliation and forgiveness This is the full version of our overarching research effort which we developed during the year 2000.

Iraq – early fact-finding, later mitigation, nonviolence and reconciliation TFF Middle East Area

“The Transnational Foundation for Peace and Future Research in Sweden” — It was made in Baghdad for us

Burundi “Solidifying Peace in Burundi” An integrated project with 13 Burundian NGOs in the TFF Amahoro (Peace) Coalition TFF Burundi Area

Student in Burundi

Nonviolence, Gandhi and India — TFF Nonviolence Resources Jan Oberg’s ten-article travelogue with photos

European Union conflict handling — TFF EU Conflict-Management

Sweden – Integration Project — A project by founder Christina Spännar on how to improve the integration of refugees and other immigrants in a small municipality in Southern Sweden – the global in the local… Sweden – Integration

Annual reports 1996-2005

Everything else about TFF About us

Download the TFF Flyer, print it out and give it to a friend

Photos

All photos by Jan Oberg © Oberg,TFF 2005See Oberg’s photo galleries here

End notes & our gift to you

1. This page marks our 20th Anniversary. In substantial terms, we show you what we have done, what we do and, thus, where we are heading.

Other organisations make printed anthologies or anniversary books. That’s not our philosophy. And we don’t spend TFF Friends’ donations on celebrating ourselves.

2. If you want an introductory course to peace studies, world order and conflict transformation – select your main texts among the materials in the right-hand column and use the rest of this site as your library. TFF Associates have covered the Middle East, Korea, Africa and other international affairs over these 20 years. Just use the search engine on the front page.

This is our gift to you. TFF is your peace education site. Our way of celebrating TFF’s 20th Anniversary.

You are invited to reward TFF and its Associates around the world by supporting our ongoing peace work here.

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