Social Justice

Eight Ingredients for a Peaceful Society

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR 12/19/11 By Michael Shank What makes for a peaceful society? Hot spots from Congo to the Middle East would benefit from such knowledge. But so would the United States, which, at home, isn’t always so harmonious and abroad, is still at war in Afghanistan. The Institute for […]

Don’t Choke Off Gaza

WASHINGTON TIMES 01/22/08 By Michael Shank In mollifying international criticism of border closings, Israeli Defense Ministry spokesman Shlomo Dror claimed that “sufficient stocks of food” existed for Gazans and that “no one would go hungry” (“Israeli air force strikes empty Hamas offices,” World, Saturday). Mr. Dror speaks not of Gaza. […]

Socially Irresponsible Investing

THE MENNONITE Vol. 7, No 11, June 04 By Michael Shank When a financial services firm such as Mennonite Mutual Aid (MMA), a company committed to socially responsible investing, makes investment decisions, they rely on a philosophy of stewardship for guidance. The firm’s philosophy is guided by a set of […]

Prophets in Pakistan

PEACE NEWS No. 2450, March-May 03 By Michael Shank “So how was Pakistan?” Friends eager to know more about my recent work in the Islamic Republic have had to wait patiently as I search my vocabulary for the appropriate words. My silence surprises me as well. Usually words do not […]

Becoming a Prophet

PEACE NEWS No. 2450, March-May 03 By Michael Shank “You can take as much time as you’d like, Michael. We’ve got the place reserved until 6pm,” whispered one of the organisers of Focus on South Asia, the peace conference recently held in Lahore, Pakistan for delegates from India, Pakistan, Sri […]

Talking at the Border

HIMAL MAGAZINE 02/03 By Michael Shank Michael Shank is a theatre artist who served as a conference facilitator at Focus on South Asia, a ‘youth peace conference’ organised by the Youth Initiative for Peace in Lahore in mid-December 2002. The conference was attended by 35 girls and boys from all […]