Peace Is Here with Avis Kalfsbeek

Peace Is Here with Avis Kalfsbeek

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Peace Is Here with Avis Kalfsbeek episodes

  • Ep 324 Peacewarts: Morphological Peace 101 – The Afterlife of Walls: Turning Borders into Bridges (Class 5)

    Ep 324 Peacewarts: Morphological Peace 101 – The Afterlife of Walls: Turning Borders into Bridges (Class 5)

    We examine the physical mechanics of border transformation, tracing how dividing walls, military buffer zones, and fortifications are redesigned into shared spaces of cross-cultural encounter, local commerce, and ecological stewardship. Using the Nicosia Master Plan in Cyprus, the German and European Green Belts, and the 1998 Ecuador-Peru border settlement as historical anchors, we explore how to dismantle barriers and return divided land to the civic commons.

    Homework:

    1. Look up the history of the Nicosia Master Plan in Cyprus and summarize how municipal planners utilized the UN buffer zone for joint urban restoration.
    2. Write down one question about any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write 'no question.'
    3. Optional: Reflect on a physical barrier, wall, or administrative dividing line in your region. Journal about how its architecture could be redesigned to serve cross-community exchange and ecological restoration.

      4. Books: If you would like to read more on this subject, some book suggestions are Hollow Land: Israel's Architecture of Occupation by Eyal Weizman and The Green Belt of Europe: From Vision to Reality edited by Andrew Terry, Karin Ullrich, and Uwe Riecken.

      Learning Topics: Border Architecture; Spatial Seams; The Nicosia Master Plan; European Green Belt; National Ecological Reserves; Ecological Stewardship; Re-Commoning.

      Join the Community / Get the Books: https://www.AvisKalfsbeek.com

      Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie” https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

      15 min
    4. Ep 323 Peacewarts: Morphological Peace 101 – Military Base to Parkland: Reclaiming Occupied Ground (Class 4)

      Ep 323 Peacewarts: Morphological Peace 101 – Military Base to Parkland: Reclaiming Occupied Ground (Class 4)

      We examine the physical mechanics of base conversion, tracing how military perimeters and closed installations are transformed into ecological preserves, public parks, and community housing. Using the Presidio of San Francisco, the BRAC conversion process, and post-Cold War Western Group of Forces garrison restorations in Germany as historical anchors, we explore how to dismantle enclosures and return occupied land to the civic commons.

      Homework:

      1. Look up how the 1972 Golden Gate National Recreation Area legislation set the stage for the Presidio's transition, and write down how the 1996 Presidio Trust Act changed its administrative management.
      2. Write down one question about any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write 'no question.'
      3. Optional: Reflect on a closed military base, airfield, or industrial enclave in your region. Journal about how its land use could be redesigned to serve ecological restoration and community housing.

        4. Books: If you would like to read more on this subject, some book suggestions are War and Architecture by Lebbeus Woods and The Presidio: From Army Post to National Park by Lisa M. Benton.

        Learning Topics: Geographic Enclosure; Base Conversion; The Presidio of San Francisco; BRAC Commission; Ecological Restoration; Perimeter Deconstruction; Re-Commoning.

        Join the Community / Get the Books: https://www.AvisKalfsbeek.com

        Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie” https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

        12 min
      4. Ep 322  Peacewarts: Morphological Peace 101 – Following the Money: The Peace Dividend (Class 3)

        Ep 322  Peacewarts: Morphological Peace 101 – Following the Money: The Peace Dividend (Class 3)

        We examine the financial mechanics of the peace dividend, tracing how public capital moves from military line items into community institutions. Using the 1969 Mansfield Amendment, municipal conversion ordinances, and post-Cold War budget reallocation debates as historical anchors, we explore how to audit public subsidies and build transparent financial frameworks for peace.

        Homework:

        • Look up the history of the 1969 Mansfield Amendment and summarize its primary restriction on federal research funding.
        • Write down one question about any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write 'no question.'
        • Optional: Reflect on your local municipal budget or community infrastructure. Journal about one public service that is currently underfunded and how redirected public capital could structurally improve it.

          • Books: If you would like to read more on this subject, some book suggestions are The Defense Economy: Conversion of Industries and Occupations to Civilian Needs by Seymour Melman and The Price of Peace: Money, Democracy, and the Life of John Maynard Keynes by Zachary D. Carter.

          Learning Topics: Financial Path Dependence; The Mansfield Amendment; Seymour Melman; Defense Conversion Ordinances; Public Capital Reallocation; Municipal Budgeting; Re-Commoning.

          Join the Community / Get the Books: https://www.AvisKalfsbeek.com Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie” https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

          13 min
        • Ep 321 Peacewarts Lab 9-13-26: Hate AI Data Centers? That's OK, But Don't Hate AI

          Ep 321 Peacewarts Lab 9-13-26: Hate AI Data Centers? That's OK, But Don't Hate AI

          In this lab session, we tackle a vital nuance in the fight for environmental protection: how to stand up against the toxic local impact of massive industrial data centers without accidentally handing the keys of artificial intelligence over to tech monopolies. We explore why AI belongs to The Commons—built on centuries of shared human knowledge—and how keeping it public prevents it from being exclusively captured by corporate and military interests.

          • A narrated piece on data centers and local community impact
          • Erin Brockovich on the New Yorker Radio Hour discussing data center expansion and water strain
          • A quick rundown of the homework assignments and reflection prompts
          • An experimental exploration of how I work collaboratively with AI to produce these pieces, featuring our drafted essay on reclaiming AI for The Commons

            • Resources & Links Mentioned:

            • Erin Brockovich Takes on Data Centers on the New Yorker Radio Hour Podcast:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/erin-brockovich-takes-on-data-centers/id1050430296?i=1000784059522
            • Erin Brockovich’s Data Center Map (report data centers and view existing, under-construction, proposed, and cancelled locations):https://www.brockovichdatacenter.com/
            • Join the Community / Get the Books:https://www.AvisKalfsbeek.com 
            • Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “Dalai Lama Riding a Bike”https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW
              • 38 min
            • Ep 320 Peacewarts: Morphological Peace 101 – From Weapon to Tool: Converting the War Machine (Class 2)

              Ep 320 Peacewarts: Morphological Peace 101 – From Weapon to Tool: Converting the War Machine (Class 2)

              We examine the industrial mechanics of defense conversion, moving from ordnance to output. Using the Ford Willow Run transition, the 1976 Lucas Aerospace Workers' Plan, the 1993 Pentagon "Last Supper" consolidation, and the post-Cold War Technology Reinvestment Project as historical anchors, we explore how to audit industrial path dependence and protect workforces during structural peace shifts.

              Homework:

              1. Look up the history of the 1976 Lucas Aerospace Workers' Plan at lucasplan.org.uk and name two of the six product categories proposed by the workers.
              2. Write down one question about any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write 'no question.'
              3. Optional: Reflect on a machine, vehicle, or tool you rely on daily. Journal about the industrial supply chains required to produce it and how that same manufacturing base could serve peace over preparation for war.

                4. Books: If you would like to read more on this subject, some book suggestions are Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry into the Value of Work by Matthew Crawford, an insightful reflection on manual crafts, trade skills, and our physical relationship with machines, and The Permanent War Economy: American Capitalism in Decline by Seymour Melman, a foundational text detailing the structural mechanics of military-dependent economies.

                Learning Topics: Defense Industry Conversion; Industrial Path Dependence; Lucas Aerospace Plan; Telechiric Machines; Seymour Melman; Defense Consolidation; Re-Commoning.

                Join the Community / Get the Books: https://www.AvisKalfsbeek.com

                Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie” https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

                16 min
              4. Ep 319 Peacewarts: Morphological Peace 101 – Orientation & The Architecture of Cruelty (Class 1)

                Ep 319 Peacewarts: Morphological Peace 101 – Orientation & The Architecture of Cruelty (Class 1)

                We enter the builder's studio to launch the Department of Morphological Peace, establishing how structural shape determines civic flow. Using London anti-homeless stud removals, the Camden bench, Seneca Village, Grants Pass v. Johnson, and local shelter litigation in Chico as historical anchors, we explore how to audit defensive urban design and convert hostile architecture into spaces of rest and contact.

                Homework:

                1. Look up the design of the 2012 Camden bench and identify two specific physical features built into its concrete shape to deter specific human behaviors.
                2. Write down one question about any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write 'no question.'
                3. Optional: Walk through your local town or neighborhood. Take note of one spot where hostile architecture is present and journal about how that space could be redesigned to offer contact and rest instead of dispersal.

                  4. Books: If you would like to read more on this subject, some book suggestions are Callous Objects: Designs Against the Homeless by Robert Rosenberger, an essential examination of how public space is engineered to exclude vulnerable populations, and The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces by William H. Whyte, a classic observational study detailing how specific physical design choices either draw human beings together or drive them apart.

                   

                  Learning Topics: Hostile Architecture; Defensive Urban Design; Camden Bench; Seneca Village; Grants Pass v. Johnson; Warren v. City of Chico; Re-Commoning.

                  Join the Community / Get the Books: https://www.AvisKalfsbeek.com

                  Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie” https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

                  Sound effects: Pixabay

                   

                  18 min
                4. Ep 318 Peacewarts: Social Chemistry 101 – From Reactant to Catalyst (Class 14)

                  Ep 318 Peacewarts: Social Chemistry 101 – From Reactant to Catalyst (Class 14) Episode Summary: In our final session, we explore the transition from being a reactant to a catalyst. Using Václav Havel’s "living in truth," the Peace People of Northern Ireland, and JFK’s 1963 American University speech as anchors, we define the power of co-regulation and the final protocols of the Peace Scholar. Homework:

                  1. Research Václav Havel’s "living in truth."
                  2. Write down one question about any of this episode's topics. If you don't have a question, write 'no question.'
                  3. Optional: Final Journal Entry on the 14-class journey. Books: If you'd like to read more on this subject, some book suggestions areThe Power of the Powerless by Václav Havel, a profound essay on personal integrity and how individual alignment with truth destabilizes authoritarian systems, and Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life by Thich Nhat Hanh, an essential guide on cultivating a calm, luminous presence capable of transforming hostile environments. Learning Topics: Reactant vs. Catalyst; Co-regulation; The Velvet Revolution; JFK’s American University Speech (1963); The Peace People of Northern Ireland; Living in Truth. ·

                    4. Join the Community / Get the Books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com ·

                     Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez "I am late, madame Curie" https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

                    12 min
                  4. Ep 317 Peacewarts Lab: How Ayn Rand Is F***ing Us Over Again with AI Arbitrage (Bring On the Commons)
                    Ep 317 Peacewarts Lab: How Ayn Rand Is F***ing Us Over Again with AI Arbitrage (Bring On the Commons)

                    In Episode 317 of the Peacewarts Lab on the Peace is Here podcast, host Avis Kalfsbeek takes a sharp, satirical look at how modern Silicon Valley billionaires are resurrecting Ayn Rand's hyper-individualist playbook from Atlas Shrugged to justify AI-driven wealth extraction.

                    Examining modern tech commentary—including discussions on podcasts like Peter Diamandis's Moonshots—Avis contrasts the tech industry's claims of magical abundance with the realities of high-tech "arbitrage," exposing how corporate models turn shared human knowledge into private profit. Rather than abandoning technology or falling for trickle-down promises, Avis offers a compelling alternative: reclaiming machine intelligence and shared resources through The Commons. From proposals to send the tech titans off to Mars to previews of next year's Peacewarts 201 curriculum, this episode lays the groundwork for communal stewardship over corporate exploitation.

                    Commons Resources:

                    • Read for free:Free, Fair, and Alive: The Insurgent Power of the Commons by David Bollier and Silke Helfrich — https://freefairandalive.org
                    • Read for free:Governing the Commons by Elinor Ostrom — https://www.actu-environnement.com/media/pdf/ostrom_1990.pdf
                    • Documentary Video on YouTube:Common Struggles: The Meaning of Common Goods — "Common Struggles" is a documentary that tells the story of the search for the meaning of Common Goods (Commons) in Central and Eastern Europe by European Alternatives (EA) — https://youtu.be/MeMT9YQaphM?si=gKqwb41GnRpiujB3

                      • This episode was created with the help of my digital partner, G (Gemini).

                      Music: ElevenLabs by Avis Kalfsbeek

                      11 min
                    • Ep 316 Peacewarts: Social Chemistry 101 – The Invisible Ingredient: Grief (Class 13)

                      Ep 316 Peacewarts: Social Chemistry 101 – The Invisible Ingredient: Grief (Class 13)

                      We examine the thermodynamics of emotion, identifying unexpressed grief as the primary fuel for reactive anger. Using the Weimar Republic's Dolchstoßlegende, the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, and the TRC's witness containment models as anchors, we explore the clinical requirements for the expression of collective pain. Homework:

                      1. Look up the Stab-in-the-back myth and find one specific piece of propaganda from the 1920s that illustrates how defeat was reframed as betrayal.
                      2. Write down one question about any of this episode’s topics. If you don’t have a question, write 'no question.'
                      3. Optional: Reflect on a time you felt reactive anger. Can you identify a hidden loss or grief that was actually driving that reaction?

                        4. Books: If you'd like to read more on this subject, some book suggestions are On Grief and Grieving: Finding the Meaning of Grief Through the Five Stages of Lossby Elisabeth Kübler-Ross and David Kessler, a classic guide on processing deep personal loss (though modern bereavement research emphasizes that grief is a non-linear process rather than ordered steps), and The Book of Forgiving: The Fourfold Path for Healing Ourselves and Our World by Desmond Tutu and Mpho Tutu, an insightful examination of how collective truth-telling, mourning, and forgiveness restore fractured communities after historical trauma.

                        Learning Topics: Unexpressed Loss; Revanchism; Dolchstoßlegende; The Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo; TRC Witness Briefers; Nomonde Calata; Non-Linear Grief. ·

                        Join the Community / Get the Books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com ·

                        Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie” https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

                        12 min
                      4. Ep 315 Peacewarts: Social Chemistry 101 – Listening as a Solvent (Class 12)

                        Ep 315 Peacewarts: Social Chemistry 101 – Listening as a Solvent (Class 12)

                        Episode Summary: We examine the neurobiology of ideological positions and how active, non-judgmental listening acts as a solvent to dissolve the ego-shield. Using the Highlander Folk School, the Quaker Clearness Committee, and the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission as anchors, we explore the clinical protocols of Silent Presence and Emotional Labeling.

                        Homework:

                        1. Look up Carl Rogers’ Active Listening research and identify the three core conditions he believed were necessary for psychological growth.
                        2. Write down one question about any of this episode’s topics. If you don’t have a question, write 'no question.'
                        3. Optional: Research Rosa Parks’ July 1955 workshop at the Highlander Folk School. How did her time in the Highlander learning circles influence her perspective just months before the Montgomery Bus Boycott?

                          4. Books: If you'd like to read more on this subject, some book suggestions are On Becoming a Person by Carl R. Rogers, a foundational psychological masterpiece detailing how unconditional positive regard and active listening dissolve emotional defensiveness, and Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, and Sheila Heen, a practical guide from the Harvard Negotiation Project on navigating high-stakes interpersonal conflicts through empathetic listening and curiosity.

                          Learning Topics: Listening as a Solvent; The Ego-Shield; Amygdala vs. Prefrontal Cortex; Carl Rogers; Highlander Folk School (1955); Quaker Clearness Committees; Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC); FBI Behavioral Change Stairway.

                          Join the Community / Get the Books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com · Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie” https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

                          13 min

                        About Peace Is Here with Avis Kalfsbeek

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                        Peace Is Here explores global peace light-hearted touch and a scholar’s heart. Join Avis Kalfsbeek, writer of environmental fiction, for a layperson's curriculum of peace. She…