WORKBOOK TWO — EXPANSION TEST BATCH

Four Categories Expanded from 4 to 8 Guided Prompts

Original Core Question, Context, Reflection, and Peace Frame text preserved exactly as written. Original Guided Prompts kept in plain text; the four newly added prompts per question appear in italic blue, so they're easy to review and cut if any don't hold up. Categories: Government/Politics, Religion (Section A), Subordination of Women, Poverty (Section B).


 

SECTION A1 — GOVERNMENT / POLITICS (Expanded)

🔷 QUESTION 1

CORE QUESTION

How do political power structures influence the level of peace within a society?

CONTEXT

Political systems determine how power is distributed, exercised, and restrained. Governments create laws, enforce order, and allocate resources, but they also shape the conditions under which conflict either escalates or is resolved peacefully. When power is concentrated without accountability, instability often increases. When power is balanced and transparent, systems are more likely to absorb conflict without violence. Peace is not the absence of disagreement, but the presence of structures capable of managing disagreement without escalation.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. Who holds power and how is it maintained?
  2. What checks exist on that power?
  3. How are conflicts processed within the system?
  4. Who benefits and who is excluded?
  5. How does this power structure respond when it is wrong?
  6. What would it cost those in power to give some of it up voluntarily?
  7. Does this structure get weaker or stronger the more people understand how it works?
  8. If this structure disappeared tomorrow, what would replace it — and would that be more or less stable?

REFLECTION

Analyze a political system you are familiar with. Identify where it stabilizes society and where it may contribute to tension or imbalance.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 2

CORE QUESTION

What role does political leadership play in increasing or decreasing societal stability?

CONTEXT

Leadership shapes not only policy but the emotional and psychological climate of a society. Leaders influence public trust, national identity, and the tone of political discourse. Leadership that promotes unity, accountability, and transparency tends to stabilize systems, while leadership that amplifies division or prioritizes control over consensus can destabilize them. The behavior of leadership often cascades through institutions and populations.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. How does leadership communicate with the public?
  2. Does leadership unify or divide?
  3. How are crises handled?
  4. What values are consistently demonstrated?
  5. Does this leader hold the same standard for themselves that they demand of others?
  6. What happens to this leader's support when they are proven wrong?
  7. Is loyalty to the leader replacing loyalty to the office itself?
  8. Would this leadership style still function without the opposition that justifies it?

REFLECTION

Evaluate a leader — past or present — and assess their measurable impact on societal stability.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 3

CORE QUESTION

How does political polarization affect the ability of a society to maintain peace?

CONTEXT

Polarization occurs when groups within a society become increasingly divided, often seeing one another as adversaries rather than participants in a shared system. As polarization increases, trust declines, compromise becomes more difficult, and institutions can become ineffective. In extreme cases, polarization shifts conflict from debate into hostility, increasing the risk of instability or violence.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. What are the primary divisions within the society?
  2. How are opposing groups characterized?
  3. Is compromise possible or discouraged?
  4. What role does media play in reinforcing division?
  5. Who benefits, financially or politically, from keeping the divide alive?
  6. Does either side actually want resolution, or only victory?
  7. What would have to be true for both sides to recognize a shared interest?
  8. How much of this division is manufactured versus organic?

REFLECTION

Observe current political discourse. Identify signs of polarization and consider how they influence everyday social interactions.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 4

CORE QUESTION

What role do laws play in maintaining or disrupting peace within a society?

CONTEXT

Laws establish the formal rules that govern behavior, resolve disputes, and define acceptable conduct. When laws are fair, consistently applied, and trusted, they create stability and predictability. However, when laws are unevenly enforced or designed to benefit specific groups, they can become sources of resentment and conflict. The legitimacy of law is as important as its existence.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. Who creates the laws and who benefits from them?
  2. Are laws applied equally across populations?
  3. How are disputes resolved under the law?
  4. What happens when laws are perceived as unjust?
  5. Would the lawmakers accept this law if it applied to them personally?
  6. How easily can this law be changed once it's shown to cause harm?
  7. Does obeying this law require anyone to act against their own conscience?
  8. What happens to social trust when this law is quietly ignored by the powerful?

REFLECTION

Consider a law you believe promotes peace and one that may create tension. Analyze the difference in their impact.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 5

CORE QUESTION

How does citizen participation influence the stability of political systems?

CONTEXT

Citizen participation provides a feedback mechanism between the governed and those in power. Voting, civic engagement, and public discourse allow societies to adjust and evolve without violence. When participation is limited or discouraged, frustration can build beneath the surface, increasing the likelihood of instability.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. How accessible is participation in this system?
  2. Are certain groups excluded or discouraged?
  3. What forms of participation are most effective?
  4. How responsive is leadership to public input?
  5. Does participation actually change outcomes, or only provide the appearance of consent?
  6. What is the real cost, financial or social, of participating honestly?
  7. Who is most discouraged from participating, and why?
  8. Does the system reward participation or quietly punish it?

REFLECTION

Assess your own level of participation and consider how broader engagement might influence outcomes.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 6

CORE QUESTION

How does corruption within government systems affect the level of peace?

CONTEXT

Corruption undermines trust, distorts resource allocation, and weakens institutions. When individuals or groups manipulate systems for personal gain, inequality increases and legitimacy declines. Over time, corruption can destabilize entire societies by eroding confidence in governance.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. What forms of corruption are present?
  2. How does corruption impact resource distribution?
  3. What mechanisms exist to detect and prevent corruption?
  4. How does corruption affect public trust?
  5. Is corruption treated as an individual failure or a systemic feature?
  6. What would it actually cost the system to eliminate this corruption?
  7. Who has the power to expose it, and what would it cost them personally to do so?
  8. Does the public still expect honesty, or has corruption become the assumed baseline?

REFLECTION

Identify examples where corruption has influenced outcomes. Consider both immediate and long-term effects.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 7

CORE QUESTION

What impact does political inequality have on social stability?

CONTEXT

When certain groups have greater political influence than others, policies may reflect unequal priorities. This imbalance can lead to marginalization, reduced opportunity, and social tension. Sustainable peace requires systems where voices are heard and considered across the population.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. Which groups hold the most influence?
  2. Which groups are underrepresented?
  3. How does inequality shape policy decisions?
  4. What are the consequences of prolonged imbalance?
  5. Is this inequality visible to those experiencing it, or normalized as simply how things are?
  6. What would genuine equal influence actually require?
  7. Does this imbalance correct itself over time, or compound?
  8. Who loses the most by maintaining the current balance of influence?

REFLECTION

Examine a situation where inequality influenced political outcomes. Analyze the ripple effects.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 8

CORE QUESTION

How do political ideologies shape the direction of peace or conflict?

CONTEXT

Political ideologies provide frameworks for understanding governance, rights, and resource distribution. While ideologies can guide societies toward shared goals, rigid adherence can also create division. Conflict often arises when competing ideologies are unwilling to coexist or compromise.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. What core beliefs define the ideology?
  2. How does it approach conflict resolution?
  3. Is compromise possible within this framework?
  4. How does it treat opposing viewpoints?
  5. Can this ideology explain a situation where it was wrong?
  6. Does this ideology require an enemy to sustain itself?
  7. What would change in its followers if they spent a year living under the opposing one?
  8. Is disagreement with this ideology treated as an error or as a threat?

REFLECTION

Compare two differing ideologies and assess how each approaches peace.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 9

CORE QUESTION

What role does transparency in government play in maintaining peace?

CONTEXT

Transparency builds trust by allowing citizens to understand how decisions are made. When governments operate openly, accountability increases and suspicion decreases. Lack of transparency can lead to misinformation, distrust, and instability.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. How accessible is information about decision-making?
  2. What is hidden and why?
  3. How does transparency affect public confidence?
  4. What systems ensure accountability?
  5. Who decides what counts as a legitimate reason for secrecy?
  6. Does transparency apply equally to leadership and to citizens?
  7. What incentive exists to keep this system opaque?
  8. Would this system survive full public visibility?

REFLECTION

Evaluate the level of transparency in a system you observe and its effect on trust.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 10

CORE QUESTION

How does the distribution of resources by governments influence peace?

CONTEXT

Governments play a central role in allocating resources such as funding, infrastructure, and services. Unequal or inefficient distribution can create disparities that lead to conflict. Fair and strategic distribution supports stability and opportunity.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. How are resources allocated?
  2. Who benefits and who is left out?
  3. What criteria determine distribution?
  4. How do disparities affect social cohesion?
  5. Do those making allocation decisions bear any of the consequences of getting it wrong?
  6. Is scarcity here real, or a product of how resources are distributed?
  7. What would equal distribution actually look like, and is it achievable?
  8. How visible are these disparities to the people experiencing them?

REFLECTION

Analyze a situation where resource allocation affected stability or conflict.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 11

CORE QUESTION

How do election systems influence the legitimacy of governance?

CONTEXT

Elections are a primary mechanism for transferring power. When elections are fair and trusted, they reinforce stability. When they are manipulated or disputed, they can trigger unrest and undermine confidence in institutions.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. How are elections conducted and monitored?
  2. Are results widely accepted?
  3. What safeguards exist against manipulation?
  4. How does the public perceive the process?
  5. What happens to public trust when results are contested regardless of accuracy?
  6. Who has the most to gain from casting doubt on this process?
  7. Does losing carry any real cost for those currently in power?
  8. Would this system still function if every vote were fully verifiable by the public?

REFLECTION

Consider an election you are familiar with and evaluate its impact on stability.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 12

CORE QUESTION

What impact does nationalism have on peace within and between societies?

CONTEXT

Nationalism can unify populations around shared identity and purpose, but it can also create exclusion and conflict with others. When national identity becomes rigid or superior, it may lead to tension both internally and externally.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. How is national identity defined?
  2. Who is included and excluded?
  3. Does nationalism promote unity or division?
  4. How does it affect relations with other nations?
  5. Does this identity require another nation to be lesser in order to feel secure?
  6. What happens to internal dissent when national identity is treated as sacred?
  7. Could this identity exist without an external threat to define itself against?
  8. Who benefits most from intensifying national loyalty right now?

REFLECTION

Evaluate the role nationalism plays in a current or historical context.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 13

CORE QUESTION

How do political crises test the resilience of a society's peace structures?

CONTEXT

Crises — economic, social, or political — place stress on governance systems. The ability of a system to respond effectively without escalating conflict is a key measure of its strength. Poor crisis management can rapidly destabilize societies.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. What type of crisis is occurring?
  2. How is leadership responding?
  3. What systems are in place to manage the situation?
  4. What are the short- and long-term consequences?
  5. Is this crisis being used to justify actions that wouldn't be accepted otherwise?
  6. Does the response address the cause or only the symptoms?
  7. Who gains power as a direct result of this crisis?
  8. What safeguards remain in place once the crisis passes?

REFLECTION

Analyze a crisis and evaluate how effectively it was managed.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 14

CORE QUESTION

How does political messaging influence public perception and behavior?

CONTEXT

Messaging shapes how people interpret events, policies, and each other. Language can calm or inflame, unify or divide. Political communication plays a central role in shaping collective attitudes and responses.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. What language is being used?
  2. What emotions does it evoke?
  3. Is it informative or manipulative?
  4. How does it influence behavior?
  5. Does this message hold up when stripped of its emotional framing?
  6. Who is the intended audience, and who is the intended target?
  7. What does this message ask people to stop questioning?
  8. Would the message change if the speaker had to stand behind it face to face?

REFLECTION

Observe political messaging and evaluate its effect on public response.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 15

CORE QUESTION

What is the long-term relationship between governance quality and peace?

CONTEXT

Over time, the quality of governance — measured by fairness, accountability, efficiency, and adaptability — directly influences the level of peace in a society. Strong governance can sustain peace across generations, while weak governance can lead to recurring instability.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. How is governance quality measured?
  2. What indicators suggest stability or instability?
  3. How does governance evolve over time?
  4. What long-term patterns are visible?
  5. Does this system improve under pressure or only under comfort?
  6. What has this system sacrificed for short-term stability?
  7. Is the quality of governance tied to specific individuals or to durable structure?
  8. What would this society look like after fifty more years on the same trajectory?

REFLECTION

Consider a society over time and evaluate how governance influenced its stability.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?


 

SECTION A2 — RELIGION (Expanded)

🔷 QUESTION 1

CORE QUESTION

How do religious belief systems influence the level of peace within a society?

CONTEXT

Religion shapes values, ethics, identity, and community structure. It can provide meaning, moral guidance, and social cohesion. At the same time, differences in belief systems can create division when groups define themselves in opposition to others. The impact of religion on peace depends on how beliefs are interpreted and applied in real-world interactions.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. What core beliefs define the religion?
  2. How are outsiders or differing beliefs viewed?
  3. Does the system promote inclusion or separation?
  4. How are conflicts justified or resolved?
  5. Can this belief system coexist with a rival claim to ultimate truth, or must one be wrong?
  6. Does this belief require an enemy of faith to sustain itself?
  7. What happens to a believer's standing when they publicly doubt?
  8. Is the belief judged by its stated values or by the behavior of its most visible followers?

REFLECTION

Consider a religious system and analyze how it contributes to both unity and division.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 2

CORE QUESTION

What role does religious leadership play in shaping peace or conflict?

CONTEXT

Religious leaders interpret doctrine and guide followers. Their influence can either encourage compassion, tolerance, and cooperation, or reinforce division and exclusivity. Leadership often determines whether religious belief becomes a unifying force or a source of tension.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. How do leaders interpret key teachings?
  2. Do they promote dialogue or separation?
  3. How do they respond to conflict?
  4. What authority do they hold over followers?
  5. Can this leader be openly challenged by their own followers without consequence?
  6. Does this leader's authority rest on the teaching itself or on personal charisma?
  7. What happens when this leader is shown to have acted against the values they teach?
  8. Is dissent within the community treated as growth or betrayal?

REFLECTION

Evaluate the impact of a religious leader on their community's stability.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 3

CORE QUESTION

How does the concept of “truth” in religion influence interactions between groups?

CONTEXT

Many religions present their teachings as ultimate truth. While this can strengthen internal identity, it can also create barriers between groups. When differing truths are seen as incompatible, cooperation becomes more difficult.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. How is truth defined within the belief system?
  2. Are other perspectives acknowledged or rejected?
  3. Can multiple truths coexist?
  4. How does this affect intergroup relationships?
  5. Does holding this truth require believing everyone else is deceived?
  6. Can this tradition explain why sincere, thoughtful people reach different conclusions?
  7. What would change in this community if certainty were replaced with humility?
  8. Is truth here treated as something to defend or something to keep testing?

REFLECTION

Compare how different belief systems approach the idea of truth.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 4

CORE QUESTION

How do religious institutions influence social behavior and norms?

CONTEXT

Religious institutions often establish behavioral expectations and moral standards. These norms can promote stability and cooperation but may also restrict individual freedoms or create conflict when imposed broadly.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. What behaviors are encouraged or discouraged?
  2. How are norms enforced?
  3. Who defines acceptable conduct?
  4. What happens when individuals resist?
  5. Who bears the cost when these norms are enforced unevenly?
  6. Do these norms adapt as the surrounding society changes, or resist it entirely?
  7. What happens to someone who leaves this institution?
  8. Is conformity here voluntary, or maintained through fear of exclusion?

REFLECTION

Analyze how religious norms shape behavior in a community.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 5

CORE QUESTION

What role does religion play in resolving or escalating conflict?

CONTEXT

Religion can provide frameworks for forgiveness, reconciliation, and peacebuilding. However, it can also be used to justify conflict when beliefs are interpreted in ways that support division or dominance.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. How are conflicts addressed within the religion?
  2. Are forgiveness and reconciliation emphasized?
  3. Is conflict ever justified?
  4. What outcomes result from these approaches?
  5. Has this tradition ever been used to justify violence its own founders would have rejected?
  6. Does forgiveness here require accountability, or replace it?
  7. Who has the standing to declare a conflict resolved?
  8. What would genuine reconciliation actually cost the parties involved?

REFLECTION

Consider a situation where religion played a role in conflict or resolution.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 6

CORE QUESTION

How does religious identity influence group cohesion and division?

CONTEXT

Religious identity often forms a strong sense of belonging. While this can strengthen internal cohesion, it can also create boundaries that separate groups from one another.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. How is identity defined within the group?
  2. What symbols or practices reinforce identity?
  3. How are outsiders perceived?
  4. Does identity create inclusion or exclusion?
  5. Does belonging require rejecting another group's belonging?
  6. What happens to someone raised in this identity who later doubts it?
  7. Is this identity strengthened or threatened by genuine curiosity about other traditions?
  8. How much of this identity is chosen versus inherited without examination?

REFLECTION

Evaluate the role of religious identity in shaping relationships.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 7

CORE QUESTION

What impact does religious diversity have on societal peace?

CONTEXT

Diverse belief systems can enrich societies by introducing multiple perspectives. However, without mutual respect and understanding, diversity can also lead to misunderstanding and conflict.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. How do different groups interact?
  2. Are differences respected or challenged?
  3. What mechanisms support coexistence?
  4. What tensions arise from diversity?
  5. Does coexistence here mean genuine respect, or simply avoidance?
  6. What would each tradition have to give up to build real trust with the others?
  7. Who profits from keeping these groups suspicious of each other?
  8. Is diversity treated as a threat to purity or as a source of insight?

REFLECTION

Analyze a society with religious diversity and its impact on peace.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 8

CORE QUESTION

How do religious teachings influence ethical decision-making?

CONTEXT

Religious teachings often provide moral frameworks that guide decisions. These frameworks can promote compassion and justice, but may also conflict with other belief systems or secular laws.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. What ethical principles are emphasized?
  2. How are moral dilemmas addressed?
  3. Are teachings flexible or fixed?
  4. How do they interact with other systems?
  5. Can this ethical framework be wrong, or is it treated as beyond revision?
  6. Does it hold the powerful to the same standard as the powerless?
  7. What happens when this framework conflicts with secular law?
  8. Is moral certainty here a strength or a liability when the situation is genuinely new?

REFLECTION

Consider how religious ethics influence real-world decisions.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 9

CORE QUESTION

What role does religion play in shaping attitudes toward authority?

CONTEXT

Religious systems often define relationships between individuals and authority, whether divine or institutional. These perspectives can influence how people respond to political and social leadership.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. How is authority defined?
  2. Is obedience emphasized?
  3. Are challenges to authority permitted?
  4. How does this affect broader systems?
  5. Does this framework distinguish between legitimate and corrupt authority?
  6. What recourse exists for someone harmed by a religious authority?
  7. Is questioning authority treated as maturity or as sin?
  8. Does this teaching make believers more or less willing to challenge unjust secular power?

REFLECTION

Analyze how religious views of authority impact societal behavior.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 10

CORE QUESTION

How does religion influence perceptions of justice and fairness?

CONTEXT

Religious doctrines often include concepts of justice, reward, and punishment. These ideas can shape how individuals and societies define fairness and respond to wrongdoing.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. What defines justice within the system?
  2. How are wrongs addressed?
  3. Is forgiveness emphasized?
  4. How does this compare to legal systems?
  5. Does this concept of justice apply equally to insiders and outsiders?
  6. What happens when religious and legal justice conflict?
  7. Is punishment here proportionate, or does it serve another purpose?
  8. Who decides when a wrong has actually been made right?

REFLECTION

Evaluate how religious perspectives influence justice.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 11

CORE QUESTION

How does religion influence attitudes toward other cultures and societies?

CONTEXT

Religious beliefs can shape how individuals view those outside their group. These attitudes influence cooperation, tolerance, and conflict on a broader scale.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. How are other cultures perceived?
  2. Are interactions encouraged or limited?
  3. What teachings guide these interactions?
  4. How do these attitudes affect global relationships?
  5. Does this teaching treat cultural difference as something to learn from or something to correct?
  6. What happens to someone who marries or converts across this boundary?
  7. Is missionary or conversion activity here about belief or about expansion of influence?
  8. Could this tradition thrive without viewing other cultures as lesser?

REFLECTION

Analyze the impact of religious attitudes on cross-cultural interactions.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 12

CORE QUESTION

What role does religion play in times of crisis?

CONTEXT

In times of crisis, religion often provides comfort, meaning, and community support. However, it can also be used to interpret events in ways that influence behavior and decision-making.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. How does religion respond to crisis?
  2. What support systems are in place?
  3. How are events interpreted?
  4. What actions result from these interpretations?
  5. Does this tradition offer comfort that discourages asking hard questions about the crisis's cause?
  6. Who gains influence or donations during moments of crisis?
  7. Is the community's response to crisis about relief or about recruitment?
  8. What happens to faith in this tradition when the crisis isn't resolved by prayer or belief?

REFLECTION

Evaluate the role of religion during a crisis situation.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 13

CORE QUESTION

How does religion influence long-term societal stability?

CONTEXT

Over time, religious systems can either reinforce stability through shared values or contribute to division when differences are emphasized. Their long-term impact depends on adaptability and interaction with other systems.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. How does religion evolve over time?
  2. Does it adapt to changing conditions?
  3. What long-term patterns are visible?
  4. How does it interact with other institutions?
  5. Has this tradition changed any core position when evidence or morality clearly demanded it?
  6. What internal mechanism exists for correcting past harm caused in its name?
  7. Does this institution grow through genuine conviction or through birthrate and retention pressure?
  8. What would this tradition look like in a hundred years if it refused to adapt at all?

REFLECTION

Consider the long-term influence of religion on a society.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 14

CORE QUESTION

How do religious conflicts emerge and persist?

CONTEXT

Religious conflicts often arise from differences in belief, identity, and power. These conflicts can persist when reinforced by history, leadership, or institutional structures.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. What are the root causes of conflict?
  2. How are differences framed?
  3. What sustains the conflict over time?
  4. What pathways exist for resolution?
  5. Is this conflict actually about belief, or about land, power, or historical grievance wearing religious language?
  6. Who benefits from keeping this conflict alive rather than resolved?
  7. What would each side have to admit about itself to move toward peace?
  8. Does either side's own scripture argue against the conflict it's being used to justify?

REFLECTION

Analyze a religious conflict and its underlying dynamics.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 15

CORE QUESTION

What is the overall relationship between religion and the level of peace in human society?

CONTEXT

Religion is one of the most influential forces in human history. Its impact on peace is complex, shaped by interpretation, leadership, and interaction with other systems. It has the capacity to both elevate and diminish the level of peace.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. What patterns emerge across different religions?
  2. What conditions lead to positive outcomes?
  3. What conditions lead to conflict?
  4. How can religion contribute to increased peace?
  5. Does the peaceful potential of a religion depend more on its texts or on how its leaders choose to use them?
  6. Can a religion be judged by its founding principles when its practice diverges sharply?
  7. What would it take for religious institutions worldwide to hold themselves to this same peace metric?
  8. Is religion, on balance, a net contributor to peace or a tool that amplifies whatever intention its leaders bring to it?

REFLECTION

Synthesize your understanding of religion's role in peace across multiple contexts.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?


 

SECTION B2 — SUBORDINATION OF WOMEN (Expanded)

🔷 QUESTION 1

CORE QUESTION

How does the subordination of women influence the level of peace in human society?

CONTEXT

The subordination of women refers to systems, practices, and beliefs that limit opportunities, rights, or autonomy based on gender. These conditions can affect families, communities, and institutions, influencing overall stability and cooperation.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. What forms can subordination take?
  2. Where does it occur?
  3. Who is affected?
  4. What are the broader societal impacts?
  5. Is this subordination maintained by law, by custom, or by both reinforcing each other?
  6. What would change first if it ended: economics, politics, or family life?
  7. Who actively benefits from maintaining these limitations, beyond tradition alone?
  8. Does this subordination require women's own participation or consent to persist?

REFLECTION

Evaluate how gender-based limitations influence social stability.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 2

CORE QUESTION

How do cultural norms influence the roles and expectations of women?

CONTEXT

Cultural traditions and norms shape expectations regarding behavior, responsibility, and opportunity. These expectations can either support equality or reinforce limitations.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. What cultural expectations exist?
  2. How are roles defined?
  3. How do these norms change over time?
  4. What impact do they have?
  5. Are these norms defended as identity, or as practicality?
  6. What happens to a woman who visibly rejects these expectations?
  7. Do these norms serve the whole community, or a specific group within it?
  8. How quickly could these norms shift if economic incentives changed?

REFLECTION

Analyze how culture shapes opportunity and interaction.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 3

CORE QUESTION

How does access to education for women affect societal stability?

CONTEXT

Education influences opportunity, decision-making, and participation in society. Access to education for women can have broad impacts on economic and social systems.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. What barriers exist to education?
  2. How does education influence outcomes?
  3. Who benefits from increased access?
  4. What long-term effects are observed?
  5. Who has the power to remove these barriers, and what do they lose by doing so?
  6. Does educating women change the aspirations of the next generation of men as well?
  7. What is the stated reason for restricting access, versus the functional effect?
  8. Is education access treated as a right, or as a privilege granted by others?

REFLECTION

Evaluate the role of education in shaping opportunity.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 4

CORE QUESTION

How does economic participation by women influence the level of peace?

CONTEXT

Participation in the workforce provides financial independence and contributes to economic growth. Limitations on participation can affect both individuals and broader systems.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. What opportunities exist for participation?
  2. What barriers limit access?
  3. How does participation affect households and communities?
  4. What are the broader impacts?
  5. Does household wellbeing improve or decline when this participation is blocked?
  6. Who controls the income even when women do participate economically?
  7. What happens to a woman's standing in decisions when she has independent income?
  8. Is participation limited by law, by custom, or by lack of childcare and infrastructure?

REFLECTION

Analyze the connection between economic inclusion and stability.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 5

CORE QUESTION

How do legal systems influence the status of women?

CONTEXT

Laws and policies can either protect rights or reinforce inequality. Legal frameworks influence access to justice, property, and opportunity.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. What legal protections exist?
  2. How are laws applied?
  3. Where do disparities occur?
  4. What reforms are possible?
  5. Are these laws enforced consistently, or only when convenient for those in power?
  6. What happens to a woman who tries to use the law against a more powerful party?
  7. Do the lawmakers themselves live under the same restrictions they've written?
  8. What single legal reform would have the largest immediate effect on stability?

REFLECTION

Evaluate how legal systems shape outcomes.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 6

CORE QUESTION

How does subordination affect family dynamics?

CONTEXT

Family structures are influenced by roles and expectations. Imbalances in power or opportunity can affect relationships and development.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. How are roles defined within families?
  2. How does imbalance affect relationships?
  3. What impact does this have on children?
  4. How do families adapt?
  5. What do children learn about power and fairness by watching this imbalance?
  6. Does this family structure survive economic hardship, or fracture under pressure?
  7. Who has the actual authority to leave this arrangement if it becomes harmful?
  8. Is this imbalance treated as normal by those inside it, or quietly resented?

REFLECTION

Consider the relationship between family structure and stability.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 7

CORE QUESTION

How does subordination influence health and well-being?

CONTEXT

Access to healthcare, nutrition, and support can be affected by gender-based limitations. These factors influence individual and community well-being.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. What health disparities exist?
  2. How does access to care differ?
  3. What are the consequences?
  4. What improvements are possible?
  5. Who makes healthcare decisions on a woman's behalf, and why?
  6. What is the measurable cost, in lives or years, of these disparities?
  7. Does maternal health here reflect the system's actual priorities, spoken or not?
  8. What would change first if women controlled their own healthcare decisions fully?

REFLECTION

Analyze the connection between well-being and stability.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 8

CORE QUESTION

How do social expectations influence behavior and opportunity?

CONTEXT

Expectations regarding behavior and roles influence choices and opportunities. These expectations can shape life paths and outcomes.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. What expectations are placed on women?
  2. How do they influence decisions?
  3. What limitations arise?
  4. How do individuals respond?
  5. Do these expectations serve the community, or mainly those who benefit from enforcing them?
  6. What happens to a woman who is seen as too ambitious?
  7. Is defiance of these expectations treated as courage or as a threat?
  8. How much unrealized potential is lost to expectations that were never actually tested?

REFLECTION

Evaluate how expectations shape opportunity.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 9

CORE QUESTION

How does subordination contribute to inequality?

CONTEXT

Inequality can arise from unequal access to resources, opportunities, and rights. These disparities influence social and economic conditions.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. What forms of inequality exist?
  2. How are they created and maintained?
  3. Who is affected?
  4. What are the consequences?
  5. Is this inequality actively enforced, or simply inherited without anyone choosing it?
  6. What would true equality cost those who currently benefit from the imbalance?
  7. Does this inequality compound across generations, or reset with each one?
  8. Who is positioned to name this inequality without personal risk, and who isn't?

REFLECTION

Analyze how inequality impacts stability.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 10

CORE QUESTION

How do media and representation influence perceptions of women?

CONTEXT

Media portrayal shapes perception and expectation. Representation can reinforce stereotypes or support more balanced understanding.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. How are women represented in media?
  2. What messages are conveyed?
  3. How do these messages influence perception?
  4. What impact do they have on behavior?
  5. Does media here reflect existing attitudes, or actively shape new ones?
  6. Who controls the production of these representations?
  7. What happens to a girl's sense of possibility after years of narrow representation?
  8. Would attitudes shift measurably if representation changed first?

REFLECTION

Consider how representation affects understanding.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 11

CORE QUESTION

How do policies and programs address gender inequality?

CONTEXT

Efforts to address inequality include policies, programs, and initiatives. Their effectiveness depends on design and implementation.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. What initiatives exist?
  2. How are they implemented?
  3. What outcomes are achieved?
  4. What challenges remain?
  5. Are these programs designed with input from the women they're meant to help?
  6. What happens to funding for these programs when priorities shift elsewhere?
  7. Do these policies change underlying attitudes, or only surface behavior?
  8. Which barrier, if removed first, would make every other reform easier?

REFLECTION

Evaluate the effectiveness of intervention strategies.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 12

CORE QUESTION

How does subordination influence leadership opportunities?

CONTEXT

Access to leadership roles can be influenced by systemic and cultural factors. Representation in leadership affects decision-making and policy.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. What barriers exist to leadership?
  2. How are leaders selected?
  3. What impact does representation have?
  4. How can access be improved?
  5. Does the absence of women in leadership change the kinds of decisions that get made?
  6. What unwritten qualifications exist beyond the stated ones?
  7. Who loses the most when leadership talent is systematically excluded?
  8. Does representation at the top change conditions at the bottom, or stay symbolic?

REFLECTION

Analyze the relationship between leadership and opportunity.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 13

CORE QUESTION

How do communities respond to gender inequality?

CONTEXT

Responses to inequality can include advocacy, reform, or resistance. These responses influence progress and stability.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. What forms of response exist?
  2. What strategies are used?
  3. What outcomes are observed?
  4. What challenges remain?
  5. Does resistance here come mainly from women themselves, or require allies with more power?
  6. What is the personal cost to those who speak out first?
  7. Do these responses change law, custom, or only individual behavior?
  8. What would it take for this response to become the norm rather than the exception?

REFLECTION

Evaluate how community action shapes change.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 14

CORE QUESTION

How does education influence perceptions of gender roles?

CONTEXT

Education shapes understanding and expectations. It can reinforce traditional roles or encourage broader perspectives.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. How are gender roles taught?
  2. What perspectives are presented?
  3. How does education influence behavior?
  4. What changes are possible?
  5. Are boys and girls taught the same expectations, or different ones from the start?
  6. Does the curriculum present these roles as fixed by nature or shaped by choice?
  7. What happens to a student's assumptions after being shown a genuine counterexample?
  8. Who decides what gets included in this curriculum, and what gets left out?

REFLECTION

Analyze how education shapes perception.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 15

CORE QUESTION

What is the long-term relationship between gender equality and the level of peace?

CONTEXT

Over time, the status of women influences social, economic, and political systems. Greater equality can contribute to stability and cooperation.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. What long-term patterns are visible?
  2. How does equality influence outcomes?
  3. What challenges remain?
  4. What future changes are possible?
  5. Does a society's overall stability rise measurably as gender equality increases?
  6. What is lost, economically and socially, by leaving half a population's potential unused?
  7. Is equality here trending forward, backward, or stalled — and what's driving that direction?
  8. What would the next generation need to see to consider this question already settled?

REFLECTION

Assess the long-term impact of gender dynamics.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?


 

SECTION B3 — POVERTY (Expanded)

🔷 QUESTION 1

CORE QUESTION

How does poverty influence the level of peace in human society?

CONTEXT

Poverty involves limited access to basic resources such as food, shelter, healthcare, and education. These limitations can create instability, increase stress, and contribute to conflict within and between communities.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. What defines poverty?
  2. Where is it most visible?
  3. Who is affected?
  4. What are the broader societal impacts?
  5. Is poverty here a temporary condition or an inherited, self-perpetuating structure?
  6. What single change would move the most people out of poverty fastest?
  7. Who benefits from the existence of a large population with no economic leverage?
  8. Does poverty here result mainly from scarcity, or from how existing resources are distributed?

REFLECTION

Evaluate how lack of resources influences stability and interaction.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 2

CORE QUESTION

How does poverty affect access to basic human needs?

CONTEXT

Basic needs such as food, water, shelter, and healthcare are essential for stability. Limited access to these needs can create hardship and tension.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. What basic needs are impacted?
  2. How does access vary?
  3. What are the consequences of unmet needs?
  4. How are these needs addressed?
  5. Is meeting these needs treated as a right, a charity, or a market good?
  6. What does it cost society when these needs go unmet, versus the cost of meeting them?
  7. Who decides the threshold for 'enough,' and how is it set?
  8. Does access to basic needs depend on the luck of birth, or on effort within reach?

REFLECTION

Analyze the relationship between survival needs and stability.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 3

CORE QUESTION

How does poverty influence education and opportunity?

CONTEXT

Access to education and opportunity can be limited by economic conditions. These limitations can affect long-term outcomes for individuals and communities.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. How does poverty affect educational access?
  2. What opportunities are limited?
  3. How do these limitations impact future outcomes?
  4. What interventions exist?
  5. Does poverty limit education, or does poor education perpetuate poverty — or both?
  6. What would universal access cost compared to the long-term cost of not providing it?
  7. Who has the power to remove the barriers, and what incentive do they have to act?
  8. Does one generation's poverty predictably become the next's, or is the cycle breakable?

REFLECTION

Consider how opportunity shapes long-term stability.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 4

CORE QUESTION

How does poverty contribute to inequality?

CONTEXT

Economic disparities can create unequal access to resources and opportunities. These disparities can lead to tension and division.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. How is inequality measured?
  2. What factors contribute to disparities?
  3. Who is affected?
  4. What are the consequences?
  5. Is this inequality growing, shrinking, or stable — and over what timeframe?
  6. What mechanisms exist to move resources from surplus to need, and are they used?
  7. Who has the most to lose if this inequality were meaningfully reduced?
  8. Does the system treat this inequality as a problem to solve or a natural outcome to accept?

REFLECTION

Evaluate how inequality influences social cohesion.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 5

CORE QUESTION

How does poverty affect health and well-being?

CONTEXT

Limited access to healthcare, nutrition, and safe environments can impact physical and mental health. These effects influence overall stability.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. What health issues are linked to poverty?
  2. How does access to care vary?
  3. What are the long-term effects?
  4. What support systems exist?
  5. Is healthcare here treated as a right, a purchase, or a privilege of employment?
  6. What is the actual life-expectancy gap between the poorest and wealthiest here?
  7. Does preventable illness go untreated mainly due to cost, access, or both?
  8. Who absorbs the long-term cost of unmet health needs — the individual, or eventually the whole system?

REFLECTION

Analyze the connection between health and stability.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 6

CORE QUESTION

How does poverty influence crime and conflict?

CONTEXT

Economic hardship can increase vulnerability to crime and conflict. While poverty does not determine behavior, it can create conditions where instability is more likely.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. What factors link poverty to crime?
  2. How do economic conditions influence behavior?
  3. What other factors are involved?
  4. How can risks be reduced?
  5. Does crime correlate more with poverty itself, or with the visible gap between rich and poor nearby?
  6. What alternative paths exist besides crime, and how accessible are they really?
  7. Is the response to poverty-linked crime punitive, preventive, or both?
  8. Would reducing poverty measurably reduce crime here, based on available evidence?

REFLECTION

Evaluate the relationship between economic conditions and conflict.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 7

CORE QUESTION

How does poverty affect family structure and stability?

CONTEXT

Financial stress can influence relationships within families. These pressures can affect decision-making, development, and interaction.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. How does financial stress affect families?
  2. What challenges arise?
  3. How do families adapt?
  4. What support systems exist?
  5. Does financial stress fall equally across family members, or disproportionately on some?
  6. What breaks first under sustained poverty: the household budget, or the relationships inside it?
  7. Do support systems strengthen the family, or inadvertently penalize it (benefit cliffs)?
  8. What single form of support would most directly stabilize families under stress?

REFLECTION

Consider the impact of economic conditions on family dynamics.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 8

CORE QUESTION

How does poverty influence access to justice?

CONTEXT

Access to legal resources can be limited by economic conditions. This can affect fairness and outcomes within legal systems.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. What barriers exist to legal access?
  2. How does poverty influence legal outcomes?
  3. Who is most affected?
  4. What improvements are possible?
  5. Can someone in poverty actually enforce their legal rights, or only claim them on paper?
  6. Does the legal system's cost structure itself function as a barrier to the poor specifically?
  7. Who wins by default when one party can't afford representation?
  8. What would genuinely equal access to justice actually require?

REFLECTION

Analyze the relationship between justice and economic status.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 9

CORE QUESTION

How do economic systems contribute to or reduce poverty?

CONTEXT

Economic structures influence resource distribution, opportunity, and access. These systems can either alleviate or reinforce poverty.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. How are resources distributed?
  2. What policies influence economic conditions?
  3. What systems reduce poverty?
  4. What systems reinforce it?
  5. Does this economic system treat poverty as a temporary market failure or a structural feature?
  6. What incentive does the system have to actually reduce poverty versus manage it?
  7. Who designed the current rules, and did people in poverty have any voice in that design?
  8. Does growth in this system reliably reduce poverty, or can the two rise together?

REFLECTION

Evaluate the role of economic systems in shaping outcomes.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 10

CORE QUESTION

How does poverty influence migration and displacement?

CONTEXT

Economic hardship can lead individuals to move in search of better opportunities. Migration can create both opportunities and challenges.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. What drives migration?
  2. How does poverty influence movement?
  3. What challenges arise?
  4. What opportunities exist?
  5. Is migration here a choice, or the only remaining option?
  6. What does the receiving community gain or lose from this migration?
  7. Does the root economic cause get addressed, or only its symptoms at the border?
  8. Who profits from the movement of desperate people, and who is harmed by it?

REFLECTION

Consider the effects of migration on stability.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 11

CORE QUESTION

How do communities respond to poverty?

CONTEXT

Communities may develop systems of support, advocacy, or reform to address economic hardship. These responses influence outcomes.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. What forms of support exist?
  2. How do communities organize responses?
  3. What outcomes are achieved?
  4. What challenges remain?
  5. Do these responses address root causes, or provide ongoing relief for a permanent condition?
  6. What happens to community solutions when external funding disappears?
  7. Is this response driven by those affected, or imposed from outside?
  8. What would it take for this response to no longer be necessary?

REFLECTION

Evaluate the effectiveness of community-based solutions.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 12

CORE QUESTION

How does poverty affect access to technology and information?

CONTEXT

Access to technology and information can influence education, opportunity, and communication. Economic conditions can create disparities in access.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. What technologies are essential?
  2. Who has access?
  3. How does access influence opportunity?
  4. What gaps exist?
  5. Does the lack of access here compound other disadvantages, or exist independently?
  6. Who decides what counts as essential access in this context?
  7. What opportunity is most directly lost by exclusion from this technology?
  8. Is this gap closing over time, or widening as technology advances faster than access does?

REFLECTION

Analyze the role of information access in shaping outcomes.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 13

CORE QUESTION

How do global economic conditions influence poverty?

CONTEXT

Global markets, trade, and economic policies influence local conditions. These broader systems affect resource distribution and opportunity.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. How do global systems affect local economies?
  2. What factors influence poverty at a global level?
  3. How are nations interconnected?
  4. What changes are possible?
  5. Do global trade rules here favor established wealth over emerging economies?
  6. Who has a seat at the table when these global systems are designed, and who doesn't?
  7. Does aid or debt dominate the relationship between wealthy and poor nations here?
  8. What single global policy change would most reduce poverty at scale?

REFLECTION

Consider the relationship between global systems and local outcomes.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 14

CORE QUESTION

How do government policies influence poverty levels?

CONTEXT

Policies related to taxation, social programs, and economic development influence poverty. Their design and implementation affect outcomes.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. What policies address poverty?
  2. How are they implemented?
  3. What outcomes result?
  4. What improvements are possible?
  5. Are these policies designed with input from the people they're meant to help?
  6. Does political will for these policies rise or fall depending on who is in power?
  7. What is the actual measured outcome of these policies versus their stated intent?
  8. Which policy, if fully funded and implemented, would have the largest measurable effect?

REFLECTION

Evaluate the role of policy in shaping economic conditions.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?

🔷 QUESTION 15

CORE QUESTION

What is the long-term relationship between poverty and the level of peace?

CONTEXT

Over time, economic conditions influence social stability, opportunity, and interaction. Reducing poverty can contribute to increased stability and cooperation.

GUIDED PROMPTS

  1. What long-term patterns are visible?
  2. How does poverty influence societal direction?
  3. What efforts reduce poverty?
  4. What outcomes are possible?
  5. Does reducing poverty measurably reduce conflict in the same population, based on available evidence?
  6. What is the compounding cost, across a generation, of leaving poverty unaddressed?
  7. Is poverty reduction here treated as a moral obligation, an economic strategy, or both?
  8. What would this society look like a generation from now if poverty were cut in half?

REFLECTION

Assess the long-term impact of economic conditions on peace.

PEACE FRAME

Does this increase or decrease the level of peace in the world human society?