Globalization is not simply another ideology, but a recognition that the repressions, exploitations, and conflicts that were previously seen as characteristics for a distant "third world" are daily realities for communities everywhere.
In our context of rapid change, the predominant myth of our culture is that the world is a place of scarcity, threat and isolation. To stand honestly before the war that has gathered around us means building peace – constructing an alternative vision of relationship, sharing and reconciliation. Before the War draws from a unique personal experience to seek a renewed basis for community engagement, individual commitment and spiritual integrity.
Derek Evans is a writer, teacher, scholar, and activist. His work in peace and human rights spans three decades and five continents. Evans has served two terms as Deputy Secretary General of Amnesty International, and has led more than seventy international delegations conducting human rights investigations or peace negotiations. He was awarded the McGeachy Senior Scholarship for 2005-2006 in recognition of his inter-disciplinary work in the field of reconciliation in post-conflict situations. He teaches at Simon Fraser University and is a core faculty member in the Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue's diploma program. In May 2010, Derek recieved an honorary Doctorate from the Vancouver School of Theology, which is connected to the University of British Columbia. The citation recognizes his work in human rights and inter-faith dialogue.
Previous titles published by Wood Lake Publishing include The Light and the Burning (1982), Before the War (2004) and Dispatches from the Global Village (2008).