peace education

• peace

  • not the absence of war, nor is it the opposite of war
  • a perpetual weaving of warm, neighborly relations based on the human values and creativity of all sides to overcome difficulties, clashes, and one's own frustrations
  • solid, enduring relationship of harmonious living together, based on respect, serenity, cordiality, and mutual understanding
• concepts of peace:

  • negative peace
  • positive peace
• negative peace - absence of violence or fear of violence, an intuitive definition that many agree with, and one which enables us to measure peace more easily
• positive peace - attitudes, institutions, and structures that create and sustain peaceful societies
• levels of peace:

  1. personal level
  2. interpersonal level
  3. social/national level
  4. global level
• personal level - development of inner harmony or inner integration characterized by such qualities as self-respect, self-confidence, ability to cope with negative feelings, and developing positive attitudes
• interpersonal level - manifested by the relationship of an individual with one another. respect to one another, concern for others, cooperation, humility
• social/national level - addressing issues that affect society and its social, political, and economic components. land grabbing, forest degradation, water pollution
• global level - concerned with attaining related issues that have global impact. unfair trade relations, racial discrimination, terrorism, militarization, environmental degradation
• violence

  • use or threat of force that can result in injury, harm, deprivation, death
  • physical, verbal, psychological
  • WHO - intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or against a group or community
• categories of violence:

  • direct/physical violence
  • structural violence
• direct/physical violence -

  • physical harm or damage caused by a person or group to another person or their property
  • direct intentional actions
  • physical assault, homicide, sexual assault, property damage
• structural violence

  • embedded in the social, economic, and political structures of a society
  • subtle and pervasive
  • from systematic inequalities, discriminatory policies, and unequal distribution of resources
  • poverty, social injustice, racism, hunger
• culture of peace

  • UN Gen Assembly 1998 (res a/52/13) - values, attitudes, and behaviors that reject violence and endeavor to prevent conflicts
  • 1999 UN Declaration and Programme of Action (res a/53/243) - everyone to assume responsibility in this respect
• eight action areas:

  1. fostering a culture of peace through education
  2. promoting sustainable economic and social development
  3. promoting respect for all human rights
  4. ensuring equality between women and men
  5. fostering democratic participation
  6. advancing understanding, tolerance, and solidarity
  7. supporting participatory communication and the free flow of information and knowledge
  8. promoting international peace and security
• six dimensions and operative values:

  1. personal & family integrity - spirituality
  2. human rights & democracy - justice
  3. poverty eradication - compassion
  4. intercultural understanding & solidarity - dialogue
  5. disarmament & cessation of hostilities - active non-violence
  6. environmental protection - stweardship
• peace education

  • cultivates the knowledge base, skills, attitudes, and values that seek to transform people's behaviors
  • building awareness and understanding, developing concerns, challenging personal and social action
• peacable teaching-learning process

  • cognitive phase
  • affective phase
  • active phase
• integrals to peace education:

  1. holistic concept of peace
  2. conflict and violence
  3. some peaceful alternatives

  • disarmament
  • nonviolence
  • conflict resolution, transformation and prevention
  • human rights
  • human solidarity
  • development based and justice
  • democratization
  • sustainable development
• attitudes and values to be cultivated:

  • self-respect
  • respect for others
  • respect for life/nonviolence
  • gender equality
  • global concern
  • cooperation
  • openness/tolerance
  • justice
  • social responsibility
• skills need to be developed:

  • reflection
  • critical thinking and analysis
  • decision-making
  • imagination
  • communication
  • conflict resolution
• types of injustice:

  • racism
  • sexism
  • heterosexism
  • classism
  • linguicism
  • ageism
  • lookism
  • religious intolerance