PEACE ST 1A03: Introduction to Peace Studies (2010/11)

Throughout remembered history to the present, we, as a species, have witnessed and participated in horrific forms of violence. From genocide and war, sexual abuse and domestic violence through to other marked and unmarked acts, violence surrounds us. There are a number of people who suggest that the everyday lived experience of (western) society is predicated on and requires persistent and widespread violence. In this course we will look at the growing study and engagement with peace as both a vision for the future and a means to achieve it: a means and an end. Through engagement with varied theoretical, personal and activist approaches to peace and conflict (from conservative and religious through to radical perspectives), we will consider strategies adopted for both the prevention of violent conflict, and its transformation, ranging from the interpersonal through to the international levels. Through critical engagement with a number of case studies, exploring both historical and contemporary conflicts, alongside individual actions, that draw on these theoretical insights, we will collectively discuss the dynamics of peace-based approaches to conflict and change. This will help to foster practical understandings and mutual respect in working through the challenges and practicalities of current approaches to conflict transformation.