Zembylas, Michalinos (2007). The Politics of Trauma: Empathy, Reconciliation and Peace Education. Journal of Peace Education, v4 n2 p207-224 Sep. In this article I examine ways in which educators can use discourses of empathy and reconciliation to problematise the prevailing conflictive ethos in their curriculum and pedagogy. The ideals of empathy and reconciliation are examined through the lens of \emotion\; the emotional effects of trauma narratives raise a question that has been largely ignored in the peace education literature. Can (and should) educators work to contribute toward the goal of reconciliation when conflict and trauma have a social and political manifestation that is larger than the sum of traumatised students and teachers? If so, how is this possible–politically, pedagogically and emotionally? I discuss how it might be useful to consider the contribution of the notions of empathy and reconciliation to make educators and students aware that they are falling prey to the hegemonic power of trauma narratives. I also suggest that discourses of empathy and reconciliation in curriculum and pedagogy are critical… [Direct]

Bjerstedt, Ake (1993). The Peace Education Commission: Some Notes on Policy and Publication Activities. Peace Education Miniprints No. 40. The Peace Education Commission (PEC) is a subgroup of the International Peace Research Association, established to facilitate international cooperation among individuals interested in peace education and research related to peace education. This brief report gives some information on this group and its history, focusing especially on the period 1990-1992. Lists of the peace education reports and miniprints published by the PEC during the period are included. (Author/LBG)… [PDF]

Myers-Bowman, Karen S.; Myers-Walls, Judith A.; Walker, Kathleen (2008). Supporting Young Children's Efforts toward Peacemaking: Recommendations for Early Childhood Educators. Early Childhood Education Journal, v35 n4 p377-382 Feb. Early childhood educators are in a unique position to provide peace education to young children and have been called to do so by their professional organizations. This article is intended to support early childhood educators in these endeavors by providing an overview of young children's conceptions of peace, war, and peacemaking strategies. In addition, a theoretical framework for assessing young children's conceptions of peacemaking is presented and recommendations for encouraging young children in their peacemaking efforts are suggested…. [Direct]

Savolainen, Kaisa; Torney-Purta, Judith (2011). Modes of Discourse about Education, Peace and Human Rights in the 1974 UNESCO Recommendation. Prospects: Quarterly Review of Comparative Education, v41 n4 p581-596 Dec. How do culturally, politically, and economically different actors define education in the UNESCO 1974 \Recommendation concerning Education for International Understanding, Co-operation and Peace and Education relating to Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms?\ This exploration of the document aims to increase understanding of the work of organizations such as UNESCO, as well as stimulating new attention to the area of education for international understanding, peace, and human rights. The text of the \Recommendation\ is analysed discursively, and five repertoires are identified: instruction, principled, factual, stand-taking, and adjusting, as well as a wider discourse of rationality. Repertoires construct positions for the speaker, here the General Conference of UNESCO, and for those to whom the Recommendation is addressed (member states). The adjusting discourse, in which member states are given opportunities to define alternative modes of implementation, is especially important…. [Direct]

McCorkle, William (2021). Expanding beyond World War II to Encourage Peace Education and Deconstruct Militarism. Journal of Peace Education, v18 n3 p239-259. How individuals interpret the justifications for historical war can have a large effect on how they see modern warfare. In the social studies classroom, particularly in the U.S. context, so much of what educators focus on in regard to war are the events of World War II. This focus on the Second World War is understandable. However, it could also be dangerous in the pursuit of more peaceful and diplomatic solutions in the world today as it creates a narrative that war is justified, necessary, and a path towards a more just world. In the social studies classroom, educators should move the frame of war outside of the purview of World War II, as World War II in many ways is the anomaly of U.S. conflicts. If they can do this in the history course, they may be able to show students the times when war is often futile and counterproductive. Educators can use the frameworks of war such as the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, World War I, Vietnam, and the more… [Direct]

Mahrouse, Gada (2006). (Re)Producing a Peaceful Canadian Citizenry: A Lesson on the Free Trade of the Americas Quebec City Summit Protests. Canadian Journal of Education, v29 n2 p436-453. In this article, I argue that despite common assumptions that peace education efforts achieve social change, it is often a normalizing, nation-building project that obscures hierarchies of power. Focussing on a lesson from a popular peace education program currently used in Canadian schools, I have analyzed the convergences between peace and citizenship education and consider the implications of pedagogies that encourage peace as a personal choice and responsibility. I call for an approach to peace education that promotes critical thinking on how knowledge is produced. (Contains 8 notes.)… [PDF] [Direct]

Henke, Elizabeth (2017). Moral Development: From Cosmic Education to Adolescent Action. NAMTA Journal, v42 n3 p31-41 Sum. "The most essential component to offering the children an education for peace is the emphasis on that which unites us." With this focus, Elizabeth Henke presents a picture of how Montessori students progressively develop a sense of moral, civic, and social responsibility. The foundation is set during the elementary years when children gain an understanding of the interconnectedness of all life and the commonalities between all people through Cosmic Education. The morality developed in elementary is refined during adolescence and is aided by coursework that is focused on current ethical issues and opportunities to participate in their school, local, and global communities. As they begin to place themselves into the world by thinking of themselves as citizens of their community and components of culture, their work for the betterment of that world gains relevance. [This talk was presented at the NAMTA Adolescent Workshop at the AMI/ USA Refresher Course, February 17-20, 2017… [PDF]

(1990). Peace Education, World Studies, Global Futures. David Hicks and the Project "Preparedness for Peace." Peace Education Miniprints No. 7. This document contains an interview with David Hicks, an educator in England active in promoting the practice of peace education. (The interviewer was Ake Bjerstedt.) Peace education is described as a process that seeks to promote students' autonomy; foster debate and dialogue between students and teachers; and help young people to understand some of the origins of conflicts and various concepts of peace. The current state of peace education in schools in England, existing peace education projects, what teachers can do to teach peace, how teachers should be trained, and perceptions and misperceptions of peace education and related terms are among the topics discussed. (DB)…

Harris, Ian M.; Jeffries, Rhonda B. (1996). Peace Education: Cooling the Climate of Schools. This paper discusses peace education curriculum in the Milwaukee (Wisconsin) Public School district. The peace education promotion has been in existence for 10 years and was created in response to rising levels of violence. Specifically examined are the uses of peace education at Fritsche Middle School, a school that has proven the positive effects of using peace education in reform efforts and has exhibited a high level of peace education practice in the school. The paper explores the perceptions of eight school personnel about the formal peace education/conflict resolution efforts that occur at this school and the impact these efforts have upon the climate of the school and the creation of a peaceful learning environment. The research also involved 18 students with varying degrees of interest and participation in the school's conflict resolution program. It explores students' activities that directly counteract violence in the school and examines the extension of these peacemaking… [PDF]

Vriens, Lennart (1990). Peace Education in the Nineties: A Reappraisal of Values and Options. Peace Education Miniprints No. 4. Current efforts towards peace education in Europe and the potential barriers to those efforts need to be understood in the context of the political history of the continent and prior discussion on peace education itself. Beginning with a brief overview of the political situation in Europe at the beginning of the 1990s, some concepts of peace education that emerged in the Netherlands after World War II and their impact on the discussion of peace education are surveyed. Finally, the main challenges for peace education in the 1990s are presented: technology and informatization, ecology, social justice, religion, inhumane philosophies, and the New Age Movement. A 24-item reference list is included. (DB)…

Prakash, Madhu Suri (1990). War and Peace: Education for Survival, Sustainability, and Flourishing. American Journal of Education, v98 n3 p278-98 May. Discusses competing conceptions of culture and prescriptions for education concerning war and peace. Reviews following books: London's "Armageddon in the Classroom: An Examination of Nuclear Education"; Reardon's "Comprehensive Peace Education: Education for Global Responsibility"; Reardon's "Education for Global Responsibility: Teacher Designed Curricula for Peace Education, K-12"; and "Perspectives on Nuclear War and Peace Education," edited by Ehrlich. (JS)…

Wintersteiner, Werner (2004). The "Old Europe" and the New Tasks for Peace Education. Journal of Peace Education, v1 n1 p89-102 Mar. This paper discusses the European dimension of peace education. The argument is that a united Europe has also an impact on peace education. A peaceful Europe has to become the common task for peace educators all over Europe. This is the aim of the EURED peace education network whose work is here explained. EURED plans to provide in-service teacher training in peace education for teachers from the whole continent. A first pilot course might start in summer 2004. (Contains 9 notes.)… [Direct]

Bjerstedt, Ake (1991). Peace Education: A Selective Bibliography. Peace Education Reports No. 3. This bibliography on peace education focuses on books, reports, and articles written in English, German, and the Scandinavian languages. The listed materials are organized into seven categories: (1) monographs and collections of papers explicitly dealing with peace education; (2) articles explicitly dealing with peace education; (3) study materials or study guides for peace education; (4) publications on internationalization, international understanding, global perspectives in school, etc.; (5) psychological aspects of peace/war issues; (6) more general references dealing with global survival, including military and ecological threats, peace research, peace work, etc.; and (7) "Preparedness for Peace–Preparedness for the Future": reports and miniprints from the Malmo School of Education. (DB)…

Vesa, Unto (1978). The Contribution of Peace Research to Peace Education. Adult Education in Finland, v15 n4 p7-16. Reviews the United Nations' recommendations for international peace education to cover the problems of war and peace, human rights and development, and cultural and environmental issues, all of which are involved in peace research. Relates peace research to peace education and provides a "teaching packages" plan for peace education. (MF)…

Bjerstedt, Ake, Ed. (1993). Visions of Peace Education: Interviews with the Five Former Executive Secretaries of the Peace Education Commission. Educational Information Debate 99. The Peace Education Commission (PEC), a subgroup of the IPRA (The International Peace Research Association), was established to facilitate international cooperation among individuals interested in peace education and research related to peace education. PEC is coordinated by a Council and an Executive Secretary (at present Ake Bjerstedt). The full list of former Executive Secretaries of PEC contains five persons who have served in the following order: Christoph Wulf (Germany), Magnus Haavelsrud (Norway), Robert Aspeslagh (the Netherlands), Robin Burns (Australia), and Celina Garcia (Costa Rica). The present Executive Secretary interviewed these five "predecessors" about their opinions on peace education. Present PEC members and other people interested in peace education should finding the publication interesting and stimulating. (Author/DB)… [PDF]

Duss, Leslie Smith; Joseph, Pamela Bolotin (2009). Teaching a Pedagogy of Peace: A Study of Peace Educators in United States Schools in the Aftermath of September 11. Journal of Peace Education, v6 n2 p189-207 Sep. This qualitative study, based on in-depth semi-structured interviews, depicts practices of seven peace educators in public elementary and secondary classrooms in the United States during the time of the terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001 through the US engagement in war in Afghanistan and Iraq. Focusing on individual perceptions of practice and classroom experiences, the participants described how, despite teaching at a time in which terrorism and war had become national preoccupations, they taught a pedagogy of peace that included recognition and rejection of violence, understanding of differences through dialogue, critical awareness of injustice and social justice, and imaginative understanding of peace. The study discloses a multitude of examples of both peacemaking and peacebuilding in their teaching and development of classroom cultures but a lack of emphasis on anti-war curriculum. It also reveals the teachers' motivations for teaching peace education, theoretical… [Direct]

Stokes, Helga (2002). Education for Conflict–Education for Peace. This paper contrasts the use of education for conflict with the use of education for peace, shows some historical developments in the field of peace education, and summarizes facets and the diffusion of peace education. The paper explores some considerations for learning environments suitable for peace education programs and describes selected features of two schools to illustrate the implementation of some of the characteristics of peace education. It explains that, although college offerings in peace education worldwide demonstrate the scarcity of peace education programs in mainstream educational institutions, a Web site listing colleges and universities that offer peace studies programs shows approximately 120 graduate and undergraduate programs, most of which are located in North America. The paper notes that in public schools, peace education can at best be found in the international education or conflict resolution programs designed to prevent school violence. Appended is a… [PDF]

Bjerstedt, Ake, Ed. (1994). Education for Peace: A Conference Report from Budapest. Peace Education Reports No. 10. Eight papers and nine summaries of papers present themes and discussions addressed during the European Peace Research Association (EUPRA) conference in Budapest (Hungary) in 1993. Following an introduction with overview information regarding the conference, the first three sections present eight papers on areas studies, peace museums, concepts, and methods: (1) "Peace Education Across the Curriculum: Some Perspectives from New Zealand" (James Collinge); (2) "Peace Education in Lithuania: Experiences and Problems" (Algis Krupavicius); (3) "The Teaching of Conflict Resolution and Nonviolence in Australian Schools: A Context for Peace Education" (Max Lawson); (4) "The Role of Peace Museums in Peace Education: A New Terrain for Peace Educators" (Terence Duffy); (5) "A Peace Museum as a Center for Peace Education: What do Japanese Students Think of Peace Museums?" (Kazuyo Yamane); (6) "'An Agenda for Peace' and the Role of Peace… [PDF]

Carson, Terrance R., Ed.; Gideonse, Hendrik D., Ed. (1987). Peace Education and the Task for Peace Educators. A World Council for Curriculum and Instruction Monograph. The development of informed citizens who are dedicated to maintaining the public good through wise action is the goal of peace education. Ten articles in this document discuss the various issues surrounding peace education. The first two articles, by Ken Osborne and Nigel Young, set an historical and conceptual framework for the field of peace education. Robin Burns speaks of the challenge that peace education presents for conventional school organizations and curriculum. Virginia Cawagas writes of the recent events in the Philippines and of the role played by educators in bringing about political change. Jaime Diaz analyzes peace education in the context of both direct and structural violence. Birgit Brock-Utne directs the reader's attention to the historical and contemporary problems of structural violence experienced by women. Two articles by Mildred Masheder and Lennart Vriens focus on the world of children, and encourages parents and elementary school teachers to focus on peace…

Bjerstedt, Ake, Ed. (1990). Introducing the PEC Network: Mailing Addresses of the Peace Education Commission. Peace Education Miniprints No. 1. The Peace Education Commission (PEC) was established to facilitate international cooperation among individuals interested in peace education and research related to the field. The major ambition of PEC is to serve as a useful network for transnational information and support in the peace education area. This document gives current mailing addresses for a core group of PEC members. (DB)…

Bjerstedt, Ake (1988). Peace Education in Different Countries. Peace Education and Debate. 81. An attempt was made via an international questionnaire to procure information about the current situation and debate surrounding peace education in different countries. After a presentation of the questionnaire's background and composition, some general characteristic features from the response are shown. Then, a more concrete picture of the status of peace education in different countries is given through a series of illustrative responses from letters and documents. It is observed, among other things, that many countries do not have any recommendations on peace education in their official texts for schools. On the other hand, active work on this topic has begun in several countries, so it is now possible to talk about an increasing official recognition and legalization of peace education. It is often seen as a controversial topic, and the lack of research-based knowledge is quite marked. There seems to be a need to spell out more concretely the various educational goals of peace…

Gervais, Marie (2004). The Baha'i Curriculum for Peace Education. Journal of Peace Education, v1 n2 p205-224 Jan. Although efforts to teach peaceful attitudes and behaviors have been documented in many countries, those very institutions centrally concerned with education have proven themselves ineffective in educating citizens to better learn to live together. This paper addresses peace education from the perspective of the Baha'i faith, which has concerned itself with peace education since its inception in the early 1800s. A description of peaceful behaviors is presented within an international overview of peace education generally. This leads to an overview of Baha'i peace program principles and practice within formal and informal settings. Comparisons with other peace education programs in both secular and religious contexts are provided, along with a general critique of all peace education attempts. Suggestions for addressing program weaknesses according to Baha'i guidelines for building unity are proposed as possible descriptors and assessment tools for peaceful behavior. (Contains 1 note.)… [Direct]

Prasad, Surya Nath (1998). Development of Peace Education in India (Since Independence). Peace Education Miniprints No. 95. The development of peace education in India is discussed in this booklet. Although India has made many contributions to the theory and practice of peace work (the non-violent movement led by Mahatma Gandhi), peace education in the form of university courses or special curricula for schools is seldom encountered. However, signs of interest in peace education are evident in the peace research centres, in departments of Gandhian Thought, and in similar institutes that have been organized over recent decades. Brief descriptions of these institutes are given. Books and journals from India and relevant to peace education also are presented. Contains 19 references. (Author/LB)… [PDF]

Hutchinson, Frank; Lawson, Max (1992). Peace Education in Australia: The Legacy of the 1980s. Peace Education Miniprints No. 27. After a brief introduction to the historical background of the peace education movement in Australia, this paper surveys major events concerning peace education in Australia in the 1980s. Peace education efforts in Australia have experienced successes as well as setbacks, and that the fate of such efforts often is at least in part, related to national and local political forces. (DB)… [PDF]

Stomfay-Stitz, Aline M. (1994). Peace Education for Children: Historical Perspectives. This research paper addresses the development of peace education initiatives through exploring primary sources, photographs, essays, prayers and writings of children from 1828 until the present. There has been a "hidden history" of peace education that chronicles humanitarian and education efforts but has not been clearly documented. Critical turning points in peace education history are identified with explanations as to their success or failure. An infusion or integration of peace studies into the teacher education programs, both preservice and inservice, and a part of undergraduate and graduate programs is advocated. "Voices from the Past for Peace…and Peace Education," which has excerpts of writings related to the topic from 1847 to 1991, is included. (EH)… [PDF]

Kaye, Sylvia Blanche; Ngidi, Lucia Zithobile (2022). Reducing School Violence: A Peace Education Project in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa. South African Journal of Education, v42 n2 Artcle 1989 May. Violence occurring in South African schools takes various forms and is a concern for all stakeholders. All forms of violence have negative effects, i.e. physical and psychological, educational damage and societal breakdown. The overall aim of the study reported on here was to explore the nature, causes and consequences of school violence, and then to design an effective intervention strategy to reduce it. In this study we used action research methodology in which stakeholders were empowered to interrupt the occurrence of violence, stop the spread of violence and change group/community norms regarding violence. This strategy of violence reduction was tested at 1 school in Umlazi, in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa, in 4 stages: initial data collection, formation of an action team, design and implementation of a strategy, and evaluation of its efficacy. The action team was composed of teachers, community members, parents and learners who developed a strategy entitled, We… [PDF]

Hinitz, Blythe F.; Stomfay-Stitz, Aline M. (1998). Peace Education in the Early Childhood/Elementary Education Classroom: Setting the Agenda for a Humane World. Peace Education is now considered by many as a viable curriculum that could be integrated into many school programs. This paper identifies and clarifies the role that peace education can play in the creation of a humane, nonviolent learning environment; highlights recent research on brain-based learning that holds significance for the inclusion of peace education in the curriculum, especially with integration of the arts and humanities; and demonstrates and invites participation in workshop activities that enhance the quest for a peaceful school and classroom. The paper maintains that peace education can enfold integrated, brain-based, multisensory learning, and a problem-solving approach. Integration of the arts and humanities in peace education can be a form of art therapy for children living in violent communities. The paper further maintains that peace education ensures enhanced citizenship skills for a new century. Appended to the paper are lists of: resources for brain-based… [PDF]

Bjerstedt, Ake (1995). Peace Education: A World Perspective for the 1990s. This booklet reports on an international survey of the ministries of education of several countries, conducted in cooperation with the National Board of Education in Sweden. The study sought to assess the status of peace education in various countries in the mid-1980s and again in 1991-92. The questionnaire concentrated on three questions: (1) whether the country had official recommendations for schools that teaching should include questions of peace or "peace education"; (2) whether there were instructional materials for school pupils or manuals for teachers dealing explicitly with peace education; and (3) whether there were recent public discussions on the topic of peace education. Although peace education has emerged as a recognized topic for consideration, the researcher concludes that much remains to be done about instructional materials and planning. (EH)… [PDF]

Engstrom, Craig (2009). Promoting Peace, yet Sustaining Conflict? A Fantasy-Theme Analysis of Seeds of Peace Publications. Journal of Peace Education, v6 n1 p19-35 Mar. Seeds of Peace is a nongovernmental organization that annually brings together children from the Middle East and various other regions of conflict for a summer camp experience in the woods of Maine, USA. It also operates coexistence centers throughout the world. Founded in 1993, the organization has gained worldwide acclaim for its peace education programs. This fantasy-theme rhetorical analysis explains Seeds of Peace's rhetorical vision using Ernest Bormann's symbolic convergence theory. The analysis suggests that the rhetorical vision constituted by organizational stakeholders and promoted in marketing and promotional publications by Seeds of Peace project peace as something achievable only in the future. The result is an organization that seeks to bring peace to the world, but potentially participates in sustaining conflict in the present. This article considers the ways in which peace institutes and nongovernmental organizations can unknowingly participate, rhetorically, in… [Direct]

Osborne, Ken (1987). Implementing Peace Education. Learning (Canada), v4 n4 p18-20. The author discusses the attitudes among Canadian teachers concerning the teaching of peace education in the public schools. He points out that while 5 to 10 percent are either strongly for or against peace education, the large majority are uncommitted. (CH)…