Peace education and development education: an agenda for joint action

Transcription

1 Peace education and development education: an agenda for joint action Manuela Mesa Peinado explores the complexity of current international conflicts and the causes and implications of growing economic inequalities, which she sees as major challenges for development education and peace education, and suggests some areas for joint action. Development education (DE) and peace education are educational approaches whose aims, content and strategies are defined according to peace and development agendas, and in which a number of different actors from civil society, international organizations and the current international context take part. It is important to keep in mind the enormous transformations that have occurred within the international system and to identify the principle problems acting as obstacles to the attainment of peace and development. It is also necessary to define the role of education in this context (its limitations and potential) along with its role vis-à-vis other actors at local, national and international levels. DE and peace education share common aims, topics and approaches. I would like to point out two major challenges that must be dealt with from a didactic or educational perspective: 1) The complexity of current conflicts, whose roots can be traced to a myriad of factors, including a shortage of resources, ethnic and religious questions, exclusionary nationalisms, geopolitical factors, migration and narcotics trafficking. Conducting a multi-causal analysis of these conflicts is essential. This is one of the main goals of peace education: to address the complexity of conflict and to turn it into an educational tool. 2) The deeply entrenched and growing economic inequalities related to unsustainable development in the North and mismanaged development in the South caused by local, national and international structures and policies related to debt, trade and investment, and other socio-economic problems associated with globalization. Attaining sustainable human development at the planetary level is one of the keys to achieving peace. Development education could contribute to this aim. The complexity of current international conflicts Conflict is inherent in all human societies and international society is no exception. Conflicts regularly occur when different actors in the international system interact and disputes over apparently incompatible interests arise. The conflict in itself is not negative and does not have to lead to violence. The majority of conflicts are resolved by peaceful means, through the use of dialogue, negotiation, institutionalized rules and procedures. Although international society is less regulated and institutionalized than many of the states which compose it, the majority of disputes are resolved through these means. This can give rise to new dynamics of cooperation and the strengthening of the rules and institutions of international society. Having said this, there are situations where the different factions in a conflict view their interests as irreconcilable and turn to the use of force. When this occurs, the conflict becomes violent and war results. 1

2 At present, inter-state wars and internal conflicts are becoming increasingly numerous and lethal. Between 1816 and 1997, 227 internal armed conflicts and civil wars were recorded (Wallensteen and Sollenberg 1997). In 2005, according to an Alerta report (Francesch et al 2005), there were around 21 active armed conflicts and 56 crisis situations, of which an estimated 23 could escalate into armed conflict. Generally speaking, these are civil wars which occur in states that are institutionally weak and which find themselves on the periphery of the international system. Their people are victims of grave human rights abuses and millions of civilians are killed, injured, mutilated, forced into exile, and displaced. Massive destruction of the social and political infrastructure of the affected societies also occurs. Internal armed conflicts also have external causes, most stemming from the international context - either due to the strategic interests of major powers or the programmes of economic reform of the IMF and the World Bank - which has a key role, both in explaining their outbreak and permanency and the efforts initiated to bring these conflicts to an end. From the beginning, peace research i has sought to analyze conflict and the options for regulating it. Among its most characteristic features (Rogers and Ramsbotham 2000:11) are: the concern for dealing with the roots of direct violence and for exploring means of solving structural inequalities and promoting equitable and cooperative relations; the search for peaceful means of resolving conflict or transforming these into non-violent situations; and also the adoption of a global, multicultural approach that analyses the sources of global violence. The notion of violence has been enriched by the contribution of authors like Galtung, who have proposed that, along with direct violence related to aggression, other forms of violence exist, stemming from social, political and economic structures or from the respective culture. According to Galtung (1998: 15) poverty and lack of access to health, education and other resources which prevent a person from realizing his or her potential, can be considered structural violence, arising from political, social and economic modes of organization. Cultural violence controlled by governments and transnational corporations also exists, whereby dominating values and visions are imposed, obstructing and replacing existing manifestations of local cultural expression. The eradication of poverty, the reduction of inequality, an improvement in living standards of marginalized groups, access to education and all aspects related to sustainable human development are decisive factors in the establishment of a culture of peace (Galtung 1998: 16). The development of a culture of peace should imply an effort to combat, overcome and eliminate that which has traditionally and subconsciously contributed to the perpetuation and legitimisation of a culture of violence. Peace education can be defined as an educational process that encourages people to view conflict as a fundamental part of society and to analyse the roots of violence (direct, structural and cultural) based on a global approach that joins the local with the global and promotes values related to solidarity and social justice. Peace education must show another vision of war (Bastida 1994) so that the phenomenon of violent conflict does not come to be seen as normal and inevitable; so that war is not seen as the most efficient approach to resolving problems, with little or no consideration given to the new problems that might be generated; and so that war is not seen as the only option before other non-violent solutions to social and political conflicts are taken into account. In the field of peace education, conflict is considered a natural and necessary process in all human societies, not always related to explicit violence. It is one of the motivating forces behind social change and an essential creative element in human 2

3 relations. It can be a positive or destructive factor in change and relationships, depending on how it is managed. Human conflicts are complex, both in their causes and their consequences, and thus require a multi-causal analysis and the use of multi-disciplinary approaches and pedagogical tools that lead to a fuller understanding of the conflict. This implies the reinterpretation and reformulation of curriculum content in such a way that a relationship between development, human rights, the environment and the distribution of wealth throughout the planet is established. At the level of methodology and procedure, conflict analysis is carried out using active, participatory methods. Global approaches are employed, which allow for the integration of conflicts into the widest possible framework of relationships. The pattern of analysis and intervention in conflicts is very similar for interpersonal, inter-group, local, national and international conflicts. They vary in scale but not in operational logic. Widespread conflict dynamics (Fisas 1998:30) such as escalation, accelerating factors, and the creation of an enemy image exist. Frustration, increasing polarization, erroneous perceptions and lack of communication play an important role in these dynamics. Misinforming propaganda and an abuse of war rhetoric also increase the insecurity, fear and hostility of different actors, reinforcing the tendency to use force. One of the goals of peace education is to promote the ability to analyze prejudices and stereotypes and to decode images and messages that demonize the enemy and simplify the conflict into a mere struggle between good and evil. Conflicts are also analyzed in relation to such values as solidarity, empathy and social justice, promoting participation as a consequence. Globalization, inequalities and DE Other major transformations that have occurred within the international system are globalization and resulting deeply entrenched and growing economic inequalities. Poverty, inequality and a serious environmental crisis related to globalization and the disappearance of the East-West conflict continue to be the defining characteristics of contemporary international society. Although world income has registered significant growth in recent decades, globalization has provoked a visible worsening in the distribution of wealth and poverty that affects more than half of humanity. A structural relationship exist between a model of sustained growth from exports, poverty and the deterioration of natural resources.the creation of favourable market conditions, crucial to attracting foreign investment and transnational corporations, brings with it regulatorily lax fiscal systems, which translate into a weakening of the state, its social policies, and the capacity to generate social and political cohesion. This fact calls into question the possibility of reducing poverty and inequality without a fundamental change in policy and in the economic model (Sanahuja 2000:52). Some of the proposals that should be included in the peace agenda with respect to increasing inequalities between the North and South are: at the economic level, to address the dynamics of globalization by promoting reforms to multilateral institutions and new regulatory frameworks, as well as changes in commercial relationships and the financial markets. at the political level, to promote democratization and good government nationally and supranationally. at the social level, to promote policies of social inclusion, equality of the sexes and the empowerment of the poor and other excluded groups. 3

4 at the environmental level, to incorporate an environmental dimension and the concept of sustainability into development. The process of social exclusion produced by globalization supposes an attack against the equal rights that are at the heart of a democracy that takes into consideration social and economic (as well as political) aspects. These problems affect all democratic regimes but are perhaps most serious in the incipient democracies of Southern countries. A decade of structural adjustment has contributed to the weakening of the state, which has shown itself to be incapable of responding to the needs and demands of its people. The process of globalization also implies a tendency towards fragmentation, a process which erodes the notion of the nation-state from below, ie. groups that are socially excluded from the market, that claim their national identity and their right to be different in the face of homogenizing influences. In this context, DE can be seen as global citizen education which seeks to promote an understanding of global interdependence and the structural links between the rich and poor areas, known as the North, South and East as well as the enclaves of the South in the North (immigrants and refugees). It is essential to understand the relationship between macro questions and the daily life of people. DE is an education for global citizenship in which a person has many inherent rights that transcend the boundaries of the nation-state and which should be guaranteed by the international community. It is an education that encourages critical thinking about global problems (the environment, arms build-up, migration), questioning the values and models of development that cause poverty and exclusion, racism and xenophobia. From the point of view of procedure and methodology, the approaches used tend to favour a global vision and the capacity to identify local/global interconnections and implications which promote social participation and collective action. The values and attitudes that DE promotes are a sense of global citizenship, equal rights, respect, tolerance and an appreciation of diversity, respect for the environment and most definitely those values related to global responsibility. Areas of action The construction of peace and the promotion of development is the responsibility of individuals, groups and international society. Responsibilities, duties and rights exist at every level and form the basis of peace and development education programs. - The role of education is essential to the promotion of a culture of peace at the level of society, which is made up of people, groups and communities. Education plays a key role in teaching about conflicts, solidarity and global citizenship. Peace and development education should not be limited to school settings, which is the current tendency, and their importance in training facilitators of groups of young people, neighbours, women and other social networks should be highlighted. - At the state level, the defence of democratic values and good government through the promotion of an educational policy whose emphasis is on the values of peace, solidarity and social justice is vital. Formal education should promote curricula that encourage a greater understanding of the roots of conflict, in this way offering students the keys to understanding the current world. In order to do this, it is essential to improve the 4

5 training of teaching staff and the content of curriculum, courses, manuals and pedagogical materials, including new technologies in education. - At the international level, multilateral organizations must guarantee the protection of human rights, protection of minorities, protection in armed conflicts, and protection of the environment. Peace education and DE could be part of a planetary pact which considers the renewal and conservation of the environment, measures against poverty which assure a life of dignity to all, and the promotion of human rights and democracy. Education must promote the formation of a wide alliance of actors, which can collectively tackle problems relating to economic exclusion, political domination, sexism, racism and other forms of discrimination, as well as violence that is based on a system that favours market interests over the needs of society and the environment. This alliance should promote common values relating to social justice, peace, fraternity, equality of opportunity and respect for nature, and become an instrument of liberation and emancipation of people. Referentes - BASTIDA, Anna. Los conflictos bélicos. Educar para desaprender la guerra en en Cuadernos de Pedagogía nº287, pp Escola de Pau (2005) Alerta 2005: Informe sobre conflictos, derechos humanos y construcción de paz. Barcelona, Icaria Editorial - - FISAS,Vicenç (1998). Cultura de paz y gestion de conflictos: Barcelona: Icaria/UNESCO. GALTUNG, Johan (1998), Tras la violencia, 3R: reconstrucción, reconciliación, resolución. Afrontando los efectos visibles e invisibles de la guerra y la violencia. Bilbao: Bakeza/Gernika Gogoratuz. - GALTUNG, J (1990) Cultural violence in Journal of Peace Research, vol. 27, nº3, pp ROGER, Paul y RAMSBOTHEN, Oliver. (2000). Entonces y ahora: pasado y futuro de la investigación para la paz en Anuario CIP Barcelona: Icaria. - SANAHUJA, J A (2000) Ajuste, pobreza y desigualdad en la era de la globalización: retos para la investigación para la paz en Anuario CIP 2000, Barcelona: Icaria. - WALLENSTEEN, Peter, y SOLLENBERG, Margareta (1997). Armed Conflicts, Conflict Termination and Peace Agreements, , Journal of Peace Research 34 (May), pp

6 Manuela Mesa Peinado is currently the director of the Centro de Investigación para la Paz (CIP-FUHEM), the director of the quarterly Papeles de Cuestiones Internacionales, published by CIP and the director of the Spanish edition of the journal Alternativas Sur. She was previously coordinator of development education projects at CIP-FUHEM. She specializes in conflicts, conflict prevention and rehabilitation, security issues, Latin America, global trends and development education, a topic in which she contributed to the Spanish National Plan on Development Cooperation (Plan Director de la Cooperación Española ). i Peace research formerly began during the 50s with the creation of the Institut Français de Polémologie in Theodore Lenz s Peace Research Laboratory in Saint Louis. The concern over nuclear arms initiated a new line of peace research. The beginning of a new era of peace research was the result of the creation of the Journal of Conflict Resolution at the University of Michigan in 1957 and the founding of the precursor to the Peace Research Institute in Oslo (PRIO) by Johan Galtung in