History, Memory, and Peace Education: History's Hardest Questions in the Classroom

Abstract

Many peace educators wish to be able to do more than foster enhanced communication or cultural skills, but further wish to interrupt macro‐historical causes of violence. Peace education can be usefully advanced by drawing on the literature on what is often called historical or collective memory. An important area of interest in peace studies, scholars working in this area seek to understand the role of the “heavy hand of history” in conflict. This article explores the nexus between peace education and historical memory, filling a current gap in the literature by addressing the question of what classroom teachers might actually be able to do in their settings to interrupt transgenerational cycles of violent conflict. I explore two possible ways forward for implementing such an audacious goal in the classroom: oral histories and “futures visioning,” inspired by Elise Boulding's notion of the 200‐year present.

Complexity in restorative justice education circles: Power and privilege in voicing perspectives about sexual health, identities, and relationships

“…It is, however, an educative process that engages diverse perspectives in dialogue and discussion (Sim & Chow, 2019). Like some educators, the teacher profiled here sometimes resisted engaging students in critical dialogue, or tried to maintain a sense of neutrality, thus avoiding conflict and thereby not disrupting the status quo (C. L. Duckworth, 2015); at other times, Judy found ways to engage contrasting voices and perspectives in a restorative or potentially transformative manner. Teachers' critical role in teaching young people moral principles for preserving human dignity and well-being is complicated (D'Olimpio, 2019).…”

“…Still, even in relatively peaceful contexts, difficult topics, related for instance to gender and inter-group social cohesion, are often glossed over or not addressed at all (Bickmore & Kaderi, in press;Ugarriza & Nussio, 2016). In classroom opportunities to take a critical view of history and expose human rights conflicts, dialogically including multiple perspectives, students may engage subaltern narratives and find ways to respond to hegemonic narratives in their lives (Davies, 2017;Duckworth, 2015;Levy, 2017).…”

“Students can change a school”: Understanding the role of youth leadership in building a school culture of peace

“…Bar Tal and Rosen () and Salomon () among others have explored these questions. How can teachers engage intractable conflict through dialogues about especially contested or traumatic history (Beckerman & Zembylas, ; Duckworth, )? The present research engages this conversation to ask specifically about the impact of interfaith dialogues on students, and the role of youth leadership in such programs.…”

Historical Memory and Its (Dis)contents

“…Among the positive attributes of historical memory work is the ability to promote individual and collective healing in the aftermath of experiences of trauma (Corredor et al 2018;Duckworth 2014;Laplante 2007). Traumatic events, such as becoming the victim of physical, sexual and other forms of violence or suffering deracination and diverse types 7 Upon CNMH's invitation, between 2015 and 2018 I participated in the role of speaker and discussant in the second international seminar organised between CNMH and the Colombian War College (Escuela Superior de Guerra) in Bogotá in May 2015 and two subsequent smaller meetings between representatives of CNHM, the Colombian armed forces and members of CNMH's international advisory group, also in Bogotá.…”