How do peace psychologists address the violent assaults on Black people’s lives? A review of studies published in the Peace and Conflict journal.

Abstract

Racism originated in violence for people of Africa descent and continues to evolve over time and across contexts (Nicolas & Thompson, 2019; United Nations, 2014a, 2014b, 2014c, 2015). In view of its intractability, we asked: “Among studies in peace psychology that involve participants of African descent, how prevalent are examinations of the racialized violence exacted on these samples?” “What knowledge can we derive from these racism-informed examinations to inform our understanding of the participants’ lives, processes of conflict and peace, and the work of peace educators?” To respond to these questions, we reviewed articles published in the Peace and Conflict journal over a period of 10 years. Empirical articles were selected that included African-descended people as participants or, in one case, as targets of other people’s perceptions. After identifying a total of 62 articles that met our criteria, we read each one to determine if or how racism or colonialist themes were included as aspects of the researchers’ examinations. The majority of the reviewed studies included no mention of these racial related factors. Many of these published works in which the researchers incorporated examinations of racialized violence provided minimal or moderate attention to them, primarily by noting historical factors about participants’ experiences, while 15 of the studies included extensive coverage of racism and colonialist forces that had bearing on multiple aspects of the inquiry process. We conclude the article with a discussion of how more investigations that incorporate manifestations of racism as facets of Black people’s local and global realities can (further) add to peace education practices.

A false peace: Bringing racism and race into peace scholarship in the metropole.

“…More recently, Maiangwa et al (2022) argued that the field "remains marginally silent on racism/racialization as a form of violence" and requires theoretical and substantive interventions. Similarly, C. E. Thompson and Wells (2021) noted that among studies in the Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology, focusing on people of African descent, most ignore the persistent role of racialized violence and colonialism. They argue that a focus on racialized violence and racism-informed research contributes to the work of peace and conflict scholars.…”

“…As an empirical social science, the subfield of peace psychology is particularly well-suited to utilize these critical sociological concepts to build a more power-reflexive and structural approach to racialized matters of peace and conflict. As pointed out by C. E. Thompson and Wells (2021) and others, peace psychology has much to gain by further engaging the impacts of routine racialized violence and its structured elements. Here, we introduce concepts from the critical sociology of race and racism-namely, colorblind racial ideology, systemic racism, intersectionality, the White racial frame, and interest convergence-that can help articulate the linkages between racialization, racial oppression, and both peace itself and its conceptualization in peace studies in the metropole.…”

“…Fortunately, a cadre of other peace and conflict scholars have joined Berlowitz to call for examining racially silent approaches to peace studies in the metropole (see Azarmandi, 2018;Corazza, 2021;Perez & Salter, 2019; C. E. Thompson & Wells, 2021;Weiner, 2012). Accordingly, this article is not the first to acknowledge the absence of race and racism scholarship in peace and conflict studies.…”

“…Fortunately, a cadre of other peace and conflict scholars have joined Berlowitz to call for examining racially silent approaches to peace studies in the metropole (see Azarmandi, 2018; Corazza, 2021; Perez & Salter, 2019; C. E. Thompson & Wells, 2021; Weiner, 2012).…”

Supporting peaceful individuals, groups, and societies: Peace psychology and peace education.

“…In the second article entitled, “How Do Peace Psychologists Address the Violent Assaults on Black People’s Lives? A Review of Studies Published in the Peace and Conflict Journal,” Thompson and Wells (2021) evaluate articles appearing in the last 10 years of this journal. Their focus is on work that featured African descended individuals or targets of other people’s perceptions to determine if or how racism was addressed in the studies.…”