University agency in peacebuilding: Perspectives on conflict and development in Kenya

University Infrastructures for Peace in Africa: The Transformative Potential of Higher Education in Conflict Contexts

“…A critical component of every university’s mission is that of community engagement: “the collaboration between institutions of higher education and their larger communities…for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources in a context of partnership and reciprocity” (Driscoll, 2008, p. 39). Increasingly, researchers connect the concept of university engagement with crisis in fragile contexts (Johnson, 2013, 2017; Favish, 2009). In both of the cases described here, different forms of engagement with the community were critical, from the institution’s perspective, to establishing policies that had implications not only for addressing conflict but also for establishing peace, on campus and in the community.…”

“…33). Yet discourse can also be a mechanism for fomenting grievance within educational contexts (Johnson, 2013). There is a long history of political rhetoric on sub-Saharan African university campuses (Chege, 2009).…”

“…In fragile contexts, this may also cause further disruption. As a necessary precursor, organizational leaders need to engage in authentic sensemaking activities with the university and the community in order to convey, give meaning to, and connect these changes to the overall mission of the institution (Johnson, 2013, 2015). Localized leadership approaches, appropriate to the cultural and social norms and practices within which the university is located, will be key to successful change management and play an important role in peace formation (Richmond, 2013).…”

“…This continues to suggest that peace is the work of curriculum, teaching, and learning, not necessarily the function of the university as a whole. There are organizational structures and activities, beyond that of teaching and learning, that may have transformative capacity in conflict contexts (Johnson, 2013).…”

Rebuilding higher education institutions in post-conflict contexts: Policy networks, process, perceptions, & patterns

“…The interim President of the university during its closure referred to the university as 'a laboratory or a sample of what is happening on the national level. ' Johnson (2013b), in her work on peacebuilding at universities in a conflict-affected Kenya, highlights this notion when a participant in her study stated, "Oh, [the conflict] touched the campus, touched every genetic code of the system. Because it was tribally based" (p. 336).…”