This article explores literature taught in three different courses and the peace education approaches used for each, including epics in literature courses, Vietnam War literature, and literature of anger and hope. The author recommends the teaching of war literature as an essential part of a peace education curriculum. Devastating events such as…

H. G. Wells produced some of the best literature and practical ideas on peace, providing essential clues for achieving a mutually beneficial federal human unity through an "Open Conspiracy", as he put it, i.e. an intellectual and political transformation, and a revolution in education. It is possible to abolish war and ensure lasting human…

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…

Long overdue in the classroom is a critical examination of media coverage when seen and told through the unique vantage point of the audience and storyteller. This discussion is intended to demonstrate how to prepare students to critically examine and evaluate the social role of media within a diverse global society. The author elaborates on the…

This paper examines the ways in which high school Canadian history textbooks authorized from 1945 to the present have represented national participation in wars and peace-making/keeping operations. I explore how national mythologies of Canada as a kinder, more tolerant, or less violent national body permeate the narratives of national history…

Most educators are familiar with the principles of one of the founding mothers of peace education, Maria Montessori. Bringing an utterly fresh vision to notions of childhood and education, she re-imagined the classroom as one in which children would explore and discover their own interests and passions. With regard to conflict resolution, she…

This paper proposes the integrative theory of peace (ITP) and briefly outlines the education for peace curriculum (EFP) developed on the basis of this theory. ITP is based on the concept that peace is, at once, a psychological, social, political, ethical and spiritual state with its expressions in intrapersonal, interpersonal, intergroup,…

Policy initiatives in inter-group education evolved in Northern Ireland and Israel at around the same time. In each jurisdiction, the emphasis is on improving relations between protagonist groups in ethnically divided societies. Central to this objective and at the core of integrated education (Northern Ireland) and bilingual/bi-national education…

Non-government organisations (NGOs) are playing an increasingly significant role in post-conflict situations as donor funding pours into rebuilding programs. Donor funding supports the development of a range of humanitarian and civic programs such as peace restoration, civic reconstruction and peace-keeping. This article is a case study of the…

This paper discusses the role of praxis in peace education at the university level. An internship program is described as an example of how a program that integrates theory and practice might be implemented within a university context. Analysis of the program points to the potential of practical programs for maximizing student learning but also…

Peace education is a key for establishing and maintaining a consensual peace. Creating an effective peace education program involves five steps. First, a public education system must be established with compulsory attendance; all children and youth should attend so that students from the previously conflicting groups interact and have the…

Understanding the nature of bullying in schools can assist in understanding aggression between nations. Although there are substantial differences between bullying behaviour practised by school children and bullying attributed to nations, there are some commonalities. This article examines seven basic elements that help in identifying and…

Peace education embraces a wide range of programs and initiatives. Two of those subfields, human rights education and conflict resolution education, are often considered too different in goals, models and content to be seen as partners in the same educational effort. A review of recent literature confirms that few conflict resolution education…

The ultimate goal of peace education is "to minimise and eventually eliminate various forms of violence through consciousness raising, vision, and action" (Brantmeier, E. (2003) Peace Pedagogy: exposing and integrating peace education in teacher education. Paper presented at the "Association for Teacher Educators" meeting, p. 6). Our position is…

Education is a dynamic cultural process to which individuals contribute their cultural identity and in which they enter into dialogue with each other. Each participant gives a personal meaning to the subject matter and to the interpersonal behavior norms. The question in this article is: what does education perceive of major cultural incidents in…