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Psychological Components of Sustainable Peace pp 153–175Cite as

Sustaining Peace through Psychologically Informed Policies: The Geohistorical Context of Malaysia

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Part of the book series: Peace Psychology Book Series ((PPBS))

Abstract

In this chapter, we situate psychology within the interdisciplinary field of Peace and Conflict Studies and review some contributions of psychology to public policies that promote peace and social justice. As a case study, we examine the Malaysian government’s efforts to prevent inter-ethnic violence through affirmative action policies designed to promote social justice. While the policies have produced a more equitable distribution of resources, inter-ethnic tensions ensue. We identify some potential applications of psychology that could guide policy development and mitigate inter-ethnic tensions. From our perspective, sustaining peace requires geohistorical sensitivity and the continuous pursuit of social justice through an ongoing iterative process in which psychologically-based principles inform public policies, and carefully measured policy outcomes, in turn, inform psychological principles.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA

    Daniel J. Christie Ph.D.

  2. Department of Psychology, International Islamic University of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Noraini M. Noor D.Phil.

Authors
  1. Daniel J. Christie Ph.D.
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  2. Noraini M. Noor D.Phil.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Daniel J. Christie Ph.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Columbia University, International Center for Cooperation and, Teacher's College, West 120th Street 525, NEW YORK, 10027, USA

    Peter T. Coleman

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Christie, D.J., Noor, N.M. (2012). Sustaining Peace through Psychologically Informed Policies: The Geohistorical Context of Malaysia. In: Coleman, P. (eds) Psychological Components of Sustainable Peace. Peace Psychology Book Series. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3555-6_8

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