Peace Education as a Field

The words “peace” and “education” by themselves engender much contention; they are not apolitical terms. They have diverse definitions and their meanings, both separately and apart, are historically, geographically, and contextually bound. While the two terms convey multiple meanings on their own and together, there is general consensus around some common ideas that define peace education. Generally defined as the procurement and mobilization of knowledges, skills, attitudes, dispositions, and behaviors to work towards more just and sustainable alternatives for the present and future, with a nod to examining the past, peace education is concerned ultimately with eradicating all forms of violence through the realization of negative and positive peace. Negative peace is defined as the cessation of direct and physical violence, whereas positive peace is concerned with the elimination of structural violence, and in particular the systemic and institutional forces and structures that...