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Peace Studies

An Introduction
Galtung, Johan. (1996) Peace by peaceful means: Peace, Conflict, Development and Civilizations. International Peace Research Institute, Oslo: Sage Publications

Definitions of Peace and their Implications


Peace is the absence/reduction of violence of all kinds. Violence-oriented definition: to know about peace we have to know about violence. (Peace education) Peace is nonviolent and creative conflict transformation. Conflict-oriented: to know about peace we have to know about conflict and how conflicts can be transformed, both non-violently and creatively. (Peace education)

Peace work is work to reduce violence by peaceful means. Peace studies is the study of the conditions of peace work.

Peace Work

Peace Studies as a Social Science


Both definitions focus on human beings in a social setting. This makes peace studies a social science, an applied social science, with an explicit value-orientation. Epistemologically, peace studies shares some assumptions with all scientific endeavors, some with other social sciences, and some with other applied sciences such as medical (health) studies, architecture, engineering. Thus, peace studies follows such general rules for scientific research as intersubjective communicability and acceptability. Premises (data, values, theories), conclusions and links between them must be open to public scrutiny.

3 Branches of Peace Studies


Empirical peace studies, based on empiricism: the systematic comparison of theories with empirical reality (data), revising the theories if they do not agree with the data data being stronger than theory. Critical peace studies, based on criticism: the systematic comparison of empirical reality (data) with values, trying, in words and/or in action, to change reality if it does not agree with the values values being stronger than data.

Constructive peace studies, based on constructivism: the systematic comparison of theories with values, trying to adjust theories to values, producing visions of a new reality values being stronger than theory.

The Data-Theories-Values Triangle


VALUES

Criticism

Constructivism

DATA Empiricism

THEORIES

Values in Peace Studies


Without values, peace studies becomes social studies in general and world studies in particular. The core value, peace, has to be well, but not too well, defined. Value-knowledge differs from value-holding. A minimum of value-consensus is necessary; a maximum of value-consensus is undesirable. Objectivity is inter-subjectivity; the condition for inter-subjectivity is explicitness.

Theory in Peace Studies


Proceed from dichotomies to yin/yang; and from fourfold tables to the double dialectic. Identify processes, events and permanents; use that to locate ruptures. Build theories on structures and pattern recognition/ isomorphism (systems with similar structures, patterned the same way) rather than single variables. Prefer poly- and pan-theistic to mono- and a-theistic theories. For peace studies, the world is not neutral. Be open to theoretical pluralism and shared meaning.

Basic Perspectives/Frameworks
Peace (politics/policies and decisions) Conflict (military/actions) Development (economics/systems and processes) and Civilization (culture/cosmology: collectively shared and subconsciously held assumptions)

The diagnosis-prognosis-therapy triangle: seeing Peace and Violence in their TOTALITY


Transdisciplinary (inquire into causes, conditions and contexts in various spaces: Nature, Human, Social, World, Time, Culture) and not just from an interdisciplinary approach (just borrowing theories from mainstream security studies/international relations, conflict studies, economics and culture theory) Therapy as both curative (negative peace) and preventive (positive peace)

The directstructuralcultural violence triangle

Sample Application:

Galtungs Peace Policies for the 21st Century


Negative Peace (CURATIVE) Political Democratize states Human rights all over but de-Westernization Initiative, referendum, direct democracy Decentralization Defensive defense Delegitimize arms Non-military defense Positive Peace (PREVENTIVE) Democratize the UN One country, one vote No big-power veto 2nd UN Assembly Direct elections (1 seat/1 million) Confederations Peace-keeping forces Non-military skills International peace brigades

Military

Negative Peace (CURATIVE) Economic Self-reliance I: - Internalize externalities - Use own factors - Also locally Challenge: -Singularism -Universalism -Chosen people ideas - Violence, war Dialogue: - Between hard and soft

Positive Peace (PREVENTIVE) Self-reliance II: - Share externalities - Horizontal exchange - South-South cooperation Global civilization: -a Center everywhere -relaxed time -holistic, global -Nature partnership -equality, justice -life enhancement

Cultural

4 Major Theoretical Approaches to Peace


Peace Theory: explores epistemological assumptions of peace studies, as well as the nature of violence and 3 particular approaches to peace by changing gender relations, through democracy, through the better organization of the world system Conflict Theory: looks at the nonviolent and creative handling of conflict in detail; emphasizes the importance of the culture of conflict and how it can be understood at a deeper level

Developmental Theory: explores structural violence, particularly in the economic field, and ways of overcoming that violence Civilization Theory: explores cultural violence, focusing on the deeper aspects of cultures cosmologies, codes and programmes in the collective subconscious and the impact of these on the politics of peace and development

When we do peace studies, one of the first tasks is our liberation from forms of academic cultural violence that become, more or less, violent by having survived too long. And the next task is not to become a prisoner of those who present themselves as liberators including the present author. - Johan Galtung

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