Design and evaluation of peace curricula in territories affected by armed violence: a systematic review

Peace education initiatives play a crucial role in shaping community behaviours by fostering conflict resolution skills, tolerance, and social cohesion. This study examines the influence of peace education initiatives on the behaviours of community members in Nasarawa and Benue states of Nigeria. Anchored on conflict transformation theory and using a qualitative research design, data was collected through Key Informant Interviews (KII) from community leaders, security personnel, NGO representatives, and residents in Awe Local Government Area of Nasarawa State and Guma Local Government Area of Benue State. The study found that peace education initiatives positively impact community behaviours by promoting non-violent conflict resolution, enhancing intergroup relations, and reducing tendencies toward aggression. However, challenges such as limited reach, inadequate funding, and socio-political influences hinder the full realization of peace education’s potential. The study recommends strengthening peace education programmes through increased government support, community participation, and integration into formal and informal education systems.

This article seeks to explore the ‘two faces of education’ through a critical analysis of peace education in Sri Lanka. It aims to contribute to the wider debate on the complex role of education in situations of conflict. The article starts with an overview of what peace education is, or should be. This leads to the conclusion that peace education cannot succeed in isolation, and needs to be incorporated in a multilevel process of peacebuilding. Further analysis draws from Bush & Saltarelli's notion of the ‘two faces of education’, combined with Lynn Davies's notion of ‘war education’. These notions help to explain to what extent (peace) education in Sri Lanka contributes to positive or negative conflict, or, in other words, which one of the two ‘faces’ is most prominent. The positive side of education is employed through inter-group encounters, the stimulation of self-esteem and a ‘peaceful school environment’. Through dialogue and understanding, these initiatives stimulate a desegregation of a very segregated school system and society. However, these positive initiatives remain limited. Other, more structural issues, tend to work towards the negative face of education, by fostering segregation, fear and bias rather than counteracting them. These issues form pressing challenges for peace educators and policy makers in Sri Lanka. Critically informed research and evaluation should provide guidelines for well-thought through peace education initiatives, by working towards a combination of critical theory and problem-solving approaches to deliver both critical and hands-on guidelines for further peace education initiatives.

This case study explores the role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in advancing peace education in selected barangays of Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. The study aims to provide insights into the specific challenges and strategies of NGOs promoting peace education at the local level. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews with representatives from two NGOs actively engaged in peace education initiatives across multiple barangays. Thematic analysis revealed that although these organizations are dedicated to fostering peace, maintaining Indigenous culture, and engaging in community service, they face several obstacles: (1) Indigenous children's lack of interest and awareness, as well as Indigenous leaders' lack of peace education knowledge and skills; (2) schedule conflicts and limited funding (3) noncompliance with requirements, and (4) lack of support from partner organizations. To cope with these challenges, the selected NGOs involve Indigenous leaders in program planning and implementation, encourage community involvement and support, and customize programs to the specific needs and customs of the community. This highlights the significance of adaptability and inclusivity in promoting peace education and fostering sustainable change within the community they serve. The findings underscore the importance of adaptability and inclusivity in promoting peace education and achieving sustainable change within the communities served.

Peace education initiatives have been subject to heated public debate and so far the complexities involved have not been fully understood. This multilayered analysis examines how teachers negotiate ideological, pedagogical and emotional challenges in their attempts to enact a peace education policy. Focusing primarily on the case study of conflict-affected Cyprus, Michalinos Zembylas, Constadina Charalambous and Panayiota Charalambous situate the Cypriot case within wider theoretical and methodological debates in the field and explore the implications of their findings for theory and practice. Building on current anthropological approaches, the authors use insights from policy studies and sociolinguistics to examine peace education agendas and the ways these are shaped by the dynamics of local politics and classroom practices. This study will be valuable reading for researchers of peace and policy studies as well as for practitioners and policy makers involved in introducing peace education initiatives that challenge teachers' long-held beliefs.

Affective practices, difficult histories and peace education: An analysis of teachers’ affective dilemmas in ethnically divided Cyprus

BackgroundSocial cohesion, defined as a glue holding society together, has been found to influence several aspects of human behavior. Social cohesion, being composed of social trust and social participation, is a social factor that may influence sexual behaviors. Unfortunately, studies investigating the influence of social cohesion on sexual behaviors among young people are scarce. This study examined the influence of social cohesion on safe sexual behavior among adolescents in rural Tanzania.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among 403 school adolescents of the Newala district, between May and August 2010. Socio-demographic characteristics, social cohesion (social trust and social participation) and sexual behavior (age at sexual debut, intention to use and reported condom use, number of sexual partners) were obtained through self-administered questionnaires. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression.ResultsSexual debut at under 13 years of age was reported by 12% of the respondent. A majority (71%) reported multiple sexual partnerships and half of the participants reported to have used a condom at their last sexual encounter. The intention to use a condom was reported by 77% of the respondents. Having multiple sexual partnerships was associated with social trust only (odds ratio: 3.5, 95% CI 1.01–12.3) whereas reported condom use was related with social cohesion (odds ratio 4.8 95% CI 1.66–14.06). Social cohesion, trust or participation was not associated with young age at sexual debut or intention to use a condom. Being a female (odds ratio 2.07 95% CI 1.04–4.12.) was associated with intention to use a condom.ConclusionThis study indicates that social cohesion and socio-demographic factors influence actual behavior performance and behavioral intentions. The findings point to the importance of collecting more evidence on social cohesion and sexual behaviors in different settings and designing interventions that enhance social cohesion among adolescents in order to reinforce positive sexual behaviors.

Drawing into a discussion of the politicisation of emotion, this paper develops a framework to analyse some of the processes and strategies by which educational policies and pedagogical practices “emotionalise” the representation of refugees in conflict-ridden societies such as Cyprus and explores the implications for peace education. In particular, this paper aims to refine our understanding of how emotions affect the ways in which educational policies and practices reproduce self-other dichotomies through certain representations of the refugee experience. It is argued that these dichotomies are relevant to the emotional reactions against peace education initiatives. Second, this paper examines alternative possibilities of promoting peaceful coexistence, while taking into consideration the affective (re)production of refugee representations yet without undermining the refugee experience. Better understanding of how emotion is involved will help educational policymakers and teachers in divided societies to take into account the hitherto poorly developed aspects of the ways in which emotions, the refugee experience and peace education are inextricably intertwined.

Unequal access to education and employment inequalities were major issues that led to the Sierra Leone civil war from 1991 to 2002. Many educational practices were introduced to the country in the direct aftermath of the war to bring more positive changes such as education opportunities and reconciliation. However, by using the social constructionist approach in our analysis, we found that infrastructural issues were neglected by researchers and practitioners which had a long-term negative effect on local residents. In particular, transportation poverty became a major issue in preventing the delivery of peace education practices and teaching pedagogies by preventing regular travelling from urban to rural areas. Consequently, more inequalities could be found in areas of social services. This study suggests that peace education initiatives should consider whether these promoted practices will generate different forms of inequalities.

Peace education is often carried out without being appropriately adapted to the contexts in which it takes place and rarely involves those most affected by the work in the design and planning of their own initiatives. This article reports on an original participatory action research project designed to contextualise a peace education initiative with local communities in Bolivia. It draws on fieldwork, including interviews and focus groups with policymakers, educators, and students, to show how local actors, including students, were involved in influencing what peace education should look like for them, focussing on its purpose, pedagogy, and content. Lessons learned are also discussed. The case study is offered within a larger context of how the international community can work with the direct beneficiaries to co-develop peace and education-related initiatives that are responsive to the needs of the particular groups and contexts they are trying to affect.

The purpose of this study was to explore whether peace education has been incorporated into the integrated functional adult education program of Ethiopia. To this end, qualitative research design was employed. Phenomenological approach and qualitative content analysis were used. The required data were obtained from both primary and secondary sources. A total of 53 respondents were selected by using purposive, availability and snow-ball sampling techniques in this qualitative study. Instruments of data collection were semi-structured interview guide, focus group discussion and open-ended questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed, triangulated, and interpreted qualitatively. Bias was overcome by using triangulation, member-checking, and tick description. The findings indicated that peace education as a theme was not integrated into the functional adult education program of Ethiopia even though there are peace education related concepts. It had also identified opportunities to integrate peace education into the educational program and also indicated the challenges like the lack of peace education in academic programs could lead to shortage of qualified professional peace education teachers; and integrating peace education into functional adult education program of the nation might incur huge financial costs. Based on the major findings, it was safely concluded that even though there are some peace education-related contents in the IFAE program, the lack of peace education as an independent theme in the adult education subsector of the country could hamper the development of the required modern conflict resolution techniques among adult learners.Keywords: peace education, integrated functional adult education, stakeholder participation

Against the background of population aging challenges in China, focusing on health, security, and social participation as core elements of positive aging, this study aims to formulate strategies for promoting the health of the older adults and reveal the pathways and trends of social participation in promoting health. The study analyzed 1,015 randomly selected older adults individuals living at home in Beijing using household survey questionnaires. Drawing on group dynamics theory and structural equation modeling, the study proposed hypotheses regarding the relationships between social participation, group cohesion, and health status. First, the triangular path model of social participation, group cohesion, and health status among the older adults was established. The direct path coefficient of social participation on health status was 0.15, that of social participation on group cohesion was 0.56, and that of group cohesion on health status was 0.32. The indirect path coefficient of social participation on health status through group cohesion was calculated at 0.56 × 0.32 = 0.18. Second, of the older adults age groups-younger, middle, and older-social participation's direct path effects on health status were present only in the older age group. Social participation's indirect path effects on health status through group cohesion were relatively high in all three groups, with a slight increase in the older age group. First, just the older adults participation in social activities serves as a benign stimulus to physical and mental health. Additionally, group cohesion formed through interaction with others during social activities encourages self-improvement behaviors, indirectly promoting health. In fact, indirect pathways of health promotion through group cohesion are stronger than direct pathways, highlighting the importance of group cohesion during social participation. Second, participation in activities alone can provide only sufficient benign stimuli for the older adults aged 80 and above, with the direct path effect of social participation on health beginning to appear only with increasing age. With age, selectivity of interaction with others decreases, and dependence increases; social participation's indirect path effect on health through group cohesion continues to grow slightly.

Background: The mental health of addicts and the selection of appropriate treatment methods are essential. Given the role of spirituality and social health of addicts in relapse prevention and treatment, this study aimed to assess cognitive-behavioral group therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) in the mental, spiritual, and social health of addicted people. Methods: This interventional study utilized a pretest-posttest design with a control group. Addicts referred to the health centers of Birjand were selected in 2018 - 2019 through a convenience sampling method. According to the study’s objectives, eligible individuals were randomly divided into three groups of 32 people. The Social Well-being Questionnaire of Keyes, the Spiritual Health Questionnaire of Alison and Palowtzin, and the General Health Questionnaire of Goldberg were used in the study. Cognitive-behavioral group therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy were held in 12 60-minute sessions based on treatment protocols. After one month, the questionnaires were completed again. The chi-square test, paired t-test, and analysis of variance were used to analyze the data at a significance level of less than 0.05. Results: The three groups were similar in age, occupation, and education level. The mean scores of religious and existential health were significantly higher in the ACT group than in the control group after the intervention. Also, the paired t-test showed that the mean score of religious and existential health in the ACT group and the mean score of religious health in the CBT group significantly increased after the intervention compared to before (P < 0.001). Also, the mean scores of social actualization, social solidarity, social cohesion, social acceptance, and social participation were significantly higher in the ACT group than in the control group after the intervention. The paired t-test showed that the mean scores of social actualization, solidarity, cohesion, and participation in the ACT group and the mean scores of social acceptance and cohesion in the CBT group significantly increased after the intervention compared to before. After the intervention, the mean scores of physical health, low anxiety, non-dysfunction, and low depression were significantly higher in the ACT and CBT groups than in the control group (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Both ACT and CBT are influential in the mental, spiritual, and social health of addicts. Nevertheless, ACT has a more significant impact on the mental, spiritual, and social health of addicts.

Social and political participation are two of the basic dimensions of the social quality of a society, in particular, one of the main pillars to achieve social cohesion. This chapter contains five indices that describe two crucial elements of civil society: social participation (cooperation between individuals to produce public goods or social capital) and political participation (democratic legitimacy). In this chapter, we examine five indices for measuring social capital and political participation: Index of Social Cohesion (VALCOS Index), Social Capital Index, Index of Social Capital, Active Citizenship Composite Indicator (ACCI), and Young People’s Civic Competence Composite Indicator (CCCI). For every index, different sections offer basic information about its conceptual and empirical framework, its process of construction and metrics together with the most recent available data.

Practice and research of peace education has grown in the recent years as shown by a steadily increasing number of publications, programs, events, and funding mechanisms. The oft-cited point of departure for the peace education community is the belief in education as a valuable tool for decreasing the use of violence in conflict and for building cultures of positive peace hallmarked by just and equitable structures. Educators and organizations implementing peace education activities and programming, however, often lack the tools and capacities for evaluation and thus pay scant regard to this step in program management. Reasons for this inattention are related to the perceived urgency to prioritize new and more action in the context of scarce financial and human resources, notwithstanding violence or conflict; the lack of skills and time to indulge in a thorough evaluative strategy; and the absence of institutional incentives and support. Evaluation is often demand-driven by donors who emphasize accounting given the current context of international development assistance and budget cuts. Program evaluation is considered an added burden to already over-tasked programmers who are unaware of the incentives and of assessment techniques. Peace education practitioners are typically faced with forcing evaluation frameworks, techniques, and norms standardized for traditional education programs and venues. Together, these conditions create an unfavorable environment in which evaluation becomes under-valued, de-prioritized, and mythologized for its laboriousness.This volume serves three inter-related objectives. First, it offers a critical reflection on theoretical and methodological issues regarding evaluation applied to peace education interventions and programming. The overarching questions of the nature of peace and the principles guiding peace education, as well as governing theories and assumptions of change, transformation, and complexity are explored. Second, the volume investigates existing quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods evaluation practices of peace educators in order to identify what needs related to evaluation persist among practitioners. Promising practices are presented from peace education programming in different settings (formal and non-formal education), within various groups (e.g. children, youth, police, journalists) and among diverse cultural contexts. Finally, the volume proposes ideas of evaluation, novel techniques for experimentation, and creative adaptation of tools from related fields, in order to offer pragmatic and philosophical substance to peace educators’ “next moves” and inspire the agenda for continued exploration and innovation. The authors come from variety of fields including education, peace and conflict studies, educational evaluation, development studies, comparative education, economics, and psychology.

In compliance with Article 73-Law 115 of 1994, I.E. Ginebra La Salle, in order to comply with regulations and strengthen training in civic competencies, proposes a comprehensive training project based on seven pillars that influence institutional values, contributing to the construction of a meaningful society with social cohesion. The objective is to design an institutional plan that trains well-rounded citizens with democratic principles who respond to the needs of their environment.Using a mixed approach, combining participation, collaboration, co-responsibility, horizontality, diversity, and critical reflection from the educational community and key actors in the region. The findings present key considerations related to improving civics and urbanity, respectful practices towards animals, promoting aculture of peace, suggestions for road safety education, encouraging entrepreneurship, the importance of creating a life project, and promoting ethnic diversity. The conclusion is that the course and cross-cutting activities related to the citizenship training process generate spaces for reflection and constructive criticism, foster a culture of peace and respect for life in all its manifestations, and promote entrepreneurship as a skill for today's world..