The politics of trauma: empathy, reconciliation and peace education

Abstract

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 ignored in the peace education literature. Can (and should) educators work to contribute toward the goal of reconciliation when conflict and trauma have a social and political manifestation that is larger than the sum of traumatised students and teachers? If so, how is this possible—politically, pedagogically and emotionally? I discuss how it might be useful to consider the contribution of the notions of empathy and reconciliation to make educators and students aware that they are falling prey to the hegemonic power of trauma narratives. I also suggest that discourses of empathy and reconciliation in curriculum and pedagogy are critical components of the re‐formation of peace education goals in a conflict‐ridden society in the direction of re‐imagining commonalities (as well as dividing lines) with the Other.