Intergroup Dialogue as Peace Education in Nordic Countries

• In Event: Education for Peacebuilding: Tensions and Opportunities for Future Research

Proposal

Numerous historical and recent high-profile examples underscore the crucial importance of peace and conflict prevention education in fostering understanding between groups. According to the Conflict Trends Report, which is published annually by the Peace Research Institute in Oslo, a total of 59 conflicts occurred worldwide last year. By the end of 2023, a staggering 117.3 million individuals had been forcibly displaced because of violence, human rights violations, conflict, and persecution in their native country. In Sweden, Norway, and Denmark, migration has played a significant role in population growth, with nearly 3 million people immigrating to the Nordic countries in the last decade. Generally, intergroup dialogue as a tool has been utilized to create an environment where productive conversation can occur between individuals and groups of diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds, and it can be one very effective way to lay the foundation for mutual understanding before severe conflict results. While dialogue as a conflict prevention and resolution tool has been extensively studied in the U.S. context, there is much to learn from programs in the Nordic countries, where they serve as an exemplar for successful implementation. This paper is an integrative literature review of the intergroup dialogue with a specific focus on its use in Nordic countries. Key themes, tensions and gaps in the literature will be identified, and suggestions for areas of future research and analysis.

Author

• Cindy Yovanov, Drexel University School of Education