Peace is not Neutral: Comparative Education in Times of Accelerated Militarism

Group Submission Type: Special Session

Description of Session

“Re-examining Education and Peace in a Divided World” is the theme of this year’s CIES conference. Critical scholars have raised several concerns about the role of education and peace to address structural inequalities and challenge existing power dynamics. The traditional focus of education and peacebuilding on changing attitudes and individual behaviors, and the lack of attention to structural violence, neglects the systemic and structural causes of conflict, such as poverty, inequality and political oppression. Peace education in particular, has historically failed to grapple with the complexities of and the challenges of global inequalities brought about by global, racial capitalism. Even well-intentioned approaches, such as dialogue and negotiation, can unintentionally reinforce many of these inequities. This symposium will have an open discussion of critical and structural understandings of peace and education.

Sub Unit

• General Pool

Chairs

• Carol Anne Spreen, New York Univesity

• Frank Adamson, California State University, Sacramento

• Virginia C. Gomes, University of Maryland - College Park

• Steven Klees, University of Maryland

• Mark Ginsburg, University of Maryland

Discussants

• Michael Gibbons, The Alternatives Project

• Maria Hantzopoulos, Vassar College

• Carol Anne Spreen, New York Univesity

• Roozbeh Shirazi, University of Minnesota