Many Peaces Magazine #7 by Many Peaces

MAGAZINE W

RUTH COHN: THEME CENTRED INTERACTION Page 30 DAVID DIAMOND: ACTIVISM OF INSIGHTS Page 36 WOLFGANG DIETRICH: PEACE EDUCATION INNSBRUCK Page 42

MANY PEACES VOLUME 7 2018 - 01

PEACE EDUCATION

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Many Peaces Magazine - Volume 7 - 2018 - 01 Published by Paul Lauer, Rettenberg 106, 8441 Fresing, Austria Editorial: Alexa Cuello, Theresa Gottschall, Isabelle Guibert, Adham Hamed, Paul Lauer, Mayme Lefurgey and Manon Roeleveld

EDITORIAL Dear Readers, It is our pleasure to introduce to you the seventh volume of the Many Peaces Magazine on the thought-provoking and inspiring topic of peace education. In the pages that follow, our authors present their various interpretations of what peace education is, as they recount personal experiences and explain various projects and encounters within the frame of peace education across the globe. From Theatre for Living, the Open Floor method and the expressive arts as projects of peace education in praxis to the theoretical groundings of elicitive peace work and facilitation, this volume takes us on a critical journey that questions the very foundations of what education is: What are its purposes and its aims? How can education be a platform and a vehicle for peace? How can we transform education as we know it in our personal lives, communities and countries, so as to work towards a more peaceful world? What is our role as peace educators, students and practitioners of peace in this pursuit? With many of the authors of this magazine being directly connected to the Unit for Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Innsbruck in some way, you will find that several make the connection to the concepts of elicitive peacework, facilitation and conflict transformation as well as transrational peace philosophy. For more information about this specific understanding of peace, please visit the UNESCO Chair for Peace Studies website. Much of the work in this volume is indeed inspired by the pedagogy of the Innsbruck School for Peace Studies which has, for several years, broken free from mainstream ideas of education, offering its students diverse experiences for learning and personal growth. With this in mind, Volume 7 seeks to offer a space beyond the traditional, rational and moral frames of education which exist within our societies. A space to dream, to think outside the box and to explore emerging methods within the field of peace which are both challenging and changing education as we know it. We hope that the stories and voices within the pages to come are good company in your own grappling with what peace education is and inspire you to continue on your journey exploring the many possibilities of peace. In peace and gratitude, Isabelle Guibert and Mayme Lefurgey Editors in Chief

Editorial

TABLE OF CONTENTS GUEST COMMENT

EDITORIAL STORY

by Hilary Cremin

by Manon Roeleveld

CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION AROUND THE WORLD

GOOD EDUCATION?

THE FLOOR IS OPEN

INTEGRATION REVISIONED

Teaching in Two Opposite Sides of the World, by Putri Kitnas Inesia and Matthias Scharpenberg Reflections on Open Floor Conscious Dance Practice and Peace Education, by Hanne Tjersland

Synergies of Peace Through Intercultural Dialogue and Participation, by Julia Felder

ELICITIVE PEACE WORKERS

THE VIBE OF PEACE-MAKING

The Valuable Asset of an Excursion in the Field of Peace Education, by Clara Maier and Elisabeth Wilgermein

PEACE THINKERS

RUTH COHN

Theme Centred Interaction as a Response to War, by Veronika Lex

MANY PEACES INTERVIEWS

RODRIGO AYARZA

DAVID DIAMOND

An Uruguayan Peace Worker, interviewed by Alexa Cuello

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A Conversation on Activism of Insights, by Oliver Rizzi Carlson and Luiza de S. Oliveira

PEACE AND CONFLICT STUDIES RESEARCH

ALL IS WELCOME HERE

RESTRICTIONS AS RESOURCES

ELICITIVE EDUCATION

A CALL FOR ACTION

RECONCILIATION

NEW MASTERS OF PEACE

Peace Education and the Innsbruck School of Peace Studies, by Wolfgang Dietrich Facilitation from an Expressive Arts Perspective, by Aylin Vartanyan Dilaver Peace Education and the Elicitation of Meaningfulness, by Luís Bravo by the Peace Studies Fund Heela Najibullah’s book reviewed by Fatma Haron

APPENDIX

CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS

THE EDITORIAL TEAM

ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE

ART

ARTIST OF THE VOLUME

Drawings from Cairo, by Tilly Sünkel

MANY INSIGHTS

Photo Essay, Egypt 2017 – Impressions and Insights, by Sezan Eyrich and Julian Mandler

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GUEST COMMENT TRANSRATIONAL PEACE EDUCATION BY HILARY CREMIN

hilst education’s role in working towards peace, harmony, justice and truth is incontestable, it is not clear what this might look like. This commentary draws on a chapter in Josefina Echavarria’s forthcoming book, Transrational Resonances: Echoes to the Many Peaces, to argue that there is an urgent need for a shift in the identity of educators; from the rational, moral manager of knowledge and resources in neoliberal times, to the transrational postmodern pedagogue in times to come. Dietrich’s five families of peaces contribute to our understanding of how this transformation might take place.

sulting in Galtung’s negative peace, and missed opportunities for generating positive peace. Fortunately, however, moral peace has a contribution to make to peace education when combined holistically with other perspectives. When moral peaces intersect with postmodernity in education, for example, possibilities open up - including peer mediation, restorative justice, education for active and global citizenship, and activism.

Peace education can support schools and other educational settings to engage more fully with postmodern perspectives. It can promote The modern family of peaces bring rationality, security and reason to diversity, inclusion, recognition, and both globalised and localthe enterprise of peace education. Modernity has a part to play when ised notions of truth and wellbeing. It must avoid perpetuating the it addresses direct, structural, cultural and symbolic violence in ed- hegemonic myths of neoliberalism whilst remaining open to new ucational settings. Modern peaces models of education, including home in education, however, are incomschooling, on-line learning and the plete on their own. If there is an democratisation of knowledge. Education has always been a moral over-emphasis on security, control, enterprise. Its explicit goal in most examinations and ‘transmission’ Perhaps the hardest family of peacparts of the world is to educate models of teaching and learning, es to integrate into modern systems the result is impoverished. As with of education is the energetic family. morally and ethically grounded all the families of peaces, modern How can we support young people citizens. Education in schools is often peaces need to be combined with to be less grounded in the ego, and seen as a pseudo-military process the other families. to move towards more harmonious, connected, and peaceful ways of that instills discipline. Education has always been a moral being in the world? This is difficult enterprise. Its explicit goal in most within education systems that are parts of the world is to educate morally and ethically grounded citi- characterised by disconnection, competition, judgement, violence zens. Education in schools is often seen as a pseudo-military process and an over-reliance on the mind. Modern and moral peace domithat instills discipline. At worst, schools rely on corporal punish- nate the social imagination when it comes to thinking about schools ment to ‘dispense justice’. At best, they use sanctions and rewards to and universities, and it seems that there is little room for the intesupport rules that build extrinsic (rather than intrinsic) motivation gration of body, mind, heart and spirit. It is for these reasons that a for learning. Unfortunately, discipline policy and practice in most new paradigm of transrational education needs to emerge through schools constitutes peace-keeping, rather than peace-making, re- greater integration between energetic and other families of peaces. HILARY CREMIN is a Reader at the Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge. She researches and teaches peace-building, in and through education, in settings in the UK and elsewhere. Her latest book with Terence Bevington is Positive Peace in Schools: Tackling Conflict and Creating a Culture of Peace in the Classroom, published by Routledge.

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Ar ti st of t h e volu m e

TILLY SÜNKEL is a student of Political Science and English at the University of Innsbruck. In her free time she expresses herself artistically by drawing the things and people which surround her, especially while traveling. The University of Innsbruck’s excursion to Cairo, in summer term 2017, was her greatest journey so far and a politically as well as creatively demanding experience. Contact: tilly-suenkel@t-online.de

Art - 7

ÂŠ Tilly SĂźnkel

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EDITORIAL STORY A CHILD – SHAPED BY THE CLASSIC EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM BY MANON ROELEVELD

was eleven years old when I was diagnosed with Dyscalculia. Dyscalculia is known as a learning disability involving math with a connection to working and short term memory. Besides my learning disability, I had problems with my ears and had to undergo several surgeries that resulted in temporary hearing problems. Further, in class I was a dreamer, an observer, incredibly curious and impulsive in my questioning and answering despite kids telling me I was ‘dumb’ or ‘stupid’ for the things I said. From the moment I was diagnosed, I undertook extra tutoring at school and additional practice at home with my parents. I also had to study math with a group of students who were one grade lower than my classmates which meant I had to pack my things and leave class every time it was math hour. In high school, I received a card which I had to put on my table during exams that gave me extra time during tests. Although I hardly ever needed the extra time, I had trouble with concepts related to time and this card helped to put my mind at ease in order to complete the test. Looking back at these events, I feel, on the one hand, very grateful that the educational system in the Netherlands developed the extra support that I needed to get some sort of basic knowledge in my foundational academic years. On the other hand, I feel sad as there seemed to have been a constant focus on my disabilities as problematic areas. As a result of bullying and the constant focus on the things I was incapable of doing, I had accepted that I was stupid and dumb and my tutor in high school had to invest tremendous time on working on my self-confidence. This is still something I struggle with from time to time. Once I started the MA Program in Peace Studies at the University of Innsbruck In September 2012, I was confronted with education on a complete different level. I got introduced to “Elicitive Conflict Transformation,” in which the facilitator of a class provides the frame but not a prefabricated model. I did not learn about peace and conflict through a teacher who just prescriptively transferred knowledge in front of the class. Instead, the MA Program in Peace Studies required me to participate in facilitated spaces in which I actively had to engage with communally held knowledge of each and every person who was present. The facilitator, in this context, uses methods to hold that space and everyone involved was an essential part of the learning and training exchange. In this type of educational

framework, my questions, answers and self-reflection were needed and valued. I suddenly was given the opportunity to take an active role and a responsibility which was far away from my well known and comforting dreaming mode as a student. Although I can appreciate the combination of different experiences and educational systems that made me who I am today, I do still have criticisms regarding the classic educational system that we find in most educational institutions across the globe. I am critical because of the ways in which this dominant model creates a sense of fear whenever one is wrong, incapable of completing a task or not outstanding enough. I believe that mainstream education systems would benefit from a sense of appreciation towards the wisdom everyone carries to enable an educational exchange involving children, teenagers and adults more actively. By creating an elicitive space in which students can learn and challenge themselves without the fear of doing something wrong, more time can be spent on finding and improving their potentials. What saddens me when reflecting on my story is that I realize how much I have gotten used to criticizing and lowering myself in comparison to others. It is now my personal goal to continuously work towards seeing my potential both in group and individual dynamics. My story also makes me feel incredibly thankful that such space was given to me through the MA Program in Peace Studies. It has allowed me to truly experience inclusive and empowering education which triggered a journey of self-discovery and appreciation for who I am and who I can be. This experience has allowed me to again daydream and creatively imagine the possibilities of what education can look like when all the aspects of our individual beings are embraced and nourished. MANON ROELEVELD graduated in summer 2015 from the MA Program in Peace Studies at the University of Innsbruck. Currently based in Vienna, she worked at the International Peace Institute, volunteered with Don Bosco in the refugee camp Traiskirchen and with PROSA, organizing workshops with and for refugees. Additionally, she worked with a start-up NGO known as Switxboard which focuses on the development of different projects related to refugees. Since May 2016 she has been working as a doctoral program coordinator at the University of Vienna. Contact: manon.roeleveld@manypeaces.org

Editorial - 9

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EGYPT Impressions and Insights (2017) by Sezan Eyrich and Julian Mandler

page 22

Reality of Antagonisms page 28/29

Will to Normality Global Perspectives Self-Reflection Great Expectations - Great Frustration page 40/41

Empty Sights #2 page 47

The Female Revolution The Backyard page 56/57

BIOGRAPHIES OF PHOTOGRAPHERS Empty Sights #1 Stories to Tell, Stories to Go Different Means of Transportation

Art as a Weapon During the Arab Spring the walls of Cairo were illegally painted at night times in order to communicate, mobilize and cope with the struggles of power abuse. Before sunrise, the regime recaptured the space â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the faces disappeared. Picture taken at The American University of Cairo by Julian Mandler.

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GOOD EDUCATION? TEACHING IN TWO OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE WORLD BY PUTRI KITNAS INESIA AND MATTHIAS SCHARPENBERG

Putri Kitnas Inesia and Matthias Scharpenberg found out about

the topic of this volume, they immediately thought about their respective jobs as teachers in opposite sides of the world. In the form of a dialogue, they interview each other about their respective motivations to work in rural areas, far away from the paths of the regular school system and what is considered to be “good education”. Matthias: Hey Putri, you are working with your husband Adit in Papua, Indonesia, in a Christian school. I remember how enthusiastically you wrote your thesis about teaching indigenous children there. But you also told me that you have to face many struggles, on a financial as well as teaching level. What happened since you left the “Innsbruck bubble”? Putri: Good question, Matthias! You see, in my thesis proposal I was very judgemental about the government and the public teachers who, by abandoning pupils in the Highlands, deprived them of their rights to good education. Until now, public schools have mostly been like an empty building or a soccer field for children. This led me to focus my research question on finding out what kind of education those indigenous children need. How can we, as adults,

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show our love and care for their well-being while preparing them to be change agents for the future? Matthias: How can this happen? Putri: Let me tell you. In my own case, my surrounding expected me to be mostly educated in a Western way that responds to the global economic agenda. And indeed, it prepared me to compete on the

On the other hand, something is lacking and that is my ability to pass on my mother tongue and my tribe’s indigenous knowledge to my future bloodline. job market. On the one hand, I am thankful because it brought me to Innsbruck and enabled me to have many good working experiences. On the other hand, something is lacking and that is my ability to pass on my mother tongue and my tribe’s indigenous knowledge to my future bloodline. This itself mirrors what currently happens among indigenous children. Thus, in my research, I tried to find out why it is important and how it connects to the child’s identity and her/his ability to be resilient when facing two opposite worlds (modern vs. traditional). As I processed the information, I met many elders among the Balim people and an NGO invited me to implement a pilot curriculum glocalizing the formal national curriculum with Balim knowledge. I was very excited and full of hope! My heart was intrigued to take a serious step towards teaching, although not in a public school. Initially, I wanted to know more deeply the chain of the educational system and to sense what it feels like to be involved in children’s growing process. Eventually, I realized that the educational system is like an entangled thread that has an impact on every school, including the private school I work with. Although I am now getting the perspective of a half-full glass by walking in baby steps, I feel that we are going somewhere. We teachers always try to create more space for children to acknowledge, appreciate, learn, and practice their ancestors’ knowledge. This may occur through speaking their mother tongue, crafting, dancing, singing, folklore, helping parents in the farm/garden, hunting with their dad, or listening to stories from their grandparents. Children should be proud of their identity as Lani Papuans.

Today, I still see education as a way to walk together through an environment that supports and challenges perspectives, not as a moral concept.

All photos: © Matthias Scharpenberg

Matthias: This reminds me that, in my work as a teacher, I realised that education allows children to feel socially, emotionally and culturally secure in their environment – a security which can then support learning experiences anywhere. Putri: Certainly. My calling to serve children does not stop here though. Adit and I left other interesting opportunities aside to dedicate ourselves to education. I used to work in a big organization in which I earned about three times more than today. Therefore, we now have to live humbly and save a lot. I work in a missionConflict Transformation Around the World - 13

ary school that does not profit from these children, for the money Putri: Is your view influenced by our studies in Innsbruck? Which is donated by several US-American church congregations. We also kind of environment are you referring to? feel God’s blessings unceasingly poured out upon us in the form of prayers, support, and sometimes funding through our family, com- Matthias: Innsbruck propelled a lot of helpful ideas about learnmunity, neighbours, and friends like you! Next December, Adit and ing in groups, various levels of communication, cultural differences, I will leave this school. We plan to walk to the east in the direction and the importance of the body besides the intellect. The children in the school would be in movement of Balim Valley and sense God’s the whole day and sit down only calling us to start a small learning when they were ready for a learncentre there. What about you? My task as a teacher is not to make ing experience. I very much liked children fit in a world which I what you said earlier regarding the Matthias: Well, now, I can look consider to be right, but to accompany many things through which one back on a big learning experience can learn. I would add that there which I made in a small village them honestly by acknowledging their are as many ways to learn as there school where children from three view of the world and support them in are humans on our planet. We had to eighteen are able to learn withtheir encounter with that world. children with special abilities like, out having to take exams. That for instance, children who cannot school is very much inspired by the speak and instead express themnon-directive (not non-authoritarian) approach of Rebecca and Mauricio Wild and the Montessori selves with their eyes or a child who would see colours around things pedagogy. In this institution, the youngsters graduate after the 10th and people. My task as a teacher is not to make children fit in a world grade. Having undertaken the formal schooling system and as the which I consider to be right, but to accompany them honestly by child of a teacher in a primary school focusing on the Evangelic reli- acknowledging their view of the world and support them in their gion, I searched for alternatives. Looking back, I looked for the ideal encounter with that world. By doing that, I also encourage them to environment I would have liked to enjoy in my childhood – as the face challenges and put limits to their actions when I believe that dreamer I was, full of curiosity but also looking towards the inward they would harm someone or themselves. The environment propfootprints of the images around me. If I were a child today, I might er to that kind of development was prepared with a lot of materials be diagnosed with ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) without hy- and biotopes for learning and arousing curiosity, as you can find in peractivity. Yet, in those days, I was just a dreamer. When I worked Montessori, Hengstenberg and Pickler pedagogy. On a personal level, as a teacher from May 2015 to July 2017, I started with full enthusi- I had to deal with conflicts due to children who did not respect me asm. The school forms an integral part of the village. The waste food and colleagues who were hard to work with. In the end, I also realised goes to the pigs of the neighbouring farm and the children are free to that it is important to know about the history of an organisation. In roam around the forest and lakes. During the first six months, I sat our case, culture played a big role. Indeed, one part of the team had in the corner of a room and mindfully watched the children learning been socialised in former Soviet Germany and the other in capitalist, and playing, in order to become aware of my own conditioning and individualistic West Germany, which resulted in very different ways evaluations. I loved it. Today, I still see education as a way to walk of relating to one another and evaluating situations. Well, Putri, we together through an environment that supports and challenges per- should soon arrange a Skype date to talk again, for I am curious about that start-up which you and Adit are about to found. spectives, not as a moral concept.

PUTRI KITNAS INESIA became a teacher in 2015 at a Christian school in Bokondini, Papua, where she currently lives. While working on her thesis about Glocalization in Education to Strengthen Identity in Balim Valley, she was also intrigued to take a front line part in education as a teacher. She and her husband are planning to create a small start-up to teach unreachable children in a remote area. Please, send them your prayer and positive energy for them to fulfill a mission that God has put into their hearts. Contact: putri.kitnas@gmail.com

MATTHIAS SCHARPENBERG is living in Berlin, Germany. After his Master’s in Peace Studies, he worked for two years as a Montessori teacher at a rural reform school in Brandenburg. Besides studying psychotherapy he now works as a Program Manager for International Volunteer Services in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Matthias and Putri became very good friends during their studies in Innsbruck. However, he still has not visited her in Indonesia. Contact: m.scharpenberg@consciente.de

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THE FLOOR IS OPEN REFLECTIONS ON OPEN FLOOR CONSCIOUS DANCE PRACTICE AND PEACE EDUCATION BY HANNE TJERSLAND

y name is Hanne Tjersland; and when I meet people to talk about my passions, there are two areas that frequently come up. Firstly, I consider myself a peace worker, peace researcher and peace educator (all three currently in training) and secondly, I am training to become a teacher of the conscious dance practice Open Floor. One of my core passions is therefore to understand, work with and experience the interrelations and connections between these two fields; Open Floor and peace. Yet, I think I need to start from a different place in this article. I need to start with the basics. Who am I? Where does my passion for peace and Open Floor come from? What exactly is Open Floor? How do I relate to the fabric of peace?

As I said, my name is Hanne and I am a twenty-eight year old Norwegian woman who, for different reasons, currently lives in Innsbruck, Austria. I am, from previous educations, a teacher of theatre, Spanish and yoga, and I am also a world traveller and a lover of forests and mountains. Importantly for this article, I have graduated from the MA Program for Peace Studies in Innsbruck, and I am taking part in the international teacher training of Open Floor International. I came to the topic of peace through my life experiences. I grew up in a country considered one of the most peaceful countries in the world: Norway. How did I end up feeling called to work with peace? For me, the answer is simple. Within my so-called ‘peaceful’ surroundings, I experienced a lot of ‘unpeace’. I sensed how people around me were unable to embrace and connect with themselves. There was a lot of fear, judgment, blame and guilt; directed both toward oneself and toward one’s surroundings. I also myself took part in these hurtful dynamics. For many years I lived with huge amounts of fear, blame and judgment. I blamed myself for not being good enough, I judged my body and I doubted my capacity to live a meaningful life. Within my ‘peaceful’ surroundings, I was not at all at peace. My way of transforming this harmful self-relationship was through re-connecting to my body and all what it contains. This inConflict Transformation Around the World - 15

cluded my feelings and emotions, thoughts, ideas, life stories, sensations and dreams (to name just a few). I started to find my way through a variety of embodied practices and began with this to re-discover a deep self trust I had forgotten existed. The path however was far from easy. I had to face a lot of my so-called ‘shadows’, which scared me quite a lot! Finally, I found my way to the Open (dance) Floor and, although I am by no way free from my shadows, I have found a way to move and play with them both on and off the dance floor. My current question is: How can I offer this healing space also to others? It drives my motivation to deeply understand the connections between Open Floor and peace (education). Open Floor is a conscious dance practice that was created out of the shared wisdom, experience and knowledge of several conscious movement teachers from around the world. It is, as the organization describes itself, “[…] a lively, sweaty, full-on dance inquiry […]” (openfloor.org) where different topics, dynamics and aspects of being human are explored through dance and movement. Hence, to

“When we use the dance to be fully embodied – physically, emotionally, mindfully – it simply means to being home for the beautiful ride of being alive. It means we’re present for anything and everything: loving, losing, colliding, learning, creating, connecting, feeling” Open Floor International

All photos: © Shakir

quote one of the teachers of Open Floor, Sue Rickards, “we are not learning to dance; we are dancing to learn.” How does this relate to peace education? To start, I need to ask the perennial question for anyone working with peace: What exactly is this peace I want to encourage and help unfold through Open Floor? My answer contains three core elements. I relate to, understand and experience peace as a dynamic (ever-changing, plural and never-finished), holistic (including all my dynamics, relations and aspects) and relational fabric. Hence, I prefer to explore the many small peaces that continuously emerge, reshape and change themselves, rather than focusing on a One, universal, perfect and fixed peace. It is because of this that I see Open Floor as a powerful resource for peace education. If peace education, as I understand it, includes amongst others the creation of spaces where new possibilities for, understandings of and relations to peace(s) can be discovered, explored, reflected 16 - Many Peaces Magazine #7

upon, experienced and chosen, there are many aspects of Open Floor I find useful. To start, Open Floor works with an understanding of human beings as essentially relational and embodied. In the official Open Floor curriculum it is called the 4x4. Human beings are always in a dynamic interplay between four basic relationships of their lives, which they hunger for connecting to in just-the-rightamount within every moment of their lives. These hungers are Solitude (relations to oneself), Connection (relations to close/intimate others), Belonging (relations to a group) and Spirit (relations to a larger whole). Importantly, the way humans relate to these hungers are in a dynamic dance where each moment brings some hungers more to the foreground and others to the background. Therefore, there is never a fixed ‘identity’ that describes a person’s set ‘relational type’. Similarly, Open Floor works with an understanding of humans as containing four dimensions of embodiment. This is again understood dynamically. Humans are a physical body, an emotional body, a mental body and a soul body (the part of an individual that connects to the larger whole). ‘Working through the body’ in Open Floor therefore implies to take all these layers into account within a dynamic exploration of whatever dimension(s) are put in the foreground of each session and/or moment. Hence, Open Floor does not seek to find a static peace for humans to be ‘eternally’ happy, but encourages navigations between and inquiries into the different dynamic, layers and relations that change with every moment of one’s life. With this, I come to the most central point for how I see Open Floor as a resource for peace education. One of the core questions I ask myself as an Open Floor teacher, based on the official Open Floor curriculum, is: “How can I help myself and others go from fixed to fluid?” In my understanding, one of the key aspects for peace is our human ability to embrace change and continuous re-creation. Without this, we get stuck in one side only. This is in my view a recipe for violence, suffering, pain and ill health. I further believe that all humans carry an innate capacity to embrace the messiness, contradictions and ‘shadows’ they and others carry. This is what allows us to powerfully keep unfolding small peaces every day on this planet. My question is: How can I help encourage more embracement of change and help loosen more of the stuckness? This is for me a practice in moving with constant change through which one can learn to more fully embrace the wholeness of oneself, others and life. Personally, I cultivate this practice on the Open dance Floor and I hope that by sharing this space, I can offer possibilities also for others to explore, play and dance their way through their ever-changing lives. I believe it is deep and profound peace work on many levels. web: www.openfloor.org All photos: © Michael Deichert

Originally from Norway, HANNE TJERSLAND currently lives in Innsbruck. She is interested in holistic, creative and embodied methods of peace work and is trained as both a theatre and yoga teacher in addition to completing the MA Program in Peace Studies at the University of Innsbruck in summer 2016. Recently, she began the international teacher training in the conscious movement practice Open Floor. Contact: Hanne_ht88@hotmail.com

Conflict Transformation Around the World - 17

ÂŠ Julia Felder

INTEGRATION REVISIONED SYNERGIES OF PEACE THROUGH INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE AND PARTICIPATION BY JULIA FELDER

hat does peace mean to you? If you are a refugee, you will more likely be asked about experiences of war than about experiences of peace. However, everyone carries a unique potential for peace and if different experiences and cultures of peace meet in attentive dialogue, new perspectives of transformation can come to life. 18 - Many Peaces Magazine #7

In this article, I want to share my impressions of the elicitive peace work I currently do in Vorarlberg. This work aims to create synergies in conflict transformation, especially via fostering dialogue between those born in Austria, refugees and other migrants. But let me tell you something about myself first: I completed several university programs and most of what I learnt there I have already forgotten. What is likely my most educational experience was when I spent half a year in Ghana, before my studies. I learned during this experience that, like every individual, every culture has shadow and light aspects and that it is in the encounter with the other, that our collective and individual aspects get a chance for balance. In my life, this shift towards balance often felt like a crisis that I could get through transformed, if some sort of connectedness accompanied me in that crisis (connectedness to persons, a deeper meaning or to the universe as such). At the MA Program in Peace Studies at the University of Innsbruck, I learned about the concept of the many peaces, which provided me with a conceptual understanding of cultural shadow and light aspects in relation to peace interpretations and the cosmologies around them. In Innsbruck, I learned about the Theater for Living, a method that allows for dialogue in transrational connection and co-creation incorporating different perspectives. I have developed a huge sense of trust in this method, that roots

itself in embodied creativity and fosters our collective intuition. It quickly connects diverse people, makes visible what seemed hidden and empowers those involved. In my current work in Vorarlberg, I also learned about circle dialogues, a simple practice which allows people to get into spoken dialogue in an easily accessible and yet deep way. The work I do in Vorarlberg is not limited to specific topics. For example, I work in collaboration with initiatives that are engaged in food sovereignty, feminism, dialogue, media, human rights, arts, direct democracy, community living and nuclear disarmament. However, my main focus is on peace work in the context of migration and interculturality. While migrants with Turkish roots used to be the main subject to othering in Vorarlberg, today – like in many other European places – it is refugees who have taken this inglorious symbolic position. What sounds like a game is intertwined with thousands of deaths due to man-made borders every year and an increasing manifestation of control over citizens in the name of security. In an intriguing way, I see the discourse on migration and also the many reasons for persons to flee their country, as being related to the disconnection to mother earth and its children, which

I learned during this experience that, like every individual, every culture has shadow and light aspects and that it is in the encounter with the other, that our collective and individual aspects get a chance for balance. comes along with industrialisation and capitalism. In an individualist, competitive approach to the earth and its daughters and sons, there is little regard for the needs of the earth as a whole living system, which results in climate change, exploitation of resources and human and animal bodies, the increasing difficulty to live from the land especially in the periphery, dark images about the future of the next generations and loneliness and psychological stress in Central Europe. The emotional charge of the discourse is hard to bear, as long as old and yet intimate struggles seem to be disconnected. We published a statement of the association Friedenskraftwerk Vorarlberg, that discusses the concrete opportunities for peace arising from immigration to Vorarlberg. However, we cannot move towards peace in a merely rational way.

All photos: © Julia Felder

I facilitated several workshops on the topic of us and them with refugees and non-refugees from the age of ten up to the age of seventy. In one of the first of the workshops I facilitated, a participant said to me: “We didn’t only escape from war to save ourselves, but also because we did not want to kill anyone. Many of us had to choose: to be forced by the militia to kill, to refuse (and thus be killed by the militia), or to flee to live in peace.“ He was the first one and not the last one who said this to me so clearly, while at the same time local and national newspapers wrote headlines like “waves of refugees bring Conflict Transformation Around the World - 19

war and terrorism upon our doorstep.” Even though this seems to be a contradiction, also behind scary headlines that call for borders, we can find an interpretation of peace. In German there is a phrase, “Lass mich in Frieden”, which means “leave me in peace.” However, conflicts do not disappear just because the relation to our own existence is denied. As when we suppress inner conflicts, the struggle tends to get worse. And yet, it helps to understand this longing for

In an intriguing way, I see the discourse on migration and also the many reasons for persons to flee their country, as being related to the disconnection to mother earth and its children security in its origins as a drive for peace. I believe that whatever peace means for us, it comes from the same source, in which we are united. If we can recognise this source in others we can liberate the flow from this source in ourselves. Curiously looking at the interconnected struggle and at the potentials to connect different interpretations of peace, the project Friedenswirkstätte was born: a safe, welcoming space for connection where refugees and non-refugees can come together to deal with our own involvement in the fundamental struggles of life, to witness our potentials for peace and to co-create transformation. Especially, the potential for peace of refugees should get a space to be witnessed and to unfold, twisting the emotionally charged image of refugees as

I believe that whatever peace means for us, it comes from the same source, in which we are united. If we can recognise this source in others we can liberate the flow from this source in ourselves.

games, experimental methods and circle dialogues. Feedback and new diverse hosting team members trickled in, which helped us to design the following meetings. Three more Friedenswirkstätte-meetings were held, each lasting half a day and picking up on emerging topics. After the first meeting, part of the shared time was also dedicated to gathering and manifesting ideas on future action for peace. Within the hosting team we found it also very important to avoid pressure to perform and to give the evolving culture of peace and the needs and information popping up in the moment the space that it deserves. The moment a young Iraqi woman was drawing symbols of the families of peaces on a paper and explained their meaning to me, I felt glad about my decision not to give any theoretical input within the Friedenswirkstätte, unless the need arises. The kind of peace education happening in this project was about connecting people to elicit knowledge, about giving the knowledge vehicles to be expressed and received. Apart from the knowledge and the resulting transformation within our relations to ourselves and each other, it is the experience of dialogue that allows for carrying the practise of dialogue into one’s own networks. The Friedenswirkstätte in Vorarlberg ended in July 2017 yet will continue with projects initiated by participants, for example a multilingual radio project. The experience to co-create with these wonderful people and the great resonance from partner initiatives fills me with courage, that together we can let synergetic, beautiful and joyful alternatives to an ‘us’ and ’them’ and to a one-sided integration approach flourish. web: friedenskraftwerk.at web: radioproton.at web: inkontra.at

JULIA FELDER is a Theater for Living facilitator and radio journalist. She lives in a tiny house in Vorarlberg, Austria and develops and facilitates local peace projects. She works with several grassroots initiatives (e.g. Friedenskraftwerk Vorarlberg, Internationaler Bodensee-Friedensweg, Proton – das freie Radio) and stimulates synergies between them. Contact: julia.felder@inkontra.at

messengers of war and terrorism. Throughout the project it became clearer that what we are doing is creating synergies: moving beyond the ‘us’ and ‘them,’ moving beyond a helper and receiver relationship, in order to create a shared culture of peace. Supported by a large network, we sent out an open invitation in January 2017. We called for those who want to contribute to peace, especially people who fled war to live in peace. More people than we could host answered this calling. A big hosting team, including a dialogue facilitator, translators, moderators and a child-carer, welcomed 35 people from seven countries in our first meeting. The beginning was dedicated to tuning in with each other and with our interpretations of peace, for example through Theater for Living © Julia Felder

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On the two occasions I was here I noticed that there are very different interpretations of peace. For many, peace is the absence of war, but there are different forms of peace. For me it also means being satisfied with oneself and that there is peace between religions. Peace doesn’t only depend on whether the system is warlike, but also on our relations to each other, for example had there been no peace between black people and white people or in Iraq between religious groups. Peace also depends on RUKA ALKAFAJI Austria | Iraq

accepting others. And I see that we all have our own thoughts on this topic. We have all gained something from the thoughts we shared here.

With Vindex association, I work a lot with people in need, also refugees. Often, they have problems and I am supposed to solve them. The Friedenswirkstätte was unique for me, because we were really on eye-level. Our stories are different and many here have gone through much harder times than me, but here we meet as humans and on this level, there is not much that separates us anymore. No matter where we come from, we can laugh about the same things. I hear that what we are doing here is experienced as an important form of peace work and that we want it to continue. I wish that we will PETER MENNEL Austria

not only wait for a new Friedenswirkstätte to emerge, but that we share the vibration we experienced here with other people in our networks.

Peace has many faces. There are countries where peace prevails and others, where there is no peace. For example in Somalia or in other countries in Africa it is not easy to let peace grow. By studying the causes of unpeaceful conditions in different countries, we will find different reasons: economic conflicts, power struggles, clan conflicts and many others. If we want to build peace we should look at how peace ABDIRAHMAN ALI Austria | Somalia

is built in different countries and how we can create peace for ourselves – just as we did in the Friedenswirkstätte. I may wish for peace all people over the world, but I cannot imagine that.

The Friedenswirkstätte has connected people from different continents, who currently live in Vorarlberg. It was a very beautiful experience to exchange, to gain completely new impressions, to share laughter and sadness. I especially liked when we created a mandala together and the dialogues have shown me, with how many different points of view we can look at a question. It is beautiful that we can enrich each other!

I am a teacher and in the Friedenswirkstätte I have learned at least as many helpful methods as in my pedagogic training. The process and the encounters were beautiful, funny, touching and inspiring. I enjoy it very much to keep on working together in the radio project. KATHRIN SALZMANN Austria Conflict Transformation Around the World - 21

All photos: © Julia Felder

CHRISTIAN HÖRL Austria

Reality of Antagonisms A country marked by a failed revolution is full of antagonisms. Whilst 28 Coptic Christians were brutally murdered on a desert road by gunmen presumably sworn to Daesh, young Muslims try to reach out. They distribute copies of the Qurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;an at the Muhammad Ali Mosque and publically distance their faith from the attack. Picture taken at the Al-Azhar Park in Cairo by Julian Mandler.

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THE VIBE OF PEACE-MAKING THE VALUABLE ASSET OF AN EXCURSION IN THE FIELD OF PEACE EDUCATION BY CLARA MAIER AND ELISABETH WILGERMEIN

n order to feel the temper of the Arab Spring Revolution a study group from the University of Innsbruck, conducted by Adham Hamed and Lena Drummer, went off to Egypt. An excursion on peacemaking to awaken new feelings and perspectives, strengthen understanding and integrate personalities into theoretical approaches. It is a spring day in May. It is evening, but Cairo certainly is still awake. Our study group is sitting in a circle, the vivid city’s street noise and lights run through a big window. Each of us is eagerly listening to Noura’s* strong and enthusiastic words. Our safe space feels calm – and tense at the same time. Noura is an activist who has been actively participating in the Arab Spring Revolution. What she tells us about the female positions in Libya makes clear that her fight is not over yet. We feel honored to meet her and soon realize that we are experiencing something unique, somehow step into the revolution’s aftermath and the political situation in the Arab region. When Noura talks about her close friend being assassinated in her home in Libya due to peacebuilding activities, the big window adopts a frightening touch of insecurity. Honks of cars and rickshaws interrupt Noura’s reckless laughter and make us startle at one go. It is not

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merely a discussion round, but a special opportunity to feel - beyond listening - the words of an activist. Being this close to a political activist and her life, and to many more experiences to come during our excursion in Egypt, showed us how vivid peace education can become once being in touch with people in conflict ridden areas. Indeed, in Cairo and Alexandria, we had the chance to understand the complexity of the country’s problems by looking at it from many perspectives: We got to know politicians, activists, artists, cultural managers and local tour guides and hence, felt both the power and the vulnerability of several actors of the Arab Spring with differing political views. It was a unique opportunity to witness Egypt’s situation between beauty, peace, political trauma and deep conflicts. Understanding “the other’s” views in open discussions is an important way to mediate between European viewpoints and local realities, represents a significant aspect of peace building processes and illustrates how peace education can successfully build up understanding.

It was for a unique opportunity to witness Egypt’s situation between beauty, peace, political trauma and deep conflicts.

Let’s Get Started: On Theory The theoretical concepts of peace and conflict, the political past of Egypt, as well as the current situation elucidated the complexity of the research interest. This is what the seminar Revolutionary Processes: An Exploration of Tahrir Square and Beyond, held by Adham Hamed, showed us. Due to presentations and discussions dedicated to topics ranging from gender perspectives, refugees, political trauma, to historical struggles, we were well prepared. The mix of the academic methods, the expression of personal thoughts on peace and conflict, and the wide range of theories with the actual truth in the field was new to many of us.

All Photos: © Clara Maier

In class, we focused on expanding our interdisciplinary theoretical knowledge. By discussing the arguments of Gene Sharp, a political scientist whom the German newspaper Die Zeit named “the democrator” in reference to his methods of non-violent resistance against the oppressor, in contrast to decolonization-pioneer Franz Fanon’s theory of the inescapability of the use of violence, made clear how different social structures can influence political changes. Keeping these and more theoretical perspectives in mind, Elicitive Peace Workers - 25

it was impressive to analyze the protest of the Tahrir movement which forced President Mubarak out of office in early 2011. Additionally, the diversity of actions within the revolution became clear: Starting with demonstrations on Tahrir Square up to graffiti, movie nights and concerts, people became creative in individual expressionism.

#1 How did locals experience the revolution?

In order to stand up for bread, freedom and social justice, after the revolution’s slogan, millions of people gathered on Tahrir Square in January 2011. Everyone experienced the revolution in his or her way. We witnessed an eclectic cultural memory of the eighteen-day revolution: A woman told us that she joined a sit-in and that peoThrill and Tensions: New Culture, New City ple were camping and singing all day long. An artist, who enriched the protest by singing with her band on stage, explained that Tahrir Let’s face it: It is not easy to book Square at that time was a big party: a flight into a country that has re“People could sign up at the waitcently experienced an attack by the ing list for the stage and perform The diversity of actions within the Islamic State, was the scenario of whatever they wished.” On the other revolution became clear: Starting with violent riots, and now faces an unhand, she admitted that she particidemonstrations on Tahrir Square up to stable political situation. Certainly, pated only twice due to attacks and our fear was involved. However, afgraﬃti, movie nights and concerts, people arrests on the way and because her ter a few month in class, the feeling father would not let her go. Further, became creative in individual when seeing the immense city of the vibe among policemen was fragexpressionism. Cairo while arriving by plane, was ile: An activist witnessed policemen indescribable. The way from the taking off their uniforms because of airport to the hostel was accompatheir fear of the huge mass of pronied on both sides by cultural heritages that could fill entire librar- testers. Additionally, we heard stories about extremely violent street ies. And so, in the crack of the dawn, we arrived at Tahrir Square fights and gender-based violence around Tahrir and saw graffiti that where our hostel was located. When the lovely local tour guide covered killings. Those individual experiences proved again how showed us around in the early morning, we witnessed a city guard- complex the revolution was, involving different people and attitudes. ed by military on every corner, yet peaceful and calm, and we felt happy when locals said “thank you for visiting us”. The neighbor- #2 Which role does violence play in the revolution? hood was as full of architectural miracles of ancient Egypts as of graffiti from the revolution. Even if the excursion focused on the Riots, tear gas, police interventions, abuse of violence amongst prouprisings and the aftermaths, we also had great opportunities to testers and by the state apparatus – the revolution on Tahrir Square see and learn about old Egyptian history, from the Pyramids to the was often mediated as a violent riot. Non-violent approaches such as Gene Sharp’s deny these acts categorically. However, some locals Egyptian Museum. and activists experienced the dynamics in a rather pragmatic way. Theory in Action: Talks in the Field Ahmed*, an academic researcher and activist who has been actively involved in the protests and beyond, explained for example: “The The main goal of the excursion certainly was more scientifically revolution was extremely peaceful from the beginning until 5 pm, the than culturally orientated. Our group consisted of fifteen bachelor state security apparatus has been under siege. The dynamics only led students from different study fields, ranging from political science, to violence when the state security threw Molotovs. Then, it escalated sociology, ethnology, up to media and became aggressive.” We met him and psychology, plus five profesin a safe room at Goethe Institute in sors and PhDs from Innsbruck and Cairo because talking about rebellion Vienna. During meetings and reis still avoided in public. In his words, Experiencing this pluralism, in a flections, we appreciated the mix of the protesters had two possibilities: country the political spectrum thereof is strike back or leave. “Someone had to research fields and knowledge within the group. Different viewpoints stay in the square and people would often underestimated from a European and ways of argumentation as well shoot you down if you didn’t fight.” He perspective, was precious for the as various research objectives led to did not defend violence itself, but “once whole excursion. vivid discussions that covered difit started, it developed its own dynamferent approaches and topics. Yet, ics. It is important to see it in context: since it is impossible to cover all of When there is a reason, it might be lethem in this article, we selected three gitimized, violence for the pursuit of questions which then developed into central themes in our research. joy is senseless.” He made clear that violence – whether conducted or We were impressed to observe how many distinct opinions exist and consciously avoided – played a big role in the revolution. However, the to realize that there is not one, single, universal answer to any ques- sensitive approach consisting in not legitimizing violent acts in any tion. Experiencing this pluralism, in a country the political spectrum way but in condemning them categorically, must be questioned. It was thereof is often underestimated from a European perspective, was impressive for us to realize what role violence plays in a peacefully and precious for the whole excursion. nonviolently planned resistance: its impact cannot be denied. 26 - Many Peaces Magazine #7

Besides the huge solidarity, people undeniably faced sexual abuse on Tahrir Square. Some protesters got violent against women, gender equality was again being questioned in Egypt. “In the revolution, sexual harassment became violent, got its own dynamic and became random,” told Mohammed*, an activist who also created an app for help calls in case of sexual harassment. “Initially, this has been denied to keep negative elements out of the revolution, but then people began to talk about everything. Many groups mobilized against sexual harassment.” In Libya, Noura* experienced that women would become victims of another repression when they stood up against their leaders before men did and protested against laws and repression: They would simply be excluded from the state building process. “In the regime’s eyes, they became a threat for the government. For instance, they initiated a travel ban for women in order to control them.” These examples demonstrate that women take on many roles. On the one hand, they are portrayed as victims of sexual violence; on the other, as active protesters who have a direct impact on the rulers. In our view, though, this cannot be generalized as representing gender equality. Experience for a Lifetime: The Takeaways We spent one evening with a journalist on a Feluka-boat on the Nile. He explained in a rather chilled atmosphere how hopeless he feels about the situation right now: “There is no functional education system, no appropriate medical system. The disparity between military investment and social investment will lead to a collapse.” At that point, we felt troubled and rather frustrated. Well, what about the future of Egypt? The journalist’s answer was: “We need a plan.” Later, we met a politician whose goal is to become the future president of Egypt. He faced us with his agenda which involves investments

in environment, infrastructure and medical care. He was spreading hope and doubt at the same time. Nonetheless, our feelings were mixed and we came back to Innsbruck with tons of input and the awareness that we might never be able to fully understand the political situation. This understanding seems important because it prevents us from judging the situation from one perspective and allows us to realize the inconsistency of a single reality. We could accumulate an immense amount of crucial experiences during the excursion to Egypt. Yet, we feel the need to finish this article by Socrates’ saying: “We know that we know nothing.” * Due to the unstable political situation in Egypt, we allowed ourselves to change the names of people to protect their identities.

CLARA MAIER lives in Innsbruck where she studies Political Science after having completed her studies of Journalism and Communication in Vienna and Aarhus/Denmark. She writes for diverse magazines about political, environmental, and social issues, some of them being an output of her travels. During the excursion to Cairo, she was confronted with and impressed by the field of peace education for the first time. Contact: mail@claramaier.com ELISABETH WILGERMEIN lives in Innsbruck where she studies Political Science and Sociology. She has worked in various sport and culture educational fields and, in the summer 2017, she organized a social circus project with refugees. The excursion to Cairo deepened her interest and understanding of an Arab culture, a knowledge that is very precious in her activities. Contact: elisabeth.wilgermein@student.uibk.ac.at

#3 How did gender equality become an issue in the revolution?

Elicitive Peace Workers - 27

Will to Normality In a chaotic and frequently violent world, people in Cairo still seem to feel safe. They visit tea houses, go for walks and families enjoy Ramadan evenings in the park. At this sight one forgets the arbitrariness Egyptians face every day. Picture taken at the Al-Azhar Park in Cairo by Sezan Eyrich.

Global Perspectives Historically, many international conflicts have been fought on Egyptian soil. After World War II, this cemetery at Al Alamein was built in memory of the fallen soldiers of the British Commonwealth, who had defeated Nazi-forces in one of the decisive battles of the war. For the Bedouins living around Al Alamein the horror of war is not yet over: since 1942 landmines have caused more than 8000 casualties. Picture taken at the El-Alamein Commonwealth Cemetery by Julian Mandler.

Self-Reflection â&#x20AC;&#x153;We failed ourselvesâ&#x20AC;?, sighs a disappointed activist. After the failed revolution societal conflicts have intensified. This has an impact on both the elderly for having paid high costs without experiencing any improvement, and the younger generation for having to face a weak state that is unable or unwilling to protect them. Picture taken in Cairo by Sezan Eyrich.

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Great Expectations – Great Frustration Young people all around the world followed the Arab Spring. The atmosphere was filled with great expectations for a better future in the region. “Egyptian people believed they can achieve anything – this point has passed;” an NGO worker claims “People are exhausted and disappointed.” Picture taken at a hostel in Cairo by Sezan Eyrich.

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ÂŠ Veronika Lex

RUTH COHN THEME CENTRED INTERACTION AS A RESPONSE TO WAR BY VERONIKA LEX

or me Ruth Cohn was the very first opening to humanistic Psychology. Her way of dealing with conflicts and groups in general was something new for me. She caught my attention in the very beginning with her exciting dimension of, often subdued, statements about the system and the world we are living in. She was a woman with a vision of changing the community and the way of living together. This vision went far beyond families, with her idea of even a change of the state. 30 - Many Peaces Magazine #7

Ruth Cohn was born into a Jewish-German family in 1912. During her life, she witnessed and survived both World Wars. As the situation worsened she first emigrated to Switzerland in 1933 and later to the United States. She returned to Switzerland in 1974 and finally to Germany in 2002 where she remained until her death in 2010. As a survivor of World War II, Cohn developed a vision that could be described as a radical approach to democracy. She wanted every individual to be seen and to be heard. However, in times of authoritarianism, there was no option of putting this out on a broad societal level, so she focused on small groups and families with the idea that change within many small groups may foster change at the state level as well. In the 1950s she started to work with Theme Centred Interaction (TCI). Roots of TCI On the East Coast of the United States in the American Academy of Psychotherapists (AAP) Cohn got to know colleagues with a very similar mindset of searching for new ways towards a holistic approach to psychology. Some of the colleagues Cohn met are well known figures in the fields of Peace Education and Peace Research,

such as Virigina Satir (Family Therapy), Marschall Rosenberg (Non-Violent Communication) and Carl Rogers (Client Centered Psychotherapy). All of them provided significant inspiration for her, searching together for a new way of living Psychotherapy and a new way of communicating with each other. Certainly, besides those personal influences, Cohn’s decision to pursue her studies in psychotherapy was largely impacted by the experience of two world wars, which influenced her to pursue her passion studying psychotherapy. This ultimately helped her find and formulate her new and own idea of changing the system that had shaped her. Furthermore, Ruth Cohn was trying to connect humanistic psychology with her own spiritual experience, when outlining the principles of TCI. She searched for something that is more holistic than what she had experienced so far. For a long time she did not know what will emerge but all that time she trusted that something will guide her. Certainly this is expressed in the emphasis she gives on trusting the process. Hence Ruth Cohn describes her path to TCI quite often with a strong spiritual component and with the desire towards a larger whole. Core of TCI TCI is based on the so-called 4-Factors Model, consisting of the “I”, the individual, the “We”, which is the the group in a given context, the “Theme”, which is the topic that brings a group together, as well as the “Globe”, which is the world that contains a group process. For Cohn it is paramount to give equal magnitude to all four dimensions of the triangle, when analyzing group processes. Cohn has also formulated two postulates: “Disturbances take priority”, and, “Be your own chairperson” Whenever there is a disturbance in a group process, from either one of the four dimensions of a group process, Cohn suggests that one has to adjust a group process accordingly in order to address the issue at stake, rather than continuing the process in a linear fashion. This principle is expressed through the other

Within her idea, that there are always and everywhere humans interacting with each other and sharing the same personal and spiritual base, she is connecting humanistic psychology with her own spiritual experience. In her book Von der Psycholanalyse zur Themenzentrierten Interaktion Cohn gives an example of this: “I believe that the mind theories of the 20th century which exclude sub-

Whenever there is a disturbance in a group process, from either one of the four dimensions of a group process, Cohn suggests that one has to adjust a group process accordingly in order to address the issue at stake

jectivity and transcendence to the universe, were pseudo science because they declare unproved possibilities as impossible: for example the possibilities for transcendental experience, even though these experiences where common sense in the past.” This quote reminds us of one of the central concerns of transrational peace philosophy and elicitve conflict transformation, as introduced by Wolfgang Dietrich 30 years after Cohn: to be conscious about the unknown and the uncertain and to take transcendental layers of our existence into epistemological academic consideration – against the strictly Cartesian tradition of modern science. From a transrational perspective it is very important to keep this in mind and not to narrow focus to the merely rational dimensions of knowledge, which would exclude parts that might be of huge impact for peace building and the transformation of conflicts, as peaces, as a plural concept, do not have one common meaning but are always understood as a subjective interpretation of a relational and transrational reality. Further Reading

As a survivor of World War II, Cohn developed a vision that could be described as a radical approach to democracy.

postulate, which suggests that each person in a group should be his or her own “chairperson”, namely to speak out for oneself, rather than waiting for somebody else to address a disturbance for him or her. This postulate can also be seen as an expression of Cohn’s radical approach to democracy, stressing on the responsibility and agency of a person in each and every situation. At the time, this principle was also Cohn’s revolutionary response to a societal context shaped by war and fear.

Cohn R. (1975): Von der Psychoanalyse zur Themenzentrierten Interaktion, Klett-Cotta, Stuttgart. Cohn R. / Farau F. (1984): Gelebte Geschichte der Psychotherapie, zwei Perspektiven, Klett-Cotta, Stuttgart. Schneider-Landolf, M. et al. (2010): Handbuch der Themenzentrierten Interaktion, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen.

VERONIKA LEX was born and raised in Germany and for the past ten years has been living predominantly in Austria. During her Peace studies, she spent one term in Costa Rica at UPEACE in the MA studies “Peace Education”. She was part of the organizing team for the IIPE Conference 2017 in Innsbruck. She is currently working for the Red Cross organisation “Yo!vita” in Austria and recently she started a new project for handcrafted Peace Studies merchandise bags. Contact: veronika.lex@gmx.at

Peace Thinkers - 31

BEYOND THE EPISODE TRANSFORMATIVE APPROACHES TO CONFLICTS IN SCHOOLS. AN INTERVIEW WITH THE URUGUAYAN PEACE WORKER RODRIGO AYARZA BY ALEXA CUELLO | PHOTOS BY MARCELO CASACUBERTA

Rodrigo Ayarza started working at the beginning of the nineteen-nineties as a social educator with poor communities in the outskirts of Montevideo. “In those spaces, there were always difficult situations of human rights violations and conflicts popping up, so the question of how to tackle those situations with different methods eventually led me to study peace education.” That search took him to pilgrim to Spain, Sweden, Peru, Israel and the USA, amongst other places, collecting experiences and approaches as well as diving deeper in the realm of peace and conflict transformation. Rodrigo’s main field of work currently is the education system and its multiple conflicts. For the last twenty years, Uruguay has witnessed huge changes in terms of the violence experienced by children and adolescents, specifically in middle-high schools according to a study published by Nilia Viscardi et al in 2015, titled “De la violencia a la participación y la convivencia: acerca de la constitución política de los adolescentes como sujetos de derechos en las instituciones educativas del estado”. The idea of the adolescent as

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being violent and representing a source of school conflicts has been normalized. Following Viscardi’s study, the institutional responses have therefore focused on restoring the security, applying sanctions, hiring more police officers in the schools and more psychologists and psychiatrists, thus medicalising the answer to conflicts. According to Rodrigo, “in Uruguay, a violent episode occurs in a school and the analysis only revolves around the episode. But there is a great difficulty to see beyond that and to take into account everything that happened before and contributed to the episode. If a student throws a stone and breaks a window glass in the school, the school authorities rarely take the time to think of the circumstances and actors that influenced the decision of the student to react that way. Sometimes, it is due to a lack of tools and training. Other times, the reason is a lack of time and the pressure to show up with a “solution”. Time is certainly a relevant factor in how conflicts within schools are tackled. People tend to react, to do something, anything, instead of first stop, take a moment to sit down and analyse the context and what has just happened.” Rodrigo proposes another way to do conflict work in schools. “The idea is to always give room and time to analyse the episode, to em-

People tend to react, to do something, anything, instead of first stop, take a moment to sit down and analyse the context and what has just happened.

pathise with the different perspectives to arose, to promote creativity and dialogue, so as to transform the situation.”

All photos: © Marcelo Casacuberta

“The levels of polarisation are high, the points of view are radical in that sense: everything is white or black, everything that the “other” does is wrong; ergo, any proposal coming from the other side is discredited and discharged. So, part of my work - inspired by Lederach - is always to analyse all the actors involved in the situation, to identify credible actors in each “side” with the capacity to dialogue with the “others”. In Uruguay, we always look for the wrongdoer. Something happens and people look for someone to blame right away. And then, they look for a sanction to apply to that wrongdoer. Whether the conflict is amongst students themselves or between students and professors, or even between professors and parents, people try to, first of all, identify someone to blame and then find a “solution” in the form of a sanction. The guilty one is sanctioned and punished and, that way, the conflict is solved.” “I do not want to be unfair, for there are some exceptions to that. There are indeed teachers who, despite their not having the formal knowledge, intuitively do interesting things because they are engaged with trying to move away from the pattern “wrongdoMany Peaces Interviews - 33

er-sanction”. But also, the problem is that those teachers are some- with a small group of students who come up with ideas about what how isolated in their efforts. The institutions where they work do kind of conflict they want to act out and we help them to set up the not take their ideas forward. Somehow, the institutional culture play. The key is to represent something common and well-known within the education system expects that teachers limit themselves to them. Once, for example, the students of a middle-high school to teach their subject. So, what is missing for me is a space within decided to stage a physical fight between two students during the the institutions to really engage and systematically work on the break, something very common in that school. The “actors” (a group different conflicts. We need to give ourselves the time and space of students and teachers) were the only ones who were aware that the to work on the conflicts, we need fight was a play. So, the break startdifferent actors to articulate those ed, everyone was in the school yard spaces of reflection in schools and, and suddenly a fight started between We need to give ourselves the time mostly, we need to spread the vision two female students. After a while, that those spaces are useful and other student-actors surrounded the and space to work on the conflicts, highly needed.” two girls and harangued them (as we need different actors to articulate they usually would do). More stuthose spaces of reflection in schools “Usually, we work with the different dents came close to the circle to witparties: teachers, authorities and stuness the scene, others kept distant, and, mostly, we need to spread the dents especially. But, at some point, until two teacher-actors separated vision that those spaces are useful we bring all the parties together, for the two girls by taking them into and highly needed. eventually that is key in the process separate rooms for them to calm to transform things. We promote down and wait for their sanctions. many instances of dialogue between The break ended and everyone went the adults and the youth, putting back to their classrooms. Then, acaside the syllabus for a while, focusing on listening to the many per- tors and facilitators split and went class by class to discuss what had spectives and dialoguing. And so, perhaps one day a week, they do just happened, analyse the students’ and teachers’ different attitudes not evaluate the performance on maths or history, but instead en- and behaviours, and open a dialogue about other possible ways to gage in analysing how their week was in terms of active listening, of approach a similar situation in the future. The whole institution engagement with the group, of solidarity and teamwork.” participated in the debate and was given an opportunity to engage, interact and think about different ways to do things” “We also promote the use of different artistic expressions like theatre and photography. Invisible theatre is a technique we use quite often. The approach varies from school to school and, according to RodriThat is, after working for some weeks on identifying different actors go’s experience, there is no recipe. The key is to listen to the parties, to promote reflection and dialogue, we set up a secret play. We work analyse their discourses, perspectives, positions, and then try out

34 - Many Peaces Magazine #7

what could get more resonance amongst them. “In another middle-high school, I worked with a photographer and proposed a photo debate with the students. There, tensions existed amongst the different groups, which would eventually lead to situations of physical aggression. The school was located in one of the poorest neighbourhoods of Montevideo and these students experienced many deprivations in their daily lives. When we started talking to them, we realised that behind the aggressions and tensions there were topics of distrust and fear. Fear of losing resources, people they trust, the space they had in the school, etc. We held a series of workshops with them and offered them to make a photo story to reflect upon all the topics we had discussed and analysed together. Some of them chose to make a series of photos in the main stairs of the school where students from the different groups often meet and where tensions arose. As you can see in the pictures, the tensions are represented by a cord that is being pulled by the two groups.”

RODRIGO AYARZA is an Uruguayan peace worker. He holds a postgraduate degree in Peace Culture and Conflict Transformation from the Autonomous University of Barcelona and a master’s degree in Education Policies from CLAEH, Uruguay. He works with adults and children in conflict transformation and peace education across the country. He also is the author of several publications on peace education. Contact: roayarza@yahoo.com ALEXA CUELLO MIEDZYBRODZKI is a child rights consultant focused on Latin America and currently working for SOS Children’s Villages International. She is also a board member of TIGRA, a Tirolean NGO committed to challenge everyday racism and discrimination in the society. Alexa has studied at the universities of Innsbruck, Jaume I Castellón and de la República in Montevideo. She holds a BA in Political Science and an MA in Peace Development, Security and International Conflict Transformation. Contact: alexacuello@gmail.com

“Other group discussed the feelings of loneliness, emptiness and confusion after an aggression. In reference to it, they started facing a big wall. The sequence of photos ended up as an invitation to see beyond that wall: Who are those on the other side? The photo debate was a fruitful opportunity to listen and reflect on the different perspectives, to name the conflict with words, to develop many narratives thereof, to look at the “other” and to even allow oneself to see the many commonalities (or similarities) that exist with those “others”. Lederach talks about sowing seeds; and that is what we have done. We sowed the seed. Then, a certain time is needed to see the sprouts. It is a long-term kind of work which requires patience and perseverance.”

web: www.rodrigoayarza.com

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ACTIVISM OF INSIGHTS A CONVERSATION WITH DAVID DIAMOND BY OLIVER RIZZI CARLSON AND LUIZA DE S. OLIVEIRA As we talk, we realize that Innsbruck is only the most recent stop on a wonderful journey David has been on. “I’ve been very lucky,” he says. “I discovered theatre. Fell into it, really. From the time I was a very small child, I’ve also recognized that things just aren’t fair; and that turned into a real interest in human rights. So I get to combine these two things that I love: the theatre and human rights.”

e’re at the end of an intense three weeks for David: one week of teaching at the Innsbruck peace studies program, one week at the International Institute on Peace Education, one week in a workshop on Rainbow of Desire and Cops in the Head. Next, he is headed to Spain to do a week-long training. We’re all tired, but we decide Chinese food might help us talk about Theatre for Living and peace education on this last night in Innsbruck. 36 - Many Peaces Magazine #7

Does David see his theatre work as a form of activism? “Oh, absolutely. And what an amazing place to land.” David is as surprised as we are about how things have happened for him. “It’s never been about building a career,” he says. Instead, one thing led to the next, quite naturally, to make him a facilitator of insights. First, there is his childhood: “I grew up in an environment where I needed to be really alert, or you got hit, you got yelled at - all kinds

of things could happen.” That made David an excellent observer. A few years after co-founding Headlines Theatre (now called Theatre for Living) with some friends, this quality also made him probe further into the possibilities of his theatre work and search for ways to do it “with” people, not “at” them. Picking up a book one day, David learned about Paulo Freire, whose pedagogy happens to be foundational to peace education as well as to Augusto Boal’s work. That led him to Theatre of the Oppressed and to eventually become a close friend of Boal’s. “And then there are my encounters with Indigenous communities in Canada. They really challenged me to adapt the [Theatre of the Oppressed] model so that it didn’t demonize or criminalize people in their community who were doing hurtful things, as a result of colonialism and residential school. There was a desire for a project on family violence issues in which rather than an abuser being portrayed as a ‘monster who needed to be locked up’ we would recognize the character’s humanity; a person who needed healing, in a family that needed healing, in a community that needed healing. Families were already hurting enough without being shattered by a mechanical, and Eurocentric, Canadian justice system. That really challenged my own images of my childhood and the way my politics functioned - but the people making the request of me were right.”

Peace work is community health work. They’re the same work.

David’s longtime interest in physics led him to a similar place. “As a child, I was going to the library and I was devouring very basic books on physics. Then, later in life, a dear friend clued me into Fritjof Capra. My insights into the terrible results of reductionism and the invitation from Indigenous communities - these are connected insights. And so these things made sense to me from two different directions. I’ve been really lucky.” David’s humility and gratitude are combined with his determination to pursue his interests. Listening deeply, and having respect for and being responsive to the feedback he was getting, his work evolved very naturally. And thus it seems it was the qualities of a peace educator that helped make his work what it is today.

All photos: © Paul Lauer

But does David ever think of his work as some sort of peace education? “Well, I didn’t until I got an email from Wolfgang Dietrich, who said, ‘Do you want to come and teach at the faculty?’” David then tells us a story that helps us understand how he sees his work’s relationship to peacework. “Years ago, I got an email from a woman from the [Indigenous] Passamaquoddy Nation on the East Coast of Canada and the US. Many Peaces Interviews - 37

She wanted to do a project on language loss and reclamation, because Passamaquoddy was disappearing. We talked for a couple of hours on the phone. At the end of it, I said, ‘You know, I think what you’re talking about [is] a community health issue. She said, ‘That’s exactly what’s happening.’ And I think this is the same thing - that peace work is community health work. They’re the same work.” In fact, health seems to be the image David refers to time and time again to focus the intention of his work. A healthy relationship to the issue, or to ourselves and one another in the context of that issue, always seems to be the objective. And health makes sense as a paradigm if you look at everything as part of an interconnected organism. Also, because “health” is subjective, this leads to dialogues inside the work about what “health” really means to us - whether it is at the expense of others, for instance. In his work with healthcare professionals at the University of Alberta at Edmonton, Canada, David says that the change he hopes to contribute to by working there is to have “healthier medical professionals, because they’re in a healthier learning environment.” So, what is the kind of learning that David hopes that would make for healthier professionals? “You know what’s happening? They’re seeing each other as human beings - ‘cause they’re in a[n] [otherwise] hugely mechanized system.” David tells us a story of a workshop with medical interns, where an image of trauma came up. That spurred one young woman to tell the others how she dealt with that, which was by locking herself in the broom closet to “fall apart and get [her]self back together.” Everyone then realized, “it’s not just me.” And this led to monthly meetings about trauma. In his workshops, David brings out the human issues that need to be addressed, so that people can see how common and important they are, and can find ways to create healthier environments and relationships. For David, change comes from “having the courage to engage in a process that doesn’t have a goal - a specific, pre-determined solution. Because if you’ve got a specific goal, insight is really hard.” One might say that the goal is humanizing people, and letting the insights generate ideas on creating healthier relationships and environments. For David, it is important not to be educative or instructional but to have regard to the fact that people have knowledge and experience to share. We thus ask him how it has been for him to be teaching Theatre for Living as a methodology at the Innsbruck Peace Studies program. “You know, I think there’s a difference between me trying to teach people a technique - so I need to be educative to give them the technique - and in the doing of that help[ing] them understand not to be educative in practicing the technique.” All photos: © Paul Lauer

While navigating that paradox may be a challenge, David is very good at modeling the way a Joker or facilitator needs to be. What are the qualities a Joker needs to embody in order to facilitate learning and insight into the complexity of life? “Well, I think there are things that I consciously model. Vulnerability, for instance. When I say I don’t ask people to do stuff I’m not prepared to do, I mean it. Being present. That is sometimes really hard work, but 38 - Many Peaces Magazine #7

Graphics: © Lana Lauren

being… present. Keeping track of the time is an important job, so that you [respect people’s time] and the day has a beginning and a middle and an end. Vulnerability, time, being present - [and] being present contains seeing and hearing. I think you [also] need to understand that you get answers to the questions you ask. And so you frame your questions carefully, because they’re going to generate answers.” Essentially, David is talking about paying attention and respecting people’s needs. And sometimes respect for someone’s learning comes in the form of gently “poking” them, as David says, which means throwing people off balance so that then, in the process of getting back to an equilibrium, they go through a transformation, a learning process. We are used to equating teaching with guiding, but in peace education and in Theatre for Living, the Joker or facilitator is sometimes better seen as a provocateur of sorts, stirring up insights. David reminds us that Boal used to say, “Don’t be a facilitator, be a difficultator.” How does one do that? As David puts it, “This is about being observant, and listening to what people are saying and reading their faces, and seeing all of it as theatre. This is something Boal used to talk about a lot - realizing that, in a way, everything around us is theatre. And that makes it possible to analyse it in a different way.” Being a Joker in Theatre for Living, or a peace educator, one needs to be first and foremost an observer, a listener. That means having regard and respect for what is happening, for others, for elements unknown to us. And that is a skill. Perhaps “peace education” is not a term David would use to describe his own work. But a keen sense of observation and a keen sense of justice combined to create theatre that awakens us and what he calls “living communities,” giving us that same awareness in life. David’s on a journey, one of creating insight, making human dynamics, trauma, needs and intentions - and the potential for transformation - visible. Couldn’t we call this peace education on a stage?

DAVID DIAMOND co-founded “Theatre for Living” (formerly known as Headlines Theatre) and lives in Vancouver (Canada). In the last 36 years David has directed large and small Theatre for Living projects and trainings across Canada, the US, Australia, New Zealand, Namibia, Rwanda, Singapore, India and in many parts of Europe. He has received numerous cultural and human rights awards. His award-winning book Theatre for Living: the art and science of community-based dialogue is available in English and German from online sellers and is coming soon in Spanish. OLIVER RIZZI CARLSON is a peace educator from Italy, Switzerland and the United States. His work has included international advocacy around the culture of peace and workshops and programs with youth, with special emphasis on Restorative Circles and Theatre for Living. Oliver is now working on a Center for Informal Peace Learning. Contact: oloverc@gmail.com

LUIZA DE S. OLIVEIRA is originally from Brazil and has been living in Geneva for the past 6 years. Luiza has been weaving her many passions and professional backgrounds together, including medicine, peace education and cooking through a permaculture lens, with the objective of collaborating in the creation of a regenerative culture. Contact: luiza.s.oliveira@gmail.com

Thanks to “Haus der Begegnung” for supporting this Volume. With friendly support of the Unesco Chair for Peace Studies they proudly present the following training: Konflikte transformieren und sich dabei weiterentwickeln – Lehrgang für ganzheitliche Konflikttransformation 23rd of February 2018 - 23rd of June 2018. The training will be in german. web: www.hausderbegegnung.com contact: hdb.kurse@dibk.at

Many Peaces Interviews - 39

40 - Many Peaces Magazine #7

Empty Sights #2 Well realised tourism that enables i.e. encounters between locals and foreigners can operate as a peace platform. A lively exchange of moral concepts can take place, a secure income is likely, and mutual learning possible. It is one of Egyptâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great chances to overcome economic depression and social grievances. Picture taken near El-Alamein by Julian Mandler.

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ALL IS WELCOME HERE PEACE EDUCATION AND THE INNSBRUCK SCHOOL OF PEACE STUDIES BY WOLFGANG DIETRICH

hen we hear the term peace education most of us spontaneously think of children and schools. How shall the next generation be best prepared for the non-violent transformation of the conflicts we predict and expect in their future? From the Innsbruck School of Peace Studies’ epistemological standpoint this goal raises two questions: a) When do conflicts happen? b) Whose conflict? Whose peace? 42 – Many Peaces Magazine #7

When do conflicts happen? Everybody who studies in Innsbruck steps from the very beginning into the power of now, as our anthem All is Welcome Here literally says. That is, conflicts never happen in the future. They always and necessarily happen now. If not, they are not conflicts but rather memories or stories about the past or projections, that is, fantasies about a feared or desired, but not yet real future. Memories and projections can cause conflicts in the here and now, because they disconnect us from our actual environment and hamper our current relations. They stand between us and our reality. But they are not the very conflict. If we agree on that, it follows that peace education can only mean the private or institutional frame that the older generation creates for the younger one. It is not about the conflicts that our children may have in an imagined future but it is all about their current conflicts. Being a child means carving one’s primordial matrix and one’s basic patterns of perception and behavior. A child does not make experiences. Experiences gradually make the person that began life as a child, an adult member of family, community and society. How the child transforms a – childish and therefore very serious and important - conflict, how the child balances an unstable situation, how

the child harmonizes a dysfunctional relation becomes part of the didactics. Thus, we could not restrict ourselves to preaching the ideprimordial matrix, the set of deep and later hardly revisable belief al of the peace educator as a provider to our students. We had to sentences of the adult being. Beliefs are not realities but they cre- invent and hence elevate the same to didactical praxis for the Uniate realities. That is why peace educators are important actors and versity’s Master’s program, because there was hardly a blueprint to factors in any given society. As such they are not certified experts be found. The history of the Innsbruck School is to a certain extend who go to schools and teach the children their own peace, but con- also an applied research for peace education and respective didacstantly available providers of the frame that allows the children in tics on the highest academic level. I do not call it a laboratory beeach moment of their young life to cause respecting students does not test, challenge and modify their relaallow experiments with them. Still tions, conflicts and beliefs construcit is necessarily a learning by doing tively. The expert is not the one who endeavor. Also we, the distinguished knows how peace works and how faculty, are not making experiencThe experiences taught us it has to be made in the future but es but we are made by experiences. the holistic lesson that professors, the one who is wise, skilled, strong Yes, this program was lucky when it peace educators at a university, are and patient enough for constantly attracted academics of quality and re-modeling the required frame. commitment. This allowed us to take but providers of providers the one or the other chance, to exof providers. Whose conflict? Whose peace? plore, to stand the frustration of failure and to celebrate achievements From that follows that a peace edtogether. The experiences taught us ucator is not somebody who trains the holistic lesson that professors, young brains in making peace. Peace peace educators at a university, are is not an objective status “out there”. Individual, familial, communal, but providers of providers of providers. We incorporated the edusocietal and global conflicts cannot be resolved mechanically and cational principle that humans of any age learn in the sequence of mathematically. Peace unveils itself only relationally to a perceiving subject. Therefore even the wisest peace educator cannot transfer 1) understanding contents intellectually; the peace of his mind prescriptively to the one of a student. Peace 2) testing them on the safe ground that has education begins with the educator who first has to learn how, when, to be provided by the program; where and why peace is there for him or herself. Then the educator 3) evaluating and facilitating the learners’ incorporation has to understand that this peace is not what future students have to of what they consider relevant for their further life. learn. It is only that the educator generates from this personal peace perspective the energy that allows him or her to be the provider for Learning then, is not only a matter of the mind but of the whole the future students’ own enquiry into what their peaces might be. person, which includes the physical, sexual, emotional, mental and The Latin word e-ducare means eliciting what is already ingrained in spiritual layers. Peace education further has to regard the familial, the learner, not giving, transferring or imposing on the other what communal, societal and policital context, because the learning exone has learned before. perience of an individual member always changes the whole social system. That raises a lot of ethical regards for the provider. All of that hopefully sounds familiar to those who have studied in This is in a nutshell the didactical meaning of Elicitive Conflict Innsbruck. It is not an exclusive property of our school. It can be Transformation. We do not simply teach our students cognitively found in half a century old textbooks of philosophy, sociology, psy- the methods and means of this art and science. We try to live it in chology, neuro-science and education. Yet, it is still far from aca- the classroom, in the training field and in our personal and profesdemic mainstream. Against all evidence modern educators and their sional relations. If you don’t know anyway, if you do not believe, if programs mostly aim to make young academics fit for the challenges you want to come and check for yourself – you are always welcome of a future that they imagine and promise as progressive and com- here! petitive. Didactically this calls for educators as givers, not as providers. This may have changed a bit nowadays if it comes to Kindergarten and primary schools. However, most universities still today understand themselves as treasure chambers of knowledge and research laboratories for adults. Hence they have never been too concerned about changing didactics. It utmost seems that positivistic WOLFGANG DIETRICH is head of the Unit for Peace sciences’ obsession of finding, knowing and guarding the objective and Conflict Studies at the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Innsbruck/Austria. He holds the truth results in a distinct neglect of didactical virtue. The Innsbruck School of Peace Studies started Transrational Peace Philosophy and Elicitive Conflict Transformation 16 years ago from the then latest insights and methods of postmodern philosophy, humanistic psychology, sociological system theory and the respective

UNESCO Chair for Peace Studies and is director of the MA Program for Peace, Development, Security and International Conflict Transformation at the same University. He is member of the Austrian UNESCO Commission. Contact: wolfgang.dietrich@uibk.ac.at

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RESTRICTIONS AS RESOURCES FACILITATION FROM AN EXPRESSIVE ARTS PERSPECTIVE BY AYLIN VARTANYAN DILAVER

he Mystery of Picasso, a remarkable 1956 documentary made by the French director Henri-Georges Clouzot, traces painter Pablo Picasso’s creative process filmed from the back of the canvas using a certain lighting technique. The most curious aspect of this documentary is witnessing Picasso’s intuitive moves on canvas while he effortlessly changes the images from say, a bunch of flowers to a fish, and from a fish to a rooster. His dance on canvas does not involve any cognitive work; he trusts that his pen will find the best form. While painting, he has only one canvas, one pen, and some painting material. Picasso works within this restricted setting and brings unique images to surface, demonstrating how limitations foster creativity. Holding the Unknown Through Expressive Arts The work of facilitators working in the area of conflict transformation through the arts is similar to the work of an artist. When facilitators enter a community they find themselves doing research on the spot: listening to the stories of the participants, tuning in with the art works emerging and intervening when necessary to enlarge the Spielraum, the space of play and art making. Improvising in the

44 – Many Peaces Magazine #7

workshop space goes hand in hand with doing research. Similar to Picasso’s process, they may start with one interactive play in the workshop space but they might not really know where this play would lead to or how the artworks that will emerge will touch the participants. The research is always alive and present throughout the workshop. Trusting the liminal space as artists do in the process of surfacing their works may similarly allow facilitators to see restrictions and surprise elements that they face as resources in the process of transforming conflicts. My exposure to the field of Expressive Arts (EXA) and Social Change during my doctoral studies at the European Graduate School’s Arts, Health and Society Division, allowed me to be immersed intensively in a phenomenological learning environment through experiential learning and intermodal art making. This immersion helped me practice how to leave preconceived ideas about the community I am working with aside and embrace restrictions within the community as a resource. A community experiencing conflict is in a frozen state, lacking possibilities in their lives. Introducing the world of art making or Poiesis, which constitutes the philosophy of EXA, allows individuals within a community to shape their world through giving shape to an artwork. In other words, the transformative quality of art making is very much related to how the artwork that emerged touches the psyche of the artist-participants. Once participants experience that Aha moment after encountering their artworks, the process of transformation slowly begins. In August 2017, the International Institute on Peace Education (IIPE) invited peace educators from all over the world to a conference on the topic of Aesthetic Peaces, organized by the University of Innsbruck’s Unit for Peace and Conflict Studies in collaboration with Cambridge University. The conference focused on the role of affective and embodied learning and the arts in formal and non-formal educational contexts. IIPE’s philosophy on education is based on Paulo Freire and Betty Reardon’s approaches on critical pedagogy and peace education. Both thinkers believe in the participatory learning methodology, in which educators are learners allowing a constant flow of sharing, listening, reflecting between learners and educators. The role of the arts in peace education has always been central as the space of art making embraces a non-hierarchical learning space allowing the participants to reach their own truths in the learning space.

I never made a painting as a work of art. It’s all research. Pablo Picasso

All photos: © Eva B. Nagy

To encourage conference participants to experience a collaborative “edu-learning” experience, the organizers brought facilitators from different parts of the world together based on their area of work and invited them to organize a workshop together. I first met my co-facilitators Lorna Zamora and Allison Paul online. We had not known each other before. Before our arrival in Innsbruck, all we knew about each other’s work was our shared involvement with women and memory in different contexts. Lorna did some dance workshops with women in Mexico who have been exposed to violence and had traumatic memories. Allison was using collage, painting and poetry to work through her own challenges in her family memory. She has been also working with youth in disadvantaged communities in Ohio. I have been working with Peace and Conflict Studies Research - 45

Armenian women from Istanbul, who have been exposed to intergenerational transfer of traumatic memories in their families. My modalities were photography and storytelling. The first thing we could decide upon was the title of our workshop: “Addressing Issues of Memory and Identity Through Expressive Arts”.

soft-spoken voice, she asked them to slowly leave this state behind with the leading power of a body part that freed them from the state of being “stuck”. Aesthetic response is the fourth step of the session. At this stage, participants were expected to respond to their flowing dance through a new aesthetic modality: drawing. They were asked to transfer the flowing dance by using Our role as guides in the work of crayons in both hands on a paper while the same music was playing conflict transformation is not about in the background. Allison invited bringing solutions to conflicts but the group gently into the modality guide communities through their of drawing followed by ephemeral poetry writing. challenges as they find

Our first face-to-face meeting happened on our first night at Grillhof Center in Innsbruck, the base for Innsbruck University’s MA Program in Peace, Development, Security and International Conflict Transformation. The moment we saw the large and beautiful room that was assigned for our worktheir own truth. shop, we knew how we wanted to Harvesting, the last step of the sesorganize our workshop. We had sion is meant to slowly bring the 90 minutes to share our work; a participants back to the habitual restriction, which certainly helped world. All participants shared their us to be more creative about findprocess of intermodal art making ing a way to infuse almost all the art modalities we were interest- in three reflection groups facilitated by each of us. The workshop ed in and to invite the participants to have a profound experience ended with each participant sharing a poetic line based on their through the arts. painting with their group. The last poetic line shared is a crystallized form of the workshop experience, which can be carried back The Architecture of a Workshop: Playing with Restrictions to the habitual life. To frame our workshop and give voice to each facilitator, we followed the architecture of an EXA session, which creates a holding frame for the facilitators but allows them to improvise within the workshop space based on the needs of the participants. Research and improvisation go hand in hand in this process. The facilitators are tuned in with the participants’ process of working through their challenges through art making and may intervene when necessary to increase the range of play and arts. The architecture of a session starts with a sharing circle. This opening is the first step when facilitators and participants meet and share their motivation to be in that workshop. Decentering from the habitual world, which is also called bridge to art making is the second step in this model. This is when participants slowly enter a liminal space with possibilities. In our workshop I invited the participants onto the stage, the sacred and playful space of art making, temenos, with evocative music. The participants started to open up their bodies, their senses and slowly they got tuned into the space, synched in with other participants after sharing salutations as they freely danced and looked each other in the eyes. Poiesis or art making is the third step in which participants are invited to enter an alternative world experience. The idea in this part of the workshop was to invite the participants to recall a memory related to a layer of their identity that was challenged. With a new music score playing in the background, Lorna guided the participants to lie down on the floor firmly as a way of recreating that frozen state and listening to their bodies in that state. With her 46 – Many Peaces Magazine #7

Like Picasso The art-analogue approach in facilitation makes us aware of the limitations we are faced with in our habitual lives and prepares us to receive the unexpected, like Picasso does throughout his painting process. The holding workshop frame suggested in the EXA approach helps facilitators to gently create a safe space for the participants and allow them to go through their own process of searching and finding. I find the words of poet and EXA practitioner Elizabeth Gordon McKim very valuable in this context: “we all need an agile guide to cross a fragile bridge”. Our role as guides in the work of conflict transformation is not about bringing solutions to conflicts but guide communities through their challenges as they find their own truth.

book: Levine, Stephen K. / Levine, Ellen G. (Ed.) (2011): Art in Action: Expressive Arts Therapy and Social Change, Jessica Kingsley Publishers video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=JU9oaD0e7uU

AYLIN VARTANYAN DILAVER holds an MA in German Literature from Columbia University and is working towards her PhD in Expressive Arts at European Graduate School. She is a lecturer at Bogazici University, Istanbul . She is the assistant director of the Peace Education Center at the same university where she organizes conferences, develops curricula and facilitates workshops on conflict transformation from an expressive arts perspective. Contact: aylinvartanyan@gmail.com

The Female Revolution The revolutionary process, carried by women and men alike, was accompanied by high hopes for gender equality and an improvement of women’s rights. Those were dashed by the reality of the newly written, male-dominated constitution of 2012. It’s history not herstory. Picture taken near The American University of Cairo by Sezan Eyrich.

The Backyard The current socio-economic situation in Egypt is severe. Most resistance is carried out by civilians who need to choose their battles wisely in order to escape the repressive state. However, according to a young Egyptian woman, “the more people have nothing to lose, the more they will go out on the streets.” Picture taken at a hostel in Cairo by Julian Mandler.

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ELICITIVE EDUCATION PEACE EDUCATION AND THE ELICITATION OF MEANINGFULNESS BY LUÍS BRAVO

y mother was a primary school teacher in a slum area within the Northern District of the city of São Paulo, Brazil in a neighborhood named Vila Dionísia, which means, “Dionysus Village” in English. She made sure not to sugarcoat the difficult conditions she worked under, as she talked about the precarious educational infrastructure and the impoverished and violent social reality in which her students came from. Nevertheless, I have always felt her referring to her teaching times very light-heartedly. Graduated with a degree in the arts, she promoted her pedagogical efforts in playful and innovative ways. Drawing, role-playing, storytelling and clowning, were some of the tools she used. The loving manner by which she facilitated these activities, where she made sure to express her affection; elicited, as she recalls it, creativity and gratefulness in her students who had experienced various forms of violence. 48 – Many Peaces Magazine #7

To educate is to guide students on an inner journey toward more truthful ways of seeing and being in the world. Parker Palmer Non ducor duco, a Latin aphorism on the insignia of the city of São Paulo, is commonly translated as “I am not conducted, I conduce.” This saying is usually linked to an individualistic idea of leadership exerted by the force of ‘the might’. On the city emblem, an image of a speared axe held by an armored arm serves to illustrate such a notion. Throughout my own life as a student, I have associated the figure of the teacher to a role embodying discipline through authority and also the authority of knowledge with the teacher being the one who knows everything there is to know about a given topic. I have never been too keen on an attitude of superiority over others. Surprisingly, it is to educational activities that I have dedicated most of my efforts in my Peace Studies professional and academic journey. I have mainly been engaged with this within the frame of the post-graduation program in Brazil, founded in 2015 by Innsbruck alumna Cerys Tramontini, in a team with fellow alumni Egídio de Bustamante and Paula Facci.

Elicitive conflict transformation draws on the common knowledge, values, and communication techniques that exist in the individuals, groups, or communities concerned. Wolfgang Dietrich

Like a slogan, Non ducor duco is inscribed on the flag of the municipality of São Paulo, flapping on the premises of every school in the city. Duco is the indicative tense of the Latin verb ducere. In a 1968 Oxford Latin Dictionary, P. G. W. Glare relates ducere “to direct one’s way.” That is the etymological Latin origin of the word education: ex + ducere. An origin that might hint to a rather elicitive potential. I see education as an effort to bring about the direction of one’s own way. This is something I relate to Wolfgang Dietrich’s idea of elicitive conflict transformation, and John Paul Lederach’s idea of elicitive training. Few teachers I have had touched my heart by cherishing relationality, beyond their knowledge about a given subject. In these

rare instances, I felt empowered by the meanings I was allowed to build and envision, together with my fellow students, on various topics. This nourishing sensation has been ubiquitous throughout my academic Peace Studies journey, within the – now extinguished – World Peace Academy Basel program (from September 2013 to August 2014), and the Innsbruck MA program in Peace Studies (2014/15 Winter term). It has been fulfilling to experience an atmosphere of interconnectedness, provided by teachers with the ability to trigger fruitful relational dynamics among students. Feeling connected to myself, to the teacher and to my classmates,

The elicitive model is process oriented, providing an opportunity for people to participate in model discovery and creation. John P. Lederach

has been a powerful learning experience to savor from a collective and non-hierarchal source of wisdom. My classmates have been as much my educators as any other Peace Studies professor. Through Wolfgang Dietrich’s philosophy of Many Peaces, as I interpret it, transrationality may be understood as a conscious attitude to go beyond pre-established, and usually prescriptive, rules and norms, at the same time that it tries to acknowledge the human needs behind them. A perception of life as a systemic dynamic that cultivates creative co-responsibility and forwards the transformative potential of conviviality through elicitive means. In my understanding such a transrational, and thus elicitive, approach recognizes peace and conflict as relational experiences. Accordingly, the pedagogical flow of the Innsbruck MA program is based upon relationality. I think that education, on its own right, ought to be appreciated as intrinsically relational.

The teacher does not teach what she says, the teacher conveys that which she is. José Pacheco

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As a teacher, the energy of each new classroom encounter is what thrills me for meeting up with a new group of students. The challenges I face are to be aware of my vulnerable self, open up my heart and be conscious that connections will be nourished through being and not through knowing. As important as it is

All real living is meeting. Martin Buber

to be acquainted with the theoretical content I will dedicate my teaching efforts to, in the final analysis, even more important is to be aware that I will end up conveying to students that which I am. Whenever I meet a group for the first time, I offer a sharing circle for people to talk about themselves and their motivations. As I start out by sharing a bit of my own self, in a heartfelt manner, I notice how students feel invited to share from a rather deep place about their concepts of peace. Further, from this approach students are encouraged to share their enthusiasm about Peace Studies, and how their life journeys have led them there. Not rarely, such an exchange flows on emotionally filled accounts.

The provision of a safe space to me is about a quality of presence that allows me to resonate respect toward different opinions and perspectives. I feel that this hospitable attitude encourages diverse world-views to constructively engage with each other. These interactions lead to conflicts. To honour them is a valuable opportunity to experiment with their creative, and thus educative, potential. The elicitation of meaningfulness relates to our human need for belonging and bonding. One of my responsibilities, as I teach Peace Studies related topics with students, is to encourage them to make sense, by them/ourselves, out of what is shared in the classroom. To live teaching dialogically is a humbling endeavour. The provision of a safe container, in an often transrational Peace Studies educational setting, is an invitation for the sharing of tears and smiles, excitement and frustration; traumas and wounds, with all their complexities, which are, to some extent, poured over the teacher. Not to freeze in bewilderment, neither to fall for professorial prescriptiveness, I have realized how important it is to soberly keep holding such a space for those issues to be dealt with rather transformatively. After all, these are insightful opportunities for me to relate with deep aspects of my own humanity which is as challenging as it is rewarding. I have begun to recognize teaching as a craft much related to the art of elicitive conflict work. To be an educator is to be an alumnum, to attentively provide for an elicitive space is, at the same time, to provide for my own nourishment. So far, that is how I have been perceiving educational work in the field of Peace and Conflict Studies.

web: www.pazemente.com.br/postgraduate1/

Education must begin with the solution of the teacher-student contradiction, by reconciling the poles of the contradiction so that both are simultaneously teachers and students. Paulo Freire

From my perspective, interconnectedness is the most valuable Peace Studies educational asset. For this reason, as I go about teaching a given theoretical content, I try to dedicate my efforts to the fostering of this energetic bond: providing for a safe space, honouring conflicts and eliciting meaningfulness. Thanks to the non-profit association „spectACT - Verein für politisches und soziales Theater“ for supporting this Volume.

50 – Many Peaces Magazine #7

LUÍS BRAVO lives in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. A criminal lawyer by training, he has been working as a circle process facilitator in penitentiaries, juvenile centers, communities, and with groups seeking to transformatively deal with conflicts. He is a faculty member of the Peace, Conflict, Mind and Awareness post-graduation program in Florianópolis, Brazil. His teaching and research interests include the themes of Transrationality, Nonviolence and Restorative Justice. Contact: bravodebarros@gmail.com

web: www.spectACT.at contact: info@spectACT.at

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Advertisement - 51

A CALL FOR ACTION Dear Reader, To begin with, let us tell you that this is a call for action, and we mean it. We need you, and we are going to do our best to convince you about the urgency of this matter. Therefore, consider this as a warning; a warning with a twinkle in our eyes. Jokes aside, what we want to share with you is a concern which comes from the bottom of our hearts, because we believe that what we are working for matters. You may be a peace student, a peace worker, or you just came across this magazine and this article by chance. Either way, we want to extend a warm welcome to you. In case you do not know us, we take the opportunity to introduce the Peace Studies Fund e.V. and our vision to you. The Peace Studies Fund e.V. is an association founded by a group of five alumni and students of the Master’s Program for Peace Studies at the University of Innsbruck. We are all either writing our master’s thesis or already working full time. And we are all working for the Peace Studies Fund on a voluntary basis. Every semester we have experienced how the program is carried by the diversity of its students from all over the world. Every student enriches the group’s learning process with his/her unique background, stories and experiences. Hence, a unique learning environment is created in which we, future peace workers, learn to live, together with an international community. Moreover, we get a first-hand experience of what peace and conflict mean to people from all over the world. Still, after every semester, we have to face the fact that some of our peers are not able to continue their studies because of money. It is as simple and, at the same time, as difficult as that. We strongly believe that financial difficulties should not keep anyone from becoming a peace worker. This is why we decided to take action and, in the spring of 2016, the Peace Studies Fund was born. We want to raise money for our fellow students who otherwise would not be able to obtain their master’s degree. The money we raise is added to the existing program’s scholarship fund. It is important to mention that we do not take the decision about who receives the financial support, but hand over the money to the program’s administration. Since our foundation, we have been able to collect € 2.500 to support our peers. While we are incredibly happy that our initiative bears its first fruits, we, at the same time, have to point out that fundraising takes a lot of time and effort. Our current vision is to be able to fund one full scholarship for one semester, which at the moment means to raise € 5.000. We now want to ask for YOUR support. This is an urgent call for action. It does not matter if you work in or are connected to the field of peace and conflict studies and research. This is a unique opportunity to become part of a community that cherishes the beauty of diversity and contributes to more peace(s) in the world! 52 – Many Peaces Magazine #7

Student Voices “After three terms of what turned out to be a transformative journey, and watching the Peace Studies Fund get off the ground, I was strengthened in my resolution. I knew that I have it in me to use whatever resource I could find to help young people in my home country, one step at a time.“ Patrick, Educator; Working in strategic development and peacebuilding in non-governmental organisations; M.A. candidate and currently writing his thesis – Rwanda

“Being able to study within an everexpanding world as I heard the stories of friends from all over the world was a priceless experience and one that has forever changed me.” Meaghan, School Teacher; M.A. candidate and currently writing her thesis – Canada

“In a world where actions and politics seem to be driven by fear for that which is unknown, different or even from ourselves, I believe acceptance and tolerance are essential.” Tuva, Leader of Changemaker Norway (NGO) – Norway

“To me, solidarity is not about helping others to do something; it is about giving all of us the opportunity to be the teachers and students in all of our relationships.“ Maria, European Studies; M.A. candidate and currently writing her thesis – Spain

“Thus, as a German with a background in engineering, I was able to live together with a forty-year-old pastor from Ghana and a twenty-yearold political scientist from Azerbaijan to discuss social problems and even experience moments of peace and conflict personally.” Johannes, Creative Technology; M.A. candidate and currently writing his thesis – Germany

“I must say that learning with an international community is a great adventurous experience. This international community does not only share problems they have faced, but comes to a common ground where each of us becomes none other than a mere human being. This has been my first impression.”

This project is about solidarity and diversity and the support of future peace workers in a master’s program where people from all over the world study and grow together, where peace and conflict are experienced and not only read about. A program wherein experiences and insights are gained and carried back into projects in the students’ home countries or into the various organisations students and alumni of this program work for worldwide. The students of this program are therefore multipliers of peaceful approaches, tools and techniques for conflict transformation which we learn throughout our studies. If this resonates with you, you are exactly what we are looking for! What can you do? There are many ways in which you can help. For example, in October we organized an event in Heidelberg - a weekend for peace with different activities, such as lectures and dance. The money raised from this event income was donated to the Peace Studies Fund. Or what about spreading the word? In September we did a radio interview with Radio Freirad, a local radio station in Innsbruck, in their UniKonkret-Magazin to inform more people about our idea and why it is so important to support future peace workers. Networking is key: This is one of our biggest efforts in which a lot of support is still needed. What we also do is searching for and addressing companies, foundations or initiatives which could either financially support the Peace Studies Fund or could be interesting networking partners for sharing ideas and experiences and maybe even working on future projects. Become a member of the Peace Studies Fund e.V. and convince others to do the same. By becoming a member of the Peace Studies Fund e.V. you are first of all strengthening our community, for knowing about your solidarity even if you cannot donate is very important for us. And just imagine if all your friends become members and donate for example 5 Euros per month, or 10 Euros, or more. You can find the membership forms on our website. Last but not least, of course, you are very welcome to donate any amount of money that is possible for you. Every little bit helps! You can engage and contribute in multiple ways according to your possibilities and resources. This can reach from one event to a short or long-term project. You are warmly welcome to contact us and share your ideas. We are looking forward to hearing from you! The Peace Studies Fund e.V. Team

Jagannath, Teacher; M.A. candidate and currently writing his thesis – Nepal web: www.peacestudiesfund.org Peace and Conflict Studies Research - 53

Book Review

RECONCILIATION CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION IN AFGHANISTAN THROUGH THE OWN HEALING PROCESS BOOK REVIEW BY FATMA HARON

ith the paramount research question ‘How can the peace initiatives in Afghanistan bring sustainable reconciliation’ Heela Najibullah accompanies the reader throughout the book Reconciliation and Social Healing in Afghanistan: A Transrational and Elicitive Analysis Towards Transformation, over the past thirty years in the Afghan reconciliation process, from the Cold War era until War on Terror. In both a quantitative and qualitative empirical analysis of interviews, questionnaires, newspaper and reports she analyses the impact of the peace initiatives on reconciliation. 54 – Many Peaces Magazine #7

The enduring timeline of the processes starts when it was first coined in 1986 up until 2014. Including the involvements and roles of global players and neighbours and also geographic components in the Afghan conflict the author tries to give a meticulous comparison on the historical and socio-political background of the reconciliation process and its different level approaches in five chapters. She divides the reconciliation attempts in the timetable from 1981 until 1992 the Najibullah Government`s National Reconciliation Policy (1986-1992), the Geneva Accords (1981-1988), the UN Five-Point-Peace-Plan (1990-1992) and finally the Afghan Peace Reintegration Programme from 2010 until 2014. Here the author also gives a striking overview on the objectives and methods of the implementation of the process, how Afghan domestic and international politics defined reconciliation and which approaches were applied. The biographical connection and the writing purposes of the author are compelling and give an insight of the author`s reflection to the reader. Heela Najibullah herself expresses her “main reason for writing this book is to highlight the repeated efforts of the Afghan governments to forge peace and reach reconciliation despite the complex nature of its relationship with global players such as the UN and regional players.” (Najibullah 2017: 7). Scrutinizing the roles of

grass roots and communities in the processes with a transrational process. Whereas this holistic process is engaging political activipeace approach, her studies in peace can be found in her research ties with the social and human aspects of healing, as a strategic long through Lederach`s understanding of reconciliation to the extent term approach. the local communities were integrated in the different reconciliation Heela Najibullah developed ideas that support the peace process processes in Afghanistan to reconcile and heal the society and their and social healing in Afghanistan by pointing out that a multi-laypost-conflict traumata. ered approach is needed for reconTherefore she suggests a people ciliation. The bottom up approach Her personal approach and aim to centric, multi-layered consensus emphasises people and their active among the regional and global acinvolvement in the social healing understand how the different processes tors in order to achieve sustainaprocess, which leads to sustainacan be compared to each other is ble reconciliation in Afghanistan. ble reconciliation. Analysing the closely related to her biographical However, the author also depicts Afghan reconciliation process the controversy that reconciliation through transrational peace philoslosses in Afghanistan and to is politicized and merely used as “a ophy and elicitive conflict transforher studies in peace. buzzword for politicians wishing to mation she highlights the historiend wars they no longer seem intercal and geographical background ested in supporting.” (Lederach & Lederach, When Blood and Bones that indicate regional and global stakeholders involvement in the Cry Out, quoted after Najibullah 2017: 165). In her research the au- Afghan politics. Through her research she shares her own healing thor emphasizes on the deficits in the Afghan peace process and its process and illustrates the importance of the human being in the missing elements, such as the healing process. The healing process reconciliation process, even though she has experienced personal refers to the attempt to deal with the past in post-conflict circum- losses through the conflict in Afghanistan. Therefore Reconciliation stances and to attain reconciliation with the past and also within a and Social Healing in Afghanistan is a masterpiece and a successful divided society. According to her research it requires a realist school suggestion for social healing in Afghanistan. of thought and a constructive social change and transrational peace for a holistic approach for social healing in Afghanistan. Since March 2017, FATMA HARON is a PhD candidate at Born and raised in Afghanistan and with a political background the University of Innsbruck. She obtained her B.A. degree in from her family, inspired by father`s reconciliation plans Heela Social Sciences at the Universities Bochum and Augsburg. Najibullah conducted this research to deal with her own past as Later Fatma Haron attained her M.A. degree in International well. “I was born in Afghanistan as a Muslim girl. My recollections Studies/ Peace and Conflict Research at Goethe University Frankfurt/ Main and studied one year abroad at the Uniof childhood memories, from as early as I can remember, revolve versity of Granada in Spain. After her studies in Frankfurt around Afghan politics, the question of Islam, Communism, Jihad, she started to work as a research assistant in Ankara for two infidelity and how my father played a central role as a politician. and a half years on the peace process and Kurdish issue in This has formed the basis for my social values and the way I perTurkey. Contact: fatma.haron@uibk.ac.at ceive Afghan politics even today.” (Najibullah 2017: 3) Her family background also allows her to reach certain stakeholders in her empirical research, which might not have been that easy if she was not Najibullah`s daughter. Masters Having experienced the reconciliation process, from a political of Peace: olume 13 V Heela Najibullah and personal angle, she attempts to analyse the process from an elicitive approach. However, her personal approach and aim to underRECONCILIATION AND SOCIAL HEALING stand how the different processes can be compared to each other is IN AFGHANSTAN closely related to her biographical losses in Afghanistan and to her A Transrational and Elicitive Analysis studies in peace. At some points it gives the slight impression of beTowards Transformation ing too personal and emotional, nevertheless the author manages to deal with this touchy issue impressively, becoming a pioneer in this Heela Najibullah analyzes the Afghan reconciliation processes field by transforming her own experiences and using them for a prothrough the lenses of transrational peace philosophy and Elicigressively academic work in her two different roles as daughter of tive Conflict Transformation. The research highlights two Afghan the former assassinated president Najibullah and a peace researcher. governments reconciliation processes in 1986 and 2010 and unBy remaining transparent, it remains clear to the reader what the derlines the political events that shaped the 1986 National Recresearch aim is and also how Najibullah manages to include herself onciliation Policy, drawing lessons for future processes. The auin the Afghan healing process. “At some point during my search for thor points out the historical and geopolitical patterns indicating truth, I realized that my quest in finding the answers was born out regional and global stakeholders involvement in Afghan politics. of sheer desperation to heal myself from the loss I had suffered.” Social healing through a middle-out approach is the missing and (Najibullah 2017: 11) yet crucial component to achieve sustainable reconciliation in AfWhat makes Najibullah`s effort so special is that she depicts ghanistan. that reconciliation is manifold. She achieves this by illuminating that reconciliation can be sustainable when it is viewed as a holistic Peace and Conflict Studies Research - 55

Stories to Tell, Stories to Go A library is a place of knowledge that allows both, looking into the past and into the future. Especially Alexandria is well known for its rich history of academia. The symbolism of this picture is twofold. First, the current poor public educational system that is responsible for a gap of knowledge in the young Egyptian population. Second, it discloses space and by that allows for new visions, knowledge and a new chapter of Egyptian history. Picture taken inside the Bibliotheca Alexandrina by Julian Mandler.

56 - Many Peaces Magazine #7

SEZAN EYRICH studies Political Science at the University of Innsbruck, Austria. She is especially interested in questions of equality and in the political situation of the Middle East. Besides her studies, she enjoys travelling to other countries to learn about and from different cultures, and to stay close to the geopolitical hotspots of our time. Contact: sezan.eyrich@student.uibk.ac.at

Empty Sights #1 The diverse cultural heritage of Egypt, pictured by the Pyramids of Giza, is beyond comparison. Before the outbreak of violence, the country was well-frequented by tourists from all over the globe. In recent days however, this economic branch is desperately missed. Picture taken at the Pyramids of Giza by Julian Mandler.

JULIAN MANDLER studies Political Science at the University of Innsbruck, Austria. This year he begins his Master programme with a focus on European and International Politics. His studies grant him a broad view of complex matters, which along with his perspicacious eye for detail influence his photography and offer very special insights into the countries he travels to. Contact: julian.mandler@gmx.at

Different Means of Transportation Instead of a coming together during the revolution, the lack of a common denominator between the different revolutionary groups intensified cleavages within the Egyptian society. The clash of social classes defines daily life in Cairo more than ever. Picture taken near the Mosque of Ibn Tulun by Julian Mandler.

Art - 57

INFORMATIONS ON THE PROGRAM IN PEACE STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF INNSBRUCK – HOME OF THE MANY PEACES

FELÍCIA BELTRÃO CAMPOS (ST 14, WT 14/15, ST 15) is a Historian, a Peace and Conflict worker and learner. She loves to work and learn with youth and is absolutely fascinated about human beings and living systems. She is currently focusing her energy into establishing the Peace Studies area in Brazil, and is interested in physics, hip hop and rap as fields of study. She has been living between Brazil and Germany for the past years. Contact: feliciambcampos@gmail.com

The Innsbruck School of Peace Studies Established in 2001, the MA Program in Peace Studies at the University of Innsbruck was strongly inspired by the UNESCO’s famous Manifesto 2000, which proposed to turn the new millennium into a new beginning, an opportunity to change, all together, the culture of war and violence into a culture of peace and non-violence. The six corner stones of the Manifesto 2000 are: - Respect the life and dignity of each human being - Practise active non-violence - Share time and material resources - Defend freedom of expression and cultural diversity - Responsible consumer behaviour - New forms of solidarity.

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LIFE AS SPACE

Spatial Inquiries Into Existence

n my thesis, I explore the use of changing perspectives, mental landscapes and mindsets through changing places, touch, movement, voice and breath as valuable means towards healing, transformation and peace & conflict work. I also use language itself as a means of changing perspective, thus opening up the possibilities of accessing different places. As I try and subvert common ‘scientific’ language whenever I can, telling stories, poetry and music play an important role in the research. It also invites imagination and evokes feelings, tastes, and smells through reading and writing, opening spaces to other synesthetic-dimensions. This research explores and experiments language and methodology as means of communicating, transforming, healing and creating new spaces to paint life and its colours. ***

The research was challenging in many ways, for it not only touches the deep understanding of myself and the perceived reality, but as ‘methodology’ I had to delve into the deepest pains, sorrows and hurts of my being, and manage to transform them. By choosing to dis-locate myself, to change place, I had to create new spaces. It was an extremely sensorial voyage and one of the main difficulties was registering the process. The effort to engage with different epistemologies while conveying experiences lived and felt in written language, especially with an objectively-scientific pretension, was one of the biggest challenges. I also faced uncertainty while asking myself whom this research will serve, to what I realised it has already transformed me as a perceiver and creator of reality. Delving bodymind and heart in this research has been profoundly transforming as I can now touch myself, others and the universe from different, scary and breathtaking perspectives.

NEW MASTERS OF PEACE ISABELLE GUIBERT (ST 12, WT 12/13, ST 13, ST 17) teaches languages, peace studies and conflict transformation. As a facilitator, her deepest aspiration is to create a hospitable space for her students/participants to connect to their self and discover their potentials. For years she has taken part in diverse projects in South America and Africa. Among her research interests are language(s); writing; trauma and memory. She studied at the universities of Nantes, Oxford and Innsbruck, and holds an MA in English studies and an MA in Peace Studies. Contact: isabelle.guibert@manypeaces.org

STEFAN FREYTAG (ST 11, WT 11/12, ST 12) currently works at Haus der Begegnung in Innsbruck, organizing and hosting educational training for adults. Additionally, he facilitates workshops on conflict engagement, political education and diversity at schools. He loves surfing and dancing. His thesis supervisor was Norbert Koppensteiner. Contact: stefan_freytag@gmx.at

HOME

On finding individual and collective healing spaces through dance, theatre and community

ome is both a longing and the recognition that I am myself in a given or relational space. My struggle to find a home in communities triggered my step towards writing this thesis. I recognized that finding a home is often a healing journey after having lost a home. Looking into three different community practices, namely Theatre for Living and Theatre of the Oppressed, 5Rhythms Dance and Art of Hosting, I was interested in the qualities of individual and communal healing spaces that create a perception of home. I share my perspective both as participant and as facilitator in the different practices and use interviews with practitioners to provide a variety of experimental insights in face of the guiding questions: What are the qualities of healing spaces in community settings and how can they be supported? ***

I wanted to write about a topic of practical relevance and that is close to my heart. As I started working, I increasingly came across hosting communities on the one hand and working with theatre on the other hand. Dancing 5Rhythms additionally helped me to develop my skills in both mentioned areas. The creative interaction between my work experience and the research endeavor was fruitful, but my journey towards the finalization of my thesis was full of hard work and little moments of flow and ease. Nevertheless, the journey was worthy as my practical work became deeper and more conscious.

RÉCITS DE VIE | LIFE STORIES

From the Wounded Writer to the Healing Teacher. A Transrational Way of Teaching Peace as Unfolding of Life Story

rom perspectives inherent in the thesis, my text strives to combine two wide, independent topics: writing (as a form and a method) and teaching. Accordingly, two writing styles – the literary and the academic – and two layers of research – a personal exploration and an academic investigation – constantly intermingle. Thus, my work depicts the background that has moulded my perception of the world and of life, and how I have developed therefrom, especially in relation to my education, profession, travels, places of living. By being brought to life on paper, this inner journey highlights the foundations of my deep motivations and the ‘whys’ and ‘wherefores’ of being a teacher, which opens a space for me to describe my transrational teaching of peace and conflict transformation today, seen through the lens of one seminar. Deep down, my thesis is a text about the self-healing potential of autobiographical writing and the healing qualities, acquired from the wounds, which are intrinsic to the elicitation of peace. ***

Regarding the actual research process, I perceive my thesis as the living product of the compromises I made between my profound aspiration (the time and space I wished I had at my disposal) and my undeniable reality (the time and space I effectively had besides my job). Each interruption into the writing process halted the flow of inspiration and damaged my enthusiasm. Yet, driven by my passion for writing and searching, I did not give up. I feel impelled to use the metaphor of the voyage to translate this process, for it embodies travelling back and forth, as much through my life realities at the time of writing as through my past story. By re-activating my memories, that introspection unfolded before my internal eyes a palette of experiences, knowledge and competences, which lead me to consciously use myself as a resource – one of the most precious learnings. And then, writing oneself becomes a hazardous endeavour as soon as it involves potential readers.

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INFORMATIONS ON THE PROGRAM IN PEACE STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF INNSBRUCK – HOME OF THE MANY PEACES

ANNALENA GROPPE (ST 15, WT 15/16, ST 16) graduated from the MA Program in Peace Studies at the University of Innsbruck in summer 2017. Since her graduation, she has been coordinating and facilitating peace education workshops with the German association Friedenskreis Halle e.V. Moreover, she is a board member of the Peace Studies Fund e.V. Her thesis was supervised by Dr. Daniela Ingruber. Contact: agroppe@gmx.de

The Call for Many Peaces The program took the Manifesto 2000 as an argument to gather faculty and students from all around the world to fill these points permanently with new life, to explore our planetary understanding of peace and conflict transformation. From there we concluded that there are as many peaces in the world as there are human perceptions and that the challenge for an academic program is to analyse the relation between these myriads of interpretations, evaluate their predominantly harmonious flow and find ways of transforming the sometimes competing interests. Thereof resulted a Call for Many Peaces, formulating the specific character of this program. Gradually we developed a systematic understanding of different forms of peace. According to our findings the main “families” of peace interpretations are - energetic peaces - moral peaces - modern peaces - postmodern peaces - transrational peaces

60 – Many Peaces Magazine #7

UNFOLDING STORIES

Transforming Understandings of Development through Spiritual Empathy

nce upon a time, there was a gardener who left her home garden towards the wild forests. The unknown weeds seemed to hamper the flowers. Her hands pulled at the thorns and the thorns pulled at her hands. In pain, she sat down in tears and suddenly she saw the berries growing from the wild weeds. “What is my role than, if I am not a caring gardener?”, she asked herself. The thorns answered: “You could care for your torn hands.” This story portrays my starting point: I search for healing of my torn hands, wounded by my blocking belief in postcolonial – moral/ modern – discourses that reproduce ‘development’ as a teleological promise of salvation. To transform my paralysis, I focus on experiential ways of knowing, existing within myself and other actors working in development cooperation. Stories about diverse experiences of spirituality, taken from everyday work, twist my single story of ‘development’ transrationally. This I portray within creative writing, which can evoke resonance on your spiritual layer. ***

During my research process, I learned that orientation in development cooperation does not only arise from growth, but from values, intuitions, emancipation, and continuous reflection. The professional’s agency is experienced as divided between personal freedom and a collective, complex energy. Suffering, guilt, and limitations point beyond what is rationally understandable and thereby open spaces for transformation. Finally, a transpersonal connection is the base of various stories of unfolding. Reflecting on this process, I realised that spirituality is not a driving force of development, as I had formerly expected. Instead, spirituality continuously produces a doubt, a gap, a twist, that transforms linear ‘development’ into an ever-changing dance of unfolding.

NEW MASTERS OF PEACE RENATA LANDA LÓPEZ (WT 14/15, ST 15, WT 15/16) graduated from the MA Program in Peace, Development, Security and International Conflict Transformation at the University of Innsbruck in summer 2017. Originally from Mexico, she currently resides in Germany. Her background is on International Relations and Design Thinking. She works with facilitation and group dynamics. Dr. Norbert Koppensteiner supervised her thesis. Contact: renatalanda@gmail.com

THE ART OF SELF-ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Voice and Movement into the Inner World of an Elicitive Conflict Worker

his research is an exploration of voice and movement’s potential for self-acknowledgement and conflict transformation taking into account transrational philosophy. Through the methods of 5Rhythms Dance and Lalish, my thesis dives into the possibilities of reaching an encounter with the self and transforming inner conflicts for the peace worker. It does so through a combination of theoretical and practical work, with a special focus on my personal experience. This work takes the theories of Carl Rogers, Abraham Maslow and Carl Gustav Jung as well as the philosophy of John Paul Lederach and Wolfgang Dietrich among others, as ontological basis and enters into a dialogue with the approaches of 5Rhythms Dance and Lalish. Through my lived experience, the literature analysis and the collective component, it proposes both methods as doors to recognize one’s own potential, befriend the shadows, realize the impact of enculturation and get in touch with oneself. It is the written account of my personal experience that hopes to foster resonance with other voices. ***

For me, this thesis was not only an academic project but also an enriching personal process full of insights, self-discovery and gratitude. It was the possibility to dive into the details of practices I believe can lead to other ways of knowing besides the rational one and an attempt to put into words those feelings, emotions and states of being that they can bring me to. It was a rewarding experience of acknowledging both the potential of what is already in me as a peace worker and human being, and what still can be unfolded.

MARIA REQUENA LÓPEZ (ST 15, WT 15/16, ST 16) is a recent graduate from the MA Program in Peace Studies at the University of Innsbruck. is currently working at the Academy for Conflict Transformation of the Forum ZFD. Born in Spain and raised in Brussels, she is now based in Germany, where she carried out a school workshop series that she used as qualitative data for her thesis. She is now interested in expanding her experience on Elicitive Facilitation with children and adults. Contact: mrequena.lopez@yahoo.com

MAKING MUSIC, ELICITING CHILDHOOD Elicitive Facilitation of Music for Personal Unfolding

he power of music, the beauty in childhood and the art of facilitating spaces for learning are the three key ingredients for this thesis. Based on the findings of two parallel 5-week workshops with children aged 6 to 10, this thesis explores how the experience of music, both passive and active, can foster personal unfolding, contribute to get in touch with one’s own emotions and strengthen group dynamics. It presents an idea of learning that considers the individual as a whole, and a conception of facilitation that takes this wholeness into account for allowing all the different aspects and attributes of the child to be discovered, acknowledged and accepted. It aims to delve into questions like: can music be a catalyser for self-acceptance? How can the common experience of music contribute to the feeling of belonging? How can elicitive facilitation, in particular with regard to music, help the learning processes and personal unfolding? ***

The idea for this research was born out of my personal experience with music as the tool that helped me get in touch with myself and allowed me to connect with others. This was combined with the magic I had seen in my previous work with children, where I believed I had felt and seen the beauty of being human. In an attempt to explore how both of these aspects and my love for facilitation could work together, I dived into the process of developing, planning and carrying out the workshops that created the basis for this thesis. These have been months of surprises, emotions and learnings. Above all, these has been a time of loving the work I do and strengthening the desire to keep on doing it. This research has been the beautiful realization that I love to explore ways of learning, getting to know oneself and unfolding because I myself love to learn, get to know myself and unfold.

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INFORMATIONS ON THE PROGRAM IN PEACE STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF INNSBRUCK – HOME OF THE MANY PEACES

JULIA METZGER-TRABER (ST 14, WT 14/15, ST 15) has defined herself as many things- performance artist, activist, theorist- and attempted to elude definition. But all words fall short in the face of motherhood. From the streets of Berlin she has now moved to a farm in Virginia, USA, where she will grow her radical visions for peace. Her thesis will be published in 2018 with Josefina Echavarría as her supervisor. Contact: Julia.traber@gmail.com

Training for Peace Workers According to the four leading principles of the program, scientificity, inter-culturality, inter-disciplinarity and orientation on practical experience we try to transgress the limits of conventional modern and postmodern schools of peace studies, which are abundant all around the world. In addition to a first class academic education of the network in Peace Studies the Innsbruck program offers a special field training component designed to integrate academic excellence with the skills required in real conflict situations. Students have to be prepared for the adventure of a very holistic – physical, emotional and intellectual - exploration of themselves, their society and in more general terms of the whole world. Transrational peaces, as defined in this program, twist the division between subject and object; they go beyond the conventional limits of reason; they are not only rational but also relational; they start the search for peace with the deconstruction of the observer’s identity; they apply all the methods of conventional peace studies and go much further. Thereof derives a unique curriculum and the world’s most challenging academic training program for peace workers.

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WHEN WALLS BREATHE AND ROOTS DANCE

Re-Imagining the Shape of Home in an Age of Homelessness

hat has been called the ‘refugee crisis’, may actually be an identity crisis in a rapidly changing world. Who are we, and who are they? Where do we begin and end? I posit western conceptions of the Self - separate, bounded, individual and constant - shape metaphors of national homes and thus determine the geopolitics of belonging and exclusion. Alongside Black Feminists, Buddhists and spiritual ecologists, I argue that: the refugee, ecological and racial crises we are facing, as well as the reactionary responses to them, are rooted in a no longer tenable paradigm of individualism. With faulty perceptual tools and their misleading conceptual frameworks, we are facing not merely a crisis of values, but an existential, and spiritual crisis. My project is to creatively re-conceive of political belonging through re-perceiving the interconnection of our Selves through our most immediate home—our breathing bodies. I look to somatic wisdom to expand notions of Self and Home. What kind of homes and homelands would we create if we no longer thought we ended at our skin? if we sensed our interconnection with each breath? What ethical imperatives would this birth? ***

The seeds of this thesis were planted summer 2014, when I began training in somatic education and peace research. I learned to perceive myself as a more-than-rational, impermanent, permeable, interconnected, system of systems. That same summer saw a series of murders between Israelis and Palestinians which drove me to question homeland. The question haunted me through 2 years of projects with refugees in Berlin, and 6 months of pregnancy. I nearly gave up many times until I escaped the city to finish writing in the countryside. It has been a soul-searching, sometimes painful, iterative process.

NEW MASTERS OF PEACE KRIZTIN SOLBERG (ST 13, WT13/14, ST 14) has long been interested in the topic of home, belonging, identity, undocumented migrants, and migration. She graduated from the MA program in Peace Studies at the University of Innsbruck in summer 2017 and holds an MA in International Law and Human Rights from the UPEACE. She is currently working as Integration-coordinator at the Red Cross in Sweden. Her thesis was supervised by Dr. Josefina Echavarría Alvarez. Contact: kriztin.solberg@hotmail.com

DEBRA POLLARD (WT 14/15, ST 15, WT 15/16) is in transition. She resides in Portland, Oregon and is seeking experience and work as a facilitator. She is enjoying communication and facilitation training including a six-month online course offered by Thomas Hübl and William Ury, “Meditate and Meditate.” Wolfgang Dietrich supervised her thesis. Contact: debra10643@me.com

AWARENESS & DECISION AT THE CONTACT BOUNDARY

hen there are unexplained obstacles on the surface of conflict, their sources hide beneath, and the transpersonal view recognizes that we affect each other in hidden ways. Therefore I asked: “What are the transpersonal principles of facilitation?” What are the means to contact the dispute where it resides? I interviewed five facilitators with extrasensory capabilities and was led first to the conditions of a transpersonal world. The principles I found are Presence, Contain, and Attune. Presence is mindfully connecting to the actual. Containing holds safety and belonging. Attuning follows as precise resonance with an inner disturbance, allowing conscious assimilation. The transformation brings new capacities and perspectives. ***

My pursuit of the hidden in conflict began the instant in my second term when I silently observed that my group was not listening each other. In response, I found the work of Thomas and Kilmann and their definition of collaboration – cooperating while also asserting. Collaboration reminded me of the authenticity required in Thomas Hübl’s Transparent Communication, which I had been practicing. Wolfgang Dietrich then recommended Gestalt with its charge to contact the actual. My primary resources were from the fields of experimental psychology, interpersonal neurobiology, and spirituality. Each principle challenged me to more self-contact, and the process continues to transform me into an observer and conflict worker.

BEING TRUE TO MYSELF AND FINDING BALANCE

My experience as an asylum case officer at the Swedish Migration Agency during the largest influx of asylum seekers in history

started working as an asylum case officer for the Swedish Migration Agency during fall of 2015. It is precisely during this period that Sweden received more asylum seekers than ever before. What I saw and experienced during these months and the next year and a half created a conflict within me. I wanted to use my training in elicitive conflict transformation and my master thesis to explore how compatible it was to work as an Elicitive Conflict Worker within the frame of asylum case officer at the Swedish Migration Agency. I explored this topic through the tool of Elicitive Conflict Mapping. This method helped me to engage with my own personal motivation for doing this job, how it affected me personally, as well as voice my experience from inside the Migration Agency. Thus, this thesis gives an unusual insight into the work of the Swedish Migration Agency, through the lenses of an Elicitive Conflict Worker. ***

Coming to Innsbruck, the topic of home and belonging was close to my heart. Working for the Swedish Migration Agency, I felt that the feeling of home and belonging became even more important and on the edge of what I was doing every day. I felt in conflict with my work, deciding who should stay/belong and who could not. I also felt that my personal life and work were not compatible, since I lived close to people who were not supposed to belong. This conflict ripped me apart and I felt I had lost my voice both at work and private Using the Elicitive Conflict Mapping on my inner conflict of being an asylum case officer helped me realize the wounds this job gave me, nevertheless, it also helped me to heal some of them. As my voice grew stronger, I became aware that being true to myself is one of the core principles to stay balanced both in my private and professional life. The role as an asylum case officer did not allow me to stay true to myself. I, therefore, decided to leave this job to stand up for what I do believe in.

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SIMONE WICHTERICH (WT 14/15, ST 15, WT 15/16) graduated from the MA Program in Peace Studies at the University of Innsbruck in summer 2017. Since her graduation, Simone has been working as an assistant at the Academy for Conflict Transformation at the Forum Civil Peace Service in Cologne, Germany. She is also board member of the Peace Studies Fund e.V. Her thesis was supervised by Norbert Koppensteiner. Contact: simonewichterich@hotmail.de

CHOOSING (E)MOTION

The potential of movement and dance for (re)connection and healing. With an emphasis on Integrative Dance Therapy and 5Rhythms® Dance – A Research for myself and others -

y personal perspective and experiences are the starting point and the reason for my thesis research. I write about my difficulties at school, my experiences with emotions growing up within what I consider a German cultural identity and the experience of someone encroaching upon my most intimate borders. My methodological approach is centered on writing a (dance) diary about the emotions I experience on and off the dance floor. Additionally, I conduct in-depth interviews with teachers, therapists and participants of 5Rhythms Dance and Integrative Dance Therapy. The topics I look at are: What I call the ‘performing’ element within German society and its linkages to its national history connected to the emotion of fear. Based on a literature exploration, I bring in the terms of (re) connecting and healing, and their relevance to concepts like the self, body, mind, spirit and soul as well as emotions, feelings and trauma. ***

When I started with this MA Program, I was sure that I would write about some external conflict. Ultimately, my very own internal conflicts became an essential part of my master thesis project. My writing process was the start of a journey to become conscious about the unknown, scared, painful and vulnerable parts of me. It turned out to be a dancing path, experiencing that movement helps me very well to connect to myself and my emotions. Writing a (dance) diary about my experiences, conducting in-depth interviews, putting this all together into a master thesis and with this ‘putting me out there’ was not an easy task. Still, I had the beautiful experience that ‘my’ topics can be the topics of others as well. I can say that dancing, writing, listening to myself and others has touched me deeply and supported my personal (healing) process.

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INFORMATIONS ON THE PROGRAM IN PEACE STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF INNSBRUCK – HOME OF THE MANY PEACES Native Challenge The Native Challenge is a well-established cooperation between the MA Program in Peace Studies at the University of Innsbruck and the Austrian Armed Forces. It is a one-week learning experience that is an integral part of every semester of the MA Program where students are trained in field-related aspects of peace and conflict work. The Austrian Armed Forces provides a learning frame by offering different lectures and handson training of field-related skills. The week ends with a 2-3 days simulation of a UN mission where students act as a UN field team in a simulated conflict area. Since summer 2012, alumni of the MA Program have worked together with the Austrian Armed Forces to provide additional civilian perspectives to the Native Challenge training. Alumni are in this context referred to as ‘roleplayers’ since they act as different characters in the simulated conflict. However, the alumni team is also an integral part of planning and coordination. Furthermore, the alumni component has gradually, in close cooperation with and with support from the Austrian Armed Forces, helped developed additional aspects to the simulation.

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THE EDITORIAL TEAM EDITORS IN CHIEF FOR THIS VOLUME MAYME LEFURGEY is a Ph.D. Candidate at Western University in Canada. She is an alumni of the MA for Peace Studies at the University of Innsbruck and the University for Peace in Costa Rica. She is currently pursuing a collaborative degree in Women’s Studies and Feminist Research & Transitional Justice and Post-Conflict Reconstruction. Her dissertation explores yoga as a method of elicitive peace work, examining community-driven rehabilitation and conflict transformation efforts. Mayme is currently engaged in a research fellowship with the non-profit research organization Dunna in Bogota, Colombia, where she is learning about alternative methods of facilitating peace and reconciliation. Contact: mayme.lefurgey@manypeaces.org

ISABELLE GUIBERT is a lecturer based in Innsbruck. She teaches languages (French, Spanish), peace studies and conflict transformation. As a facilitator, her deepest aspiration is to create a hospitable space for her students/ participants to connect to their self and discover their potentials. For years she has taken part in diverse projects in South America and Africa. Among her research interests are language(s); writing as a means of (self-)exploration and expression; trauma and memory. She studied at the universities of Nantes, Oxford and Innsbruck, and holds an MA in English studies and an MA in Peace Studies. Contact: isabelle.guibert@manypeaces.org

SECTION EDITORS – PEACE AND CONFLICT STUDIES RESEARCH THERESA GOTTSCHALL graduated in summer 2016 from the MA Program in Peace Studies at the University of Innsbruck. After finishing a Yoga Teacher Training Course in March 2016 in India and a training course in dance and expression pedagogy in November 2016, she currently takes part in the basic TaKeTiNa rhythm teacher training led by Reinhard Flatischler, the founder of this method. Additionally, she continues her academic career as a PhD student at the Universitat Jaume I. Her research focuses on the significance of TaKeTiNa as a method in peace and conflict work. Being a passionate traveler, she is currently based in Innsbruck. Contact: theresa.gottschall@manypeaces.org

ADVISORY EDITOR ADHAM HAMED is a faculty member and University Assistant in the field of political theory and history of political thought at the Department of Political Science as well as APPEAR Project Co-Coordinator at the Unit for Peace Studies at the University of Innsbruck. He holds a Master’s degree in Peace and Conflict Studies and studied at the University of Vienna, the United Nations mandated University for Peace and the University of Innsbruck. In 2016, he completed his second book project ‘Speaking the Unspeakable: Sounds of the Middle East Conflict’. In 2013 and 2014, he lived in Cairo where he edited the book ‘Revolution as a Process: The Case of the Egyptian Uprising’. Contact: adham.hamed@uibk.ac.at.

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ALEXA CUELLO MIEDZYBRODZKI is a child rights consultant focused on Latin America and currently working for SOS Children’s Villages International. She is also a board member of TIGRA, a Tirolean NGO committed to challenge everyday racism and discrimination in the society. Alexa has studied at the universities of Innsbruck, Jaume I Castellón and de la República in Montevideo. She holds a BA in Political Science and an MA in Peace Development, Security and International Conflict Transformation. Contact: alexa.cuello@manypeaces.org

COORDINATION – PUBLISHER PAUL LAUER is based in Graz and works as a consultant in the field of sustainability and diversity – currently facilitating seminars on Conflict Transformation for companies within the project div-in-co (diversity - inclusion – consulting, Caritas Steiermark). His research interests are focused on intrapersonal conflicts linked to social ecology. Contact: paul.lauer@manypeaces.org

COORDINATION – MANAGING EDITOR MANON ROELEVELD graduated in summer 2015 from the MA Program in Peace Studies at the University of Innsbruck. Currently based in Vienna, she worked at the International Peace Institute, volunteered with Don Bosco in the refugee camp Traiskirchen and with PROSA, organizing workshops with and for refugees. Additionally, she worked with a start-up NGO known as Switxboard which focuses on the development of different projects related to refugees. Since May 2016 she has been working as a doctoral program coordinator at the University of Vienna. Contact: manon.roeleveld@manypeaces.org

REVIEWING EDITORS RANA HAROUN graduated from the MA Program in Peace Studies at the University of Innsbruck in 2015. Since her graduation, she has been working in the U.S., coaching high school students from all walks of life with developing the skills and knowledge necessary to successfully plan their academic and professional future. Her thesis was supervised by Winfried Wagner. Contact: rana.haroun90@gmail.com

SHIBANI PANDYA was born and brought up in Mumbai, India, and is currently working at a crisis shelter for women experiencing domestic abuse in Singapore. She is passionate about promoting gender equality and combating rape culture. Her thesis explored the connection between rape culture and mythology, which she then further explored with the Singaporean community through her work at UN Women. She welcomes any other opportunities to redefine dominant cultural narratives that promote inequality. Contact: shibanipandya@gmail.com

VLAD TOMA is a graduate of the MA Program in Peace Studies at the University of Innsbruck. His passion lies in exploring consciousness and he is currently organizing the setup of a multi-disciplinary academic retreat centre in Nicaragua. Vlad’s thesis was centred on Mindfulness, Buddhism and the Perception of Reality. Vlad is based in Toronto, Canada, where he teaches tourism management and researches the evolution of socio-economic systems. Contact: vlad.toma@alumni.utoronto.ca

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ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE T

he Many Peaces Magazine was conceptualized and launched in 2014 by Adham Hamed, Mayme Lefurgey, Paul Lauer and Isabelle Guibert. It was created as an outlet to showcase the work of alumni, students, cooperation partners and friends of the Master of Arts Program in Peace, Development, Security and International Conflict Transformation and the UNESCO Chair for Peace Studies located at Universität Innsbruck, Austria. Our magazine is published twice a year, in January and July of each year. The Many Peaces Magazine team has changed and developed over the past volumes and is currently coordinated by a team spread out over three continents and features authors and stories from around the globe. Many of the articles, stories and contributions that can be found in the magazine relate to the field of Peace Studies in some way, but more specifically to the fields of Transrational Peace Philosophy and Elicitive Conflict Transformation. The UNESCO Chair for Peace Studies have outlined five main interpretations of peace in history and culture: energetic, moral, modern, postmodern and transrational peaces. The UNESCO Chair explains that, each of these types of peaces has a specific key value, “energetic peace privileges harmony, the moral interpretation emphasizes justice, the modern understanding of peace calls for security, and the postmodern approach deals with the question of truth(s)”. Lastly,

a transrational understanding of peace, combines all of the above in a holistic manner, both applying and appreciating the rationality of modern sciences while simultaneously transgressing its limits. Elicitive Conflict Transformation is understood to be the applied method of Transrational Peace Philosophy, as it “draws out, highlights, and catalyzes existing or communally held knowledge related to transforming conflicts between individuals, groups, and communities” as opposed to more prescriptive and top-down models of peacebuilding (UNESCO Chair for Peace Studies, 2017). More information on Transrational Peace Philosophy and Elicitive Conflict Transformation can be found here. The Many Peaces Magazine is founded on the idea that there are many peaces, many interpretations and expressions of what peace is, and our work seeks to embody the philosophies and theories of the UNESCO Chair for Peace Studies while showcasing the creative work of the students and alumni who have been a part of the MA for Peace Studies. Each volume has its own theme and rhythm and we invite you to explore the previous volumes of our magazine. If you are interested in partnering with us, sponsoring the magazine or contributing an article, artwork or advertising, please contact: magazine@manypeaces.org.

With the kind support of:

Imprint: PUBLISHER: Paul Lauer, Rettenberg 106, 8441 Fresing, Austria EDITORIAL: Alexa Cuello, Theresa Gottschall, Isabelle Guibert, Adham Hamed, Paul Lauer, Mayme Lefurgey and Manon Roeleveld REVIEWING EDITORS: Rana Haroun, Shibani Pandya and Vlad Toma LAYOUT: Paul Lauer COVERPICTURE: Tilly Sünkel MPM LOGO DESIGN: Paul Lauer and Sophie Friedel

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The Many Peaces Magazine is made possible by the financial support of cooperation partners, sponsors and donors. If you would like to support our project, please contact us: magazine@manypeaces.org

VOLUME 7 2018 - 01 “EDUCATION HAS ALWAYS BEEN A MORAL ENTERPRISE. ITS EXPLICIT GOAL IN MOST PARTS OF THE WORLD IS TO EDUCATE MORALLY AND ETHICALLY GROUNDED CITIZENS. EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS IS OFTEN SEEN AS A PSEUDO-MILITARY PROCESS THAT INSTILLS DISCIPLINE.” Hilary Cremin Page 6 “TODAY, I STILL SEE EDUCATION AS A WAY TO WALK TOGETHER THROUGH AN ENVIRONMENT THAT SUPPORTS AND CHALLENGES PERSPECTIVES, NOT AS A MORAL CONCEPT.” Matthias Scharpenberg

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“I LEARNED DURING THIS EXPERIENCE THAT, LIKE EVERY INDIVIDUAL, EVERY CULTURE HAS SHADOW AND LIGHT ASPECTS AND THAT IT IS IN THE ENCOUNTER WITH THE OTHER, THAT OUR COLLECTIVE AND INDIVIDUAL ASPECTS GET A CHANCE FOR BALANCE.” Julia Felder

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“PEOPLE TEND TO REACT, TO DO SOMETHING, ANYTHING, INSTEAD OF FIRST STOP, TAKE A MOMENT TO SIT DOWN AND ANALYSE THE CONTEXT AND WHAT HAS JUST HAPPENED.” Rodrigo Ayarza

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“PEACE WORK IS COMMUNITY HEALTH WORK. THEY’RE THE SAME WORK.” David Diamond

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“THE EXPERIENCES TAUGHT US THE HOLISTIC LESSON THAT PROFESSORS, PEACE EDUCATORS AT A UNIVERSITY, ARE BUT PROVIDERS OF PROVIDERS OF PROVIDERS.” Wolfgang Dietrich

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