Introduction to Peace

Studies
Table of Contents:
Peace
Israel Palestine
Otherness
Peacemaker
Give Me Love
Peacekeeping Case Study:
The Congo
International Peace Day
Peace in Christianity
Peace in Buddhism
Mindfulness Meditation
Peace Mantra

T. Kathy

Why are Peace and Conflict

Important?
Conflict is often based on the uneven allocation of natural

resources between different ethnic and cultural groups.

Arguments over water, timber, and oil rights, especially in
countries facing extreme poverty, have led to armed conflict. 4
This armed conflict in turn leads to environmental degradation
and the disruption of economic activity, which leads to further
poverty.

Until lasting peace is achieved, the most vulnerable people and

their environments will suffer. Former U.K. Secretary of State
for International Development Douglas Alexander said, "We
need to see more action to tackle and prevent conflict because
conflict not only ruins lives it chokes development.

What is Peace?
Vocabulary:
1. supreme-
the supreme commander of the armed forces
the Supreme Court

2. Pacifists
The pacifist movement is gaining increasing support among
young people.

Vocabulary:

3. harmony

racial harmony (= good feelings between different races)

domestic harmony (= good feelings in the family or home)
Imagine a society in which everyone lived together in (perfect) harmony.

We must ensure that tourism develops in harmony with the environment.

4. endowed with
Some lucky people are endowed with both brains and beauty.

Sardinia is generously endowed with prehistoric sites.

Read What is Peace? By R.J.

Rummel
1. What is peace? Peace is the socially constructed

(active peace) absence of war (passive peace) and just

balance of powers.
2. Why is peace so difficult to define?
Peace is internal and external
Peace is active and passive
Peace is framed by different perspectives,
perceptions of reality; ie. Religion, history,
assumptions on violence (passivist, fascist), etc.

Case Study: Israel-Palestine

Watch the short video Israel and Palestinian Introduction

Play the free online game Peacemaker (Download)
Simulation: Divide class into Israel Palestine Role play
Using the information provided in the Simulation Handout, students
will imagine themselves to be one of the characters listed.
In character, and working in groups, students will
simulate a conversation that would be held
around the table, in each family setting.

From September 2000 to the end of 2014:

1,195 Israelis and at least 9,128
Palestinians have been killed.

Lll

Family One: A Palestinian home

Ahmed: A young Palestinian boy about 12 or 13. Deeply religious, he believes that

if he is martyred, he will go directly to heaven. Since he was a baby, he has been

told that the Israelis are evil. He has seen the rioting and would like to join in.
Miriam: The older sister of Ahmed. She was to be married, but her fiancee was
killed in a riot by Israeli soldiers. She considers herself to be a widow. She is very
angry and bitter towards the Israelis.
Abdullah: The oldest son of Muhammed. He is a member of the Al Fatah. He is
deeply religious, and has committed terrorist acts towards Israelis. He is wanted by
the Israeli police.
Muhammed: The father of Abdullah, Miriam, Mustafa and Ahmed. He was born and
grew up in the refugee camp. His father was killed in the 1949 war with Israel and
his family home burnt down. He does not want his children involved with the
demonstrations. He too is very religious.
Serapin: Mother of Ahmed. She is troubled by the violence and does not want any
of her children hurt. She wants to move to America where her brother lives and is
prospering.

Family Two: An Israeli home

David Rothberg: An 18 year old Israeli citizen. Currently serving in the Israeli

army, he believes all Arabs want to destroy Israel. He is not very religious, but
he is very proud to be an Israeli soldier. He has never been in any of the rioting.
He has just been assigned to riot duty in the Gaza strip.
Ben Rothberg: David's father. Born in Israel, his parents were both survivors
of the Holocaust. He is a true believer in the country of Israel as a Jewish state.
Deeply religious, he has been trained as a Rabbi. He runs a small grocery store
and his employees are all Arabs. He always complains about how lazy they are,
yet he pays only the minimum allowed by law.
Sarah: Mother of David. Immigrated from the United States. She hates the
violence. She is afraid for her son and wishes he had a safe job. Not very
religious, she mostly goes along with whatever Ben says. Her American
upbringing and ideas conflict with those of Ben and her neighbors.
Judith: Younger sister of David. She worships him but doesn't want him to
know. She is planning on following him into the army when she is old enough.
She is extremely bright and could go to the University if she wants to.
Mariam: David's girlfriend. She was raised on a kibbutz and her parents were
killed in a terrorist attack. She professes to hate all Arabs. She says she is glad

Otherness

being or feeling different in appearance or character

from what is familiar, expected or generally accepted
In the film, he is able to depict the sense of
otherness and alienation that many teenagers feel.

Otherness Vocabulary:

1. condemn- to criticize something or someone strongly, usually for moral reasons

The terrorist action has been condemned as an act of barbarism and cowardice.

The film was condemned for its sexism.

2. extensive- covering a large area; having a great range
a school with extensive grounds
extensive repairs to the motorway
3. perpetrator- someone who has committed a crime, or a violent or harmful act

The perpetrators of the massacre must be brought to justice as war criminals.

4. normalize- make normal

5. Tolerant accepting
The present government is even less tolerant of dissent.
On the continent people are more tolerant of children in public places.

Otherness vocabulary
6. Progressive- developing
7. Diverse- different
8. faiths-religions
9. random act of violence
10. Dehumanize-to remove from a person the special human qualities of
independent thought, feeling for other people, etc.
It's a totalitarian regime that reduces and dehumanizes its population.

11. Portray- represent

12. perceive-to come to an opinion about something, or have a belief
about something
How do the French perceive the British?
Women's magazines are often perceived to be superficial.

Read, Time to Eliminate Otherness (abridged here )

BACKGROUND: It is about a recent shooting of 3 Muslim
students at an American University. The shooting was covered
by newspapers all over the world, but their late coverage was
condemned. Would the incident have received faster and
more extensive media coverage if the victims had been nonMuslims and the perpetrator had been Muslim? TheTwitter
hashtag #ChapelHillShooting appeared over 900,000 times
and trended in the United States, the United Kingdom, Egypt,
Saudi Arabia and several other countries. The hashtag
#MuslimLivesMatter was used over 100,000 times.
Watch, Chapel Shooting Interview CNN

Reading Questions
1. What is Otherness?
2. How does the author say Otherness is constructed?
3. If Otherness in America is anyone who is not the white

male portrayed heavily in media and mass entertainment,

than who falls into the category of Other in America?
3. Why are minority students afraid in this article?
4. What does Otherness in Taiwan look like?
5. How does Otherness influence conflict and social injustice?

Interview with a Peacemaker: Read, Angel of Peace Interview

1. According to Louise, what do peace builders do?

2. How did she prepare herself to be a peacemaker?

3. How do people after a war relate to each other in the beginning of the healing
process?

4. How does standing for peace require more bravery and courage than fighting as a
soldier?

5. How can the culture of violence be changed?

6. Is the Peace Company an NGO? Why or why not?

Music, Give me Love

Learn the song and sing
along:

Give me love
Give me love
Give me peace on earth
Give me light
IGive
might understand
you
me life
Keep me free from birth
Give me hope
Help me cope, with this
heavy load
Trying to, touch and reach
you with,
Heart and soul
Please take hold of my
hand, that

Cope= to deal successfully

with a difficult situation

It must be difficult to cope

with three small children and
a job.

The tires on my car don't cope

very well on wet roads.

He had so much pressure on

him in his job that eventually
he just couldn't cope.

Peacekeeping Case Study: The Congo

Watch the 2 videos Can the UN Keep Peace? And
To solve mass violence, look to locals
1. What are the different perspectives on peace keeping?
2. What are some of the problems of the UNs effectiveness?
3. How can the UN be more affective?
4. Explain the difference between top down and bottom-up
approach to peace building.

Happy International Day of Peace- Peace Begins with Me

What does my personal faith, religion

or spiritual background teach about cultivating inner peace?
How can a peaceful individual, lead to a peaceful world?
What must I do personally to manage stress and maintain

inner peace?
What does Buddhism, Taoism, Christianity teach about peace?

(see blog)

Christian Views on Peace

In Christianity peace is personified in the person of Jesus. He is
called "The Prince of Peace." The believer has access to inner
peace thru their faith of Christ living within them.
The first selection is often read at Christmas or sung in carols.
1. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the
government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name is called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Father of Eternity, Prince of
Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

The Personification of Peace in Christianity

Dont fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape

your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know
it, a sense of Gods wholeness, everything coming together for good, will
come and settle you down. Its wonderful what happens when Christ
displaces worry at the center of your life. (Philippians 4: 6-7)
6
7
May the Master of Peace himself give you the gift of getting along with each
other at all times, in all ways. May the Master be truly among you! (2
Thessalonians 3: 16)

Im leaving you well and whole. Thats my parting gift to you. Peace. I dont
leave you the way youre used to being leftfeeling abandoned, bereft. So
dont be upset. Dont be distraught. (John 14:27)

Peace in Buddhism

Taoism and Confucianism

As for Taoism, (my limited understanding) is that inner peace
manifests from the harmonious balance of yin and yang which are
found in everything, the food we eat, weather, emotions, the
placement of furniture, the season, the organs in our body, etc.
In Confucianism, being virtuous and knowing our place in society
and the family, leads to a harmonious family life and community.

Interfaith Mindfulness Meditation

What Christianity and Buddhism do share is that the
present moment is where the peace of God is, not
worrying about the past or future. The biggest
difference is Buddhists believe peace comes from
mastering oneself and Christians believe Christ in
them is their master.
Lets all give 5 minutes of our time quieting our minds
with this short meditation.

Peace Mantra
Listen to Tina Turner chant a peace mantra in Sanskrit. This

mantra in Sanskrit means, "May well-being, peace, wholeness

and tranquility, happiness and prosperity be achieved by all.
Mantra:
Om Om Om,
Sarvesham Svastir Bhavatu,
Sarvesham Shantir Bhavatu,
Sarvesham Poornam Bhavatu,
Sarvesham Mangalam Bhavatu,
Om, Shanti, Shanti, Shanti.