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Solon Simmons explores one of the central assumptions of a science of conflict analysis and resolution that the more escalated and deeply entrenched a conflict is, the more tightly bound it is likely to be in rival moral projects — projects that draw their energy from symbolic conceptions of injustice based on divergent political visions and traditions. The author uses data from the long standing public affairs television program, Meet the Press, and takes up the question of how movements to combat structural and cultural violence have shifted in their moral focus over the post World War II period. Where once the movements to combat racism, discrimination and segregation depended on arguments previously developed in support of the labor movement, today the converse is true. Analysis of the Meet the Press archive demonstrates that there has been a shift in moral focus in the United States from injustices associated with “class” to those associated with “culture.” The author shows how opinion leaders and policy makers in the lead-up to the landmark Civil Rights Act justified their actions by reference to movements for social justice characteristic of the New Deal era. Later when public sector unions were under assault in places like Madison, Wisconsin, arguments and images of the Civil Rights era served as a performative model in the struggle for labor rights. Simply put, where once it was possible to invoke class to combat cultural violence, now it is necessary to invoke culture to combat structural violence in the United States. This evolution in the interpretation of domestic conflict has broad implications for the study of political conflict in the United States in particular and in liberal societies more generally.
Forming a Culture of Peace addresses the formation of the culture of peace by challenging the discourses, narrative frames, and systems of values and beliefs that support and promote violence and conflict, defining new comprehensive approaches to human security. Korostelina provides the conceptual frameworks and methods for enhancing the processes of communicating peace in international relations, intra-national conflicts, peace education, and peacebuilding. This book concentrates on the positive experiences and challenges of redefinition of conflict-based discourses and moral frames, re-humanization of former enemies, reframing narratives of intergroup relations, equity, and justice and offers valuable information as to the role of peace culture in conflict and post-conflict societies.
Review
"This excellent collection of insightful chapters reveals the multiple ways that values, beliefs and practiceswhich are supportive of peace, justice, and equality, are socially communicated. The varied, empirically-grounded analyses demonstrate how many social levels should be, and often are, engaged in forming a culture of peace." - Louis Kriesberg, Professor Emeritus of Sociology, Maxwell Professor Emeritus of Social Conflict Studies, Founding Director, Program on the Analysis and Resolution of Conflicts, Syracuse University
"Karina V. Korostelina has gathered some important authors in the field to focus attention on the ways in which different discourses, narrative frames, and systems of values and beliefs support and promote violence and conflict and how these might be challenged by different ways of framing and communicating peace. The authors highlight the malign effects of negative enemy imaging and explore how different frames/discourses can be developed that will generate more positive alternatives for societies, nations, and a global system seeking to live in harmony in a rapidly shrinking world. What is particularly welcome is the stress on injustice and inequality and the need to rethink what sorts of discourse will most advance more just and equal communities. This is a must-read for anyone interested in the nuts and bolts of building a culture of peace in a world still depressingly addicted to violence and war.' - Kevin P. Clements, professor and director, National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, the University of Otago
"Any readers who thought of the 'Culture of Peace' as a soft concept – beware - this book will change your mind. Korostelina and her colleagues have developed the implications of the concept, nailed down its implementation for freedom, justice, and equality work, and, as a bonus, have looked at the communications strategies that can effectively market the work - a need that is too often forgotten." - Mari Fitzduff, professor, Masters Program in Coexistence and Conflict, Brandeis University
Contents
PART I: DEFINING DISCOURSES OF PEACE
- Reframing Public Discourses for Peace and Justice; M.Karlberg
- The 'New' Rhetoric: Keeping Time in the Communication of Peacebuilding; R.Hart
- Toward Popular Discourses of Peace; R.Rubenstein
- Promoting Culture of Peace through History Education; K.V.Korostelina
- Becoming a Peacemaker: Personal Discourses of Peace and Violence; M.Gopin
PART II: COMMUNICATING PEACE
- The Discursive Construction of Global Poverty: Social Justice in Patterns of Reporting; M.Milner
- Civil Identity and Communicative Practice: the Rhetoric of Liberty in the United States; S.Simmons
- Conflict Prevention, Reconciliation and Mass Media Framing; B.Bahador
- Why Can't You Sell Peace Like You Sell Soap? Social Marketing: An Approach to Communication for Peace in Aceh; V.Rish
- The Importance of Communication in Civil-Society Peace Building. An Example Taken from the Field; H.Neumann& M.Emmer
