Transforming Conflict, Transformed Learning: Collaborative Peace Studies and Engagement in Innovative Practice

摘要

This paper analyses the experiences structures, methods and techniques involved in deploying advanced technologies to support learning in the field of peace studies, reconciliation and conflict transformation. The catalogue of conflict and violence that covers human history can seem long and depressing, especially in contexts of ongoing and semi-permanent warfare and ethnic violence in many disputed global communities. At local and community levels conflict, attack and prejudicial behaviours are commonplace. For every element of conflict there are equal numbers of individuals, groups, communities and agencies that intervene to mediate, facilitate, adjudicate, resolve or overcome crises. Peace-making and conflict resolution schemes have sometimes been extraordinarily successful. Issues and tools developed around reconciliation, peace, mediation, justice and conflict transformation have often achieved positive and enduring results. This produces challenges in designing and developing the courses, methods and techniques that can enable conflict transformation specialists and practitioners to be best equipped to deal with the many difficulties and obstacles that lie in the way of effective peace creation. The availability of ICT supported learning mechanisms has allowed the construction of novel and engaging courses that enable conflict resolution specialists to acquire the analytical, methodological and applied skills to make a significant impact in the zones in which they work.