ps 1a03 (2010/11) lecture 1: course overview & introduction

Monday January 3 2011Lecture 1: Introduction

PS 1A03: Introduction to Peace StudiesDr Colin Salter, Centre for Peace Studies, McMaster University

Introductionwelcome & overview I

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Introductions

Dr Colin Saltere: saltec@mcmaster.cat: (905) 525 9140 ext. 23722

Consultation:Monday 2:30-4:30 pmTogo Salmon Hall room 302

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Introductions

Shannon Buckleye: bucklesm@mcmaster.ca

Dona Geageae: geageadh@mcmaster.ca

Blake McCalle: mccalb2@mcmaster.ca

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Outline

• What is Peace Studies?

• Course assessment

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In this course we will look at the growing study and engagement with peace as both a vision for the future and a means to achieve it: a means and an end.

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What is Peace Studies

• Two different conceptions:

- Negative peace

- Positive peace

• Can it be both?

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Positive peace is more difficult to articulate, and perhaps more difficult to achieve, than negative peace.

David P. Barash (1991)

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Only peace in the positive sense can guarantee peace in the sense of non-war in the long run.

Erich Fromm (1981)

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I believe that the chances for peace are very slight. But I believe equally: as far as the life of the individual or of society are concerned one cannot calculate and talk in percentages but must act and plan just as long as there is a real possibility for it.

Erich Fromm (1981)

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Violence with a clear-subject-object relation is manifest because it is visible in action. It is personal because there are persons committing the violence.

Violence without subject-object relations is structural, built into structure.

Johan Galtung (1969)

Structural violence

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Disparities, disabilities, and deaths result when systems, institutions, policies or cultural beliefs meet some people’s human needs and human rights at the expense of others. Structural violence creates relationships that cause secondary violence to occur.

Lisa Schirch (2004)

Structural violence

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Cultural violence means those aspects of culture, the symbolic fear of our existence that can be used to justify or legitimise direct or structural violence.

Johan Galtung (1990)

Cultural violence

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A note on ‘objectivity’

• Neutral? • Ideological? • Subjective?

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Assessment structure

Assessment Format Length Due Date Weighting

1 Participationactive engagement in discussion

n/a weekly15%

(see notes)

2 Short Presentationmax 15 minutes

(see notes)10%

3 Commentary writing task 750 words January 24 15%

4Essay/dialogue plan

writing task 200 words +February

2810%

5 Essay/dialogue writing task 1500 words April 4 30%

6 Final exam formal exam see notesExam period

20%

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Attendance

Non-attendance will significantly impact on what you can learn from this course.

By not participating, you also detract from the ability of others to learn with you.

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- 0, 1 or 2 absences: no penalty

- 3 absences: 3% subtracted

- 4 absences: 6% subtracted

- 5+ absences: 9%+ subtracted

Attendance

If you miss more than 2 tutorials, marks will be subtracted from your final mark, as follows:

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McMaster email policy

The course instructor will only open emails sent from McMaster email addresses. Emails sent from any other email provider (e.g. Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo) will not be opened and will be deleted immediately. This policy protects confidentiality and confirms your identity.

This applies to TAs as well.

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Summary

• Means and ends

• Negative/positive peace

• Structural & Cultural violence

• Objectivity - subjectivity - neutrality

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Citations & further reading

David P. Barash (1991), Introduction to Peace Studies, California: Wadsworth Publishing. pp. 5-12 & 25-29.

Erich Fromm (1984), On disobedience and other essays, London: Routledge. pp. 133-48 (Chapter 10: On the Theory and Strategy of Peace).

Johan Galtung (1969) ‘VIolence, peace and peace research’, Journal of Peace Research, Vol. 6, No. 3. pp. 167-91.

Johan Galtung (1990) ‘Cultural violence’, Journal of Peace Research, Vol. 27, No.  3. pp. 291-305.

Lisa Schirch (2004) The Little Book of Strategic Peacebuilding, Good Books.

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Image sourcesPeace flag, original source unknown.

Marc Riboud. Jan Rose Kasmir, protest against the Vietnam War outside the Pentagon, Arlington County, Virginia, Saturday, 21 October 21, 1967 — http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Rose_Kasmir

Elisa Iannacone. As leaders of the G20 nations gathered in Toronto, Canada, protesters took to the streets [caption]. ‘G20 summit protests in Toronto : Your pictures’, BBC News, 27 June 2010 — http:// www.bbc.co.uk/news/10427404

‘The U.S. vs. John Lennon’ reproduced from Jürgen Fauth’s Muckworld — http://jurgenfauth.com/2007/02/14/the-us-vs-john-lennon/

Iceberg from Media for Peacebuilding — http://mediaforpeacebuilding.com/peace-media-2/1-peace-conflict-theory/

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