Diane Bretherton

Community resilience in natural disasters

Introduction Indonesia D.Pelupessy, D.Bretherton & A.Ride Pakistan A.Bedar, D.Bretherton & A.Ride Solomon Islands A.Ride & D.Bretherton Kenya S.Knoll, V.Roos, D.Bretherton & A.Ride Myanmar W.Poussard & J.Hayter Community Resilience in Natural Disasters D.Bretherton & A.Ride

Peace Psychology in Australia

Peace psychology in Australia has been influenced by the history of colonization. Before the first fleet arrived from Britain the continent was occupied by a number of Indigenous nations, each with its own territory, language, and culture. The Indigenous people saw themselves not as owners of the land, but rather as custodians born from the land in order to be able to care for it. The creation of the land and its unique plants and animals occurred during the dreamtime, a mystic space which is eternal. Travel through the land of other nations was made possible through knowledge of the stories and songs of the people. In Aboriginal culture the possession of knowledge was of great importance and there are still rules as to who is permitted access to knowledge of particular rituals, sacred sites, and customs. Keywords: peace; psychology; Australia; aboriginal; conflict resolution; reconciliation

Developing a peace education curriculum for Vietnamese primary schools: A case study of participatory action research in cross-cultural design

In 2003, the International Conflict Resolution Centre at the University of Melbourne, Australia, produced a primary school teaching manual for UNESCO Vietnam. The finished manual included lesson plans and materials for a five year, 50 lesson peace education course. The manual is one of the first examples of a systematic core national curriculum in peace education worldwide. Development of the Teaching Manual posed a number of challenges including differences in language, culture, government and education system. To meet these challenges, a participatory action research approach was central in the projects development and curriculum design. This case study is offered as a model for effective cross-cultural curriculum development of peace education materials. In particular, the use of games and reflective materials and the use of UNESCOs peace keys are outlined as innovative outcomes of the project.

The Imbalance Between Knowledge Paradigms of North and South: Implications for Peace Psychology

Peace psychology is sensitive to geopolitical context. Given that much of the development of peace psychology has been in the global North, holding the Symposium on the Contributions of Psychology to Peace in South Africa provided an opportunity to explore different paradigms underlying approaches in different spaces and places. Systems of knowledge making (epistemologies) and of the way we construct reality (ontologies) are not only culturally bound in time and space, but are also embedded in power relations. We recognise that it is something of an over-simplification to cluster the diverse forms of peace psychology under the simple polarities of North and South as the reality is more complex and nuanced. However, the dichotomy provides a dialectical starting point. After exploring the basic categories of North and South, we analyse some of the underlying reasons for differences in approach, assess the current situation, and discuss some of the issues facing peace psychology as an emerging discipline as it moves forward. Extant tensions include differences in language, different epistemological approaches to research and data collection, educational systems, and the effect of economic differences in limiting opportunities for participation. Our aim as peace psychologists should be to develop an inclusive approach that acknowledges and incorporates an ecology of knowledge. Awareness of the privileged position occupied by many psychologists is important so that there can be an openness to different epistemologies. The chapter emphasises the importance of self-knowledge as an integral part of peace psychology. Moreover, critical reflection should be accorded a genuine space within our discipline. Finally, we will discuss visions for the future of peace psychology in a rapidly changing world.

Introduction: Methodologies in Peace Psychology

This first chapter introduces the book and its structure. This is the first book focusing specifically on research methods in the emerging field of peace psychology. Many of these methods are not new, but are rather applications from the parent discipline of psychology. There is an extensive body of work describing the methods of research in psychology and this volume builds on this base to highlight some of the peaceful aspects of these research processes as well as introducing some new ideas and strategies. The volume contextualizes peace psychology and its research in the peaceful values and principles that underpin its endeavors. The aim is to understand, deconstruct, and reconstruct some of the mainstream and taken for granted methodologies and tools used by psychologists. We examine whether some of these methodologies can be both effective and peaceful when applied in different cultural and political contexts and explore alternative approaches to psychological research that promotes peace. In inviting authors to contribute to the book we aim to have a balanced representation of gender, geographical regions, and schools of thought.

Disaster, Mental Health, and Community Resilience: Lessons from the Field in Aceh Province, Indonesia

The mental health burden of a disaster is immediately apparent and remains for a considerable period of time. Focusing on Aceh, Indonesia, where a large-scale natural disaster washed over a landscape marred by a protracted conflict, this chapter discusses some lessons about community resilience in the face of natural disaster. This chapter draws on field experience and presents two studies, one quantitative and one qualitative, in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. It draws out some lessons about psychosocial intervention and the provision of aid, and considers how aid can help without undermining local capacities and resilience. We conclude that a “cookie-cutter” model of intervention in disasters is not effective. Beside ongoing response and provision of mental health services, an effective response to disaster needs flexibility in adapting to local context. This can be achieved through the inclusion of local systems and the strengthening of service channels. Partnerships between local and national and international organizations enable a response, which is “with” rather than “for” the people who need the assistance.

Conclusion: Community resilience in natural disasters

Looking back on the experience, the story was the modern age’s typical natural disaster. The causes were part natural (the disaster) and part human (poor infrastructure and planning) in the large city. When the disaster struck, it was the poor people living in the most vulnerable low-lying areas who were most likely to lose everything and least likely to have the resources to escape. When people responded, it was as groups of families trying to save themselves, then groups of volunteers with transport who went out to rescue strangers. But the government, army, and outside agencies took actions to impose control, not resilience, in the local population— they restricted movement, created relief camps, and then left people waiting and dependent.

How can social movements transform societies? Developing a guide for practice

The articles in this special issue provide comparative case studies of social movements from a range of different nations, with different levels of peace and conflict, operating at different levels of the human ecology. This commentary focuses on the practical implications that flow from this comparison. The conceptual elements, that is the researchers’ understanding of what a social movement is and the fundamental task of transforming direct, structural and cultural violence are analyzed. Then a synthesis of the findings is organized under the rubric of action research, to show step by step how a social movement might be designed. This is a positive approach to change but the need to also engage with the difficult issues is highlighted in a discussion of handling violence at demonstrations. Finally the implications of the findings for practice are discussed. The evidence suggests a paradigm shift: Rather than simply taking a stand against something the new social movement aims to coconstruct a positive alternative vision, a view of what the movement stands for (and models in its own functions). This is a more difficult task than simple opposition, but lays the foundation for a sustainable and resilient social movement that can take effective and constructive political action as it gains support and power. The conclusion is that the special issue, despite some methodological limitations, provides empirical evidence to support an approach to building social movements that is constructive and grounded in respectful relationships between individuals, groups, and society.

Discussing conflict in contemporary China

Abstract The research suggests there is a gap in the peace studies and conflict resolution literature, with little representation or understanding of Chinese perspectives. In a project to address this gap, the researchers conducted interviews individually with 30 participants identified as ‘ emerging leaders’, who came from diverse universities and parts of the Peoples’ Republic of China. This paper reports on the language used by young emerging leaders to talk about conflict, the main concepts that were discussed and what meanings may be communicated in the context of contemporary China. The research method was developed in collaboration with Chinese academics, was elicitive and dialogic, used context-grounded vignettes of conflict scenarios and aimed to build a foundation for deepening dialogue and engagement. The findings are important theoretically for a more inclusive peace and conflict studies literature and have practical implications for the way in which relationships with China may best be approached.

Conclusion: Peaceful Research by Peaceful Means

This chapter reviews the findings of the volume. It shows how peace psychology emerged from the parent discipline of psychology, and attention is drawn to the scientific and ethical limitations of accepting the disciplinary boundaries. Future developments in peace psychology may occur as part of interdisciplinary peace research. Extending research to wider and more diverse populations will necessitate using a variety of methods, including postcolonial approaches, participatory and workshop methods, using the arts and technological innovation. Through the use of workshop methods and negotiation skills in research, the relationship between research and practice can be tightened. Recommendations from the chapter authors include using integrated designs to study systems, collecting macrosystem level data (both quantitative and qualitative) as well as individual and group data, strengthening the role of peace psychology in the international realm and writing with impact in diverse forums. The need to develop more complex statistical models to measure cycles of violence, conflict and peace and the complexities of social interaction are discussed.