Transformative education in conflict affected societies

Overview

UNESCO proposes dialogue and exchange as key dimensions of transformative education to support the building of peaceful, just, equal, equitable, inclusive, healthy and sustainable futures. Processes of peacebuilding in education are however fraught with difficulty, and evidence suggests that even when policy and legislation are seemingly conducive, it can be difficult for schools to tackle complex issues relating to identity, diversity and difference, sources of intergroup hostility and ‘othering’; and the power and equality dynamics that underpin them. 

This module explores the theory and practice underpinning transformative education in deeply divided societies, and drawing on ‘live’ examples from across the globe, highlights both the challenges entailed and evidence of best practice. 

Learning Objectives

Studying this module will enable students to: 
• Know and understand key theories and debates relating transformative education in ethnically plural and conflict affected societies.
• Understand the barriers to peace building through education and examples of best practice. 
• Understand how the concepts and issues covered in the module manifest in specific education contexts.

Skills

This module will allow students to develop the following skills: 
• Critical thinking in assessing and evaluating academic literature.
• Improve their own learning and performance, through the development of research skills and synthesis of evidence that will be required to undertake the presentation assignment. 
• Construct and communicate oral and written arguments.

Assessment

None