Peace topic in the view of Peace topic in the view of youngstersyoungsters

Asist Prof Dr Ahmet KılınçAsist Prof Dr Ahmet Kılınç

This presentation would include six This presentation would include six mainmain

parts:parts:

*Conflict contexts*Conflict contexts**General pointsGeneral points**The role of cognitive developmentThe role of cognitive development**GenderGender**Drawings of childrenDrawings of children*Peace education*Peace education

Conflict contextsConflict contexts

Investigators of children’s Investigators of children’s understanding of peace, war, and understanding of peace, war, and violence have focused on children in violence have focused on children in three different conflict contexts:three different conflict contexts:

**in the presence of violent conflictin the presence of violent conflict**in the aftermath of violent conflictin the aftermath of violent conflict**in the absence of violent conflictin the absence of violent conflict

Sample for first group:Sample for first group:

Punamaki (1999), as cited in Souza Punamaki (1999), as cited in Souza et al (2006), argued that concept et al (2006), argued that concept formation is emotionally intense formation is emotionally intense process for children personally process for children personally suffering from violent political suffering from violent political conflict.conflict.

Samples for second group:Samples for second group:

• Hakvoort (1996) showed that concepts seemed Hakvoort (1996) showed that concepts seemed form long a developmental trajectory and that form long a developmental trajectory and that concept of war seemed to develop before the concept of war seemed to develop before the concept of peace. Even young children from 6 to concept of peace. Even young children from 6 to 8 years old are able to describe war.8 years old are able to describe war.

• Miljevic-Ridjicki and Lugomer-Armano (1994), as Miljevic-Ridjicki and Lugomer-Armano (1994), as cited in Walker et al (2008) asked two groups of cited in Walker et al (2008) asked two groups of preschoolers (refuges and non-refugee children) preschoolers (refuges and non-refugee children) about the war in Croatia. The non-refugee about the war in Croatia. The non-refugee children described war more generally, and like children described war more generally, and like older children of numerous other studies, they older children of numerous other studies, they primarily identified the objects and activities of primarily identified the objects and activities of war. The refugee children described war in more war. The refugee children described war in more personal terms, mentioning their experience of personal terms, mentioning their experience of war (e.g., destruction of their homes).war (e.g., destruction of their homes).

Sample for third group:Sample for third group:

Covell (1995) , as cited in Souza et al Covell (1995) , as cited in Souza et al (2006), studied the influence of cultural (2006), studied the influence of cultural ideology on political socialization and ideology on political socialization and concepts of war among US and Canadian concepts of war among US and Canadian children. She concluded that, in the children. She concluded that, in the absence of direct experience with war, absence of direct experience with war, political socialization, education, media, political socialization, education, media, and gender role expectations had the and gender role expectations had the greatest impact on children cultural and greatest impact on children cultural and moral values related to war, peace and moral values related to war, peace and violence.violence.

General pointsGeneral points

• Across many different cultural settings, children Across many different cultural settings, children base their views of peace on three thematic base their views of peace on three thematic components, for example, positive emotions at components, for example, positive emotions at an individual level as expressed by social an individual level as expressed by social activities such as positive interpersonal activities such as positive interpersonal interaction and relationships; the negation of war interaction and relationships; the negation of war activities at the macro level (absence of war, war activities at the macro level (absence of war, war activities, and hostility, quietness, stillness) and activities, and hostility, quietness, stillness) and the negation of war at a micro level (absence of the negation of war at a micro level (absence of quarrels, absence of quarrel activities) (Walker quarrels, absence of quarrel activities) (Walker et al, 2008)et al, 2008)

• Galtung (1969, 1985) described the two latter Galtung (1969, 1985) described the two latter themes, based on the absence of war, as themes, based on the absence of war, as ‘negative peace’. By contrast, ‘positive peace’ ‘negative peace’. By contrast, ‘positive peace’ was more of dynamic process of reconciliation was more of dynamic process of reconciliation aimed at the integration of and collaboration aimed at the integration of and collaboration between groups and nations. Oppenheimer between groups and nations. Oppenheimer (1995) attributed the degree of violence that was (1995) attributed the degree of violence that was acceptable in a society as influential in leading acceptable in a society as influential in leading children to understand peace as dependent on children to understand peace as dependent on the existence or non-existence of war. the existence or non-existence of war.

The role of cognitive The role of cognitive developmentdevelopment

Children form a concept of war prior to Children form a concept of war prior to forming one of peace, and early ideas about forming one of peace, and early ideas about peace are that it is negation of war (Hakvoort, peace are that it is negation of war (Hakvoort, 1996).1996).

Children’s concept of peace develop around Children’s concept of peace develop around the age of 7 years onwards. Similarly, Rodd the age of 7 years onwards. Similarly, Rodd (1985) found that the majority of the (1985) found that the majority of the Australian preshoolers in her study ‘could not Australian preshoolers in her study ‘could not give any definition’ of war. give any definition’ of war.

Young children emphasize concrete ideas, like Young children emphasize concrete ideas, like weapons and tanks, older children highlight weapons and tanks, older children highlight negative aspects and consequences of war, such negative aspects and consequences of war, such as torture, destruction (Hakvoort, 1996), human as torture, destruction (Hakvoort, 1996), human attitudes, conflicting interests, verbal aggression attitudes, conflicting interests, verbal aggression (Souza et al, 2006). This corresponds to cognitive (Souza et al, 2006). This corresponds to cognitive developments, moving from concrete mental developments, moving from concrete mental operations to abstract reasoning in Piagetian operations to abstract reasoning in Piagetian sense. In Piagetian perspective, it was expected sense. In Piagetian perspective, it was expected that as children matured, systematic qualitatitve that as children matured, systematic qualitatitve changes would take place in children’s thinking changes would take place in children’s thinking resulting in the development of more aresulting in the development of more abbstract stract concepts of peace that referred to human concepts of peace that referred to human attitudes and democratic process.attitudes and democratic process.

GenderGender

Girls mention more negative emotions and Girls mention more negative emotions and themes from personal life related to themes from personal life related to concepts of war, while boys stress conflicts concepts of war, while boys stress conflicts in distant nations (Hakvoort, 1996).in distant nations (Hakvoort, 1996).

Boys highlight concrete aspects when they Boys highlight concrete aspects when they talked about war and use more technical talked about war and use more technical categories, such as war activities, categories, such as war activities, weapons and soldiers. Girls gave more weapons and soldiers. Girls gave more answers focus on human well-being (Souza answers focus on human well-being (Souza et al, 2006).et al, 2006).

Young boys, but not young girls, also focus a great Young boys, but not young girls, also focus a great extent on guns, weapons, and soldiers. Toy guns extent on guns, weapons, and soldiers. Toy guns and battle games far more common among boys and battle games far more common among boys than girls, which account for the gender difference than girls, which account for the gender difference in this category. in this category.

Australian boys’ attitudes are more militaristic, Australian boys’ attitudes are more militaristic, while girls’ attitudes more pacific, and acceptance while girls’ attitudes more pacific, and acceptance of war is greater among children attending single-of war is greater among children attending single-sex boys’ and Private Protestant schools (Hall, sex boys’ and Private Protestant schools (Hall, 1993).1993).

More boys tend to be pro-war than girls (Garatti More boys tend to be pro-war than girls (Garatti and Rudnitski, 2007).and Rudnitski, 2007).

Drawings of childrenDrawings of children

Walker et al (2003) expressed that children Walker et al (2003) expressed that children included significantly more objects and included significantly more objects and more figures in their war drawings than in more figures in their war drawings than in their peace drawings. On the other hand, their peace drawings. On the other hand, most of the drawings include the theme of most of the drawings include the theme of fantasy. This situation stem from relying fantasy. This situation stem from relying less on imagination and more on exposure less on imagination and more on exposure to film and video games. to film and video games.

McLernon and Cairns (2001) noted that McLernon and Cairns (2001) noted that themes of nature and religion within themes of nature and religion within children images of peace, and concrete children images of peace, and concrete objects and activities in their images of war.objects and activities in their images of war.

Peace educationPeace education

• According to Johnson and Johnson, peace According to Johnson and Johnson, peace education is a key for establishing a consensual education is a key for establishing a consensual peace and maintaining it over time. In their peace and maintaining it over time. In their opinion, there are 5 essential elements in building opinion, there are 5 essential elements in building a lasting peace through education. First, a public a lasting peace through education. First, a public education system must be established that has education system must be established that has compulsory attendance for all children and youth, compulsory attendance for all children and youth, integrated so students from previously conflicting integrated so students from previously conflicting groups interact with one another and have the groups interact with one another and have the opportunity to build positive relationships with opportunity to build positive relationships with each other. Second, a sense of mutuality and each other. Second, a sense of mutuality and common fate needs to be established that common fate needs to be established that highlights mutual goals, the just distribution of highlights mutual goals, the just distribution of benefits from achieving the goals, and a common benefits from achieving the goals, and a common identity. In schools, this is primarily done through identity. In schools, this is primarily done through the use of cooperative learning. the use of cooperative learning.

Third, students must be taught the Third, students must be taught the constructive controversy procedure to ensure constructive controversy procedure to ensure they know how to make difficult decisions they know how to make difficult decisions and engage in political discourse. Fourth, and engage in political discourse. Fourth, students must be taught how to engage in students must be taught how to engage in integrative negotiations and peer mediation integrative negotiations and peer mediation to resolve their conflicts with each other to resolve their conflicts with each other constructively. Finally, civic values must be constructively. Finally, civic values must be inculcated that focus students on the long-inculcated that focus students on the long-term common good of society.term common good of society.

On the other hand, Turkish student On the other hand, Turkish student teachers also lay emphasis on the teachers also lay emphasis on the necessity of peace education in primary necessity of peace education in primary schools. They stated that peace schools. They stated that peace education is significant since it education is significant since it encourages values, such as social encourages values, such as social harmony, tolerance, global thinking, harmony, tolerance, global thinking, and individual development (Deveci et and individual development (Deveci et al, 2008). al, 2008).

Thank youThank you