Introduction

welcome & overview I

Monday January 3 2011

Lecture 1: Introduction

PS 1A03: Introduction to Peace Studies

Dr Colin Salter, Centre for Peace Studies, McMaster University

1
 Introductions

Dr Colin Salter
e: saltec@mcmaster.ca
t: (905) 525 9140 ext. 23722

Consultation:
Monday 2:30-4:30 pm
Togo Salmon Hall room 302

2
 Introductions

Shannon Buckley
e: bucklesm@mcmaster.ca

Dona Geagea
e: geageadh@mcmaster.ca

Blake McCall
e: mccalb2@mcmaster.ca

3
 Outline

• What is Peace Studies?

• Course assessment

4
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.

5
 What is Peace Studies

• Two different conceptions:

- Negative peace

- Positive peace

• Can it be both?

6
Positive peace is more difficult to articulate, and
perhaps more difficult to achieve, than negative peace.
David P. Barash (1991)

7
Only peace in the positive sense can guarantee peace in
the sense of non-war in the long run.
Erich Fromm (1981)

8
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)

9
 Structural violence

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)

10
 Structural violence

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)

11
 Cultural violence

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)

12
13
 A note on ‘objectivity’

• Neutral? • Ideological? • Subjective?

14
 Assessment structure
Assessment Format Length Due Date Weighting
active engagement in 15%
1 Participation n/a weekly
discussion (see notes)
max 15
2 Short Presentation minutes 10%
(see notes)
3 Commentary writing task 750 words January 24 15%
Essay/dialogue February
4 writing task 200 words + 10%
plan 28
5 Essay/dialogue writing task 1500 words April 4 30%
Exam
6 Final exam formal exam see notes 20%
period

15
 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.

16
 Attendance
If you miss more than 2 tutorials, marks will be
subtracted from your final mark, as follows:

- 0, 1 or 2 absences: no penalty
- 3 absences: 3% subtracted
- 4 absences: 6% subtracted
- 5+ absences: 9%+ subtracted

17
 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.

18
 Summary

• Means and ends • Structural & Cultural

violence
• Negative/positive
peace • Objectivity -
subjectivity - neutrality

19
 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.

20
 Image sources
Peace 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/

21