Chapter 1: Holistic Understanding of Peace and Violence PDF

A HOLISTIC UNDERSTANDING OF PEACE AND VIOLENCE CHAPTER I  INTRODUCTION A new way of thinking about peace is so important today. The power of our own understanding and views of peace both as a condition and as a value cannot be underestimated. It is because our id...

A HOLISTIC UNDERSTANDING OF PEACE AND VIOLENCE CHAPTER I  INTRODUCTION A new way of thinking about peace is so important today. The power of our own understanding and views of peace both as a condition and as a value cannot be underestimated. It is because our ideas shape our feelings and our actions, as well as how we live and how we relate with others. For this reason, Fritjof Capra, in his widely acclaimed book, The Turning Point, has argued for the need for a change in thinking, about both concepts and values, as a necessary first step to solve our many problems today (Capra, 1982).  SECULAR VIEWS/CONCEPTS OF PEACE AND VIOLENCE Early secular writings on the subject of peace indicate that peace was defined as merely the absence of war or direct violence. (Hugo Grutius, 1625) The simplest and most widespread understanding of peace was that of absence of death and destruction as a result of war and physical direct violence, an understanding that was used as the initial point of departure in peace research (Thee, 1982). Raymond Aron defined peace narrowly as a condition of "more or less lasting suspension of violent modes of rivalry between political units". SECULAR VIEWS/CONCEPTS OF PEACE AND VIOLENCE  SECULAR VIEWS/CONCEPTS OF PEACE AND VIOLENCE Structural violence also led to death and suffering because of the conditions that resulted from it: extreme poverty, starvation, avoidable diseases, discrimination against minority groups and denial of human rights. In this connection, Johan Galtung, a renowned peace theorist and researcher, argues that structural violence occurs when the wealth of affluent nations, groups or individuals is based on the labor and the essential resources drawn from nations, groups and individuals who, as a consequence, are required to live diminished lives of deprivation (Monez, 1973). TOWARD A HOLISTIC CONCEPT OF PEACE AND VIOLENCE Over the past many years, peace workers have increasingly challenged this conventional view of peace and have declared that "peace is not simply a lack of war or nonviolence; peace means the eradication of all facets of injustice" (Cheng and Kurtz, 1998). Johan Galtung explains that peace is the absence of violence, not only personal or direct but also structural or indirect. Hence, he says peace is both the absence or personal/direct violence and the presence of social justice.  TYPES OF VIOLENCE Betty Reardon, a peace educator who has made significant contributions to the field, defines violence as "humanly inflicted harm". There are various forms of violence two of which are mentioned in the earlier discussion: physical or direct violence and structural violence. Other forms of violence are described in the conceptual map of violence that was done by Toh Swee-Hin and Virginia Cawagas (1987). Birgit Brock-Utne (1989) notes that direct violence can be catego- rized as organized or unorganized.  A CULTURE OF PEACE What is a culture of peace? The Declaration (UN, 1998) states that "a culture of peace is a set of values, attitudes, traditions, modes of behavior and ways of life that reflect and inspire: respect for life and for all human rights; rejection of violence in all its forms and commitment to the prevention of violent conflict by tackling their root causes through dialogue and negotiation; commitment to full participation in the process of equitably meeting the needs of present and future generations; promotion of the equal rights and opportunities of women and men; recognition of the right of everyone to freedom of expression, opinion and information; devotion to principles of freedom, justice, democracy, tolerance, solidarity, cooperation, pluralism, cultural diversity, dialogue and understanding between nations, between ethnic, religious, cultural and other groups, and between individuals. CULTURAL TRADITIONS WITH A BROAD CONCEPT OF PEACE The Greek concept of "irene" implies harmony and justice as well as the absence of physical violence. The Arabic "sala'am" and the Hebrew "shalom" embrace not only the absence of war but also well-being, wholeness, and harmony with one's self and also between individuals, within a community, and among nations. Shalom" also means love, full health, prosperity, redistribution of goods and reconciliation. The Sanskrit concept of "shanti" refers not only to spiritual content- ment but also to peace of mind, peace of the earth, peace underneath the seas, peace in outer space-truly a cosmic view of peace. CULTURAL TRADITIONS WITH A BROAD CONCEPT OF PEACE The Chinese "ping" implies harmony, achieving a unity out of diversity, comparable to the ancient Chinese concept of integrating seemingly opposed ele- ments as represented in the principles of yin and yang (Barash, 1999). It can be said that a holistic understanding of peace has been derived, on one hand, from a critical and practical analysis of what the yearning for a durable peace really demands (that is, it demands both the rejection of violence and the pursuit of certain positive conditions.). At the same time, the holistic view is also derived from certain ethical, cultural and historical roots that have influenced today's peace thinking. THANK YOU