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This edited volume offers a bold reimagining of peace studies by placing practice and not just theory, at the center of academic inquiry. It challenges conventional disciplinary boundaries to spotlight peace as an active, lived process rather than a distant ideal. Engaging with the premise that transdisciplinary praxis is inherently countercultural, the volume draws on global, grounded case studies to confront some of the most entrenched narratives surrounding violence, justice, healing, and change.
From exploring the potential of singing and failure as tools for nonviolent transformation, to examining Gandhi's personal letters to Hitler, the chapters reflect a deep commitment to unsettling dominant militaristic discourses and offering creative, practical alternatives. Other contributions delve into pressing questions around environmental justice, politicized healing in the US legal system, peace education through history textbooks, and the symbolic power of photography and interfaith leadership in postcolonial contexts. The result is an anthology that refuses to see peace and violence as abstract concepts, instead treating them as embodied, contested, and dynamic forces.
A must-read for peace scholars, educators, and practitioners alike, this volume not only critiques the status quo but demonstrates how transdisciplinary methods can be used to reshape our understanding of justice, healing, and coexistence. Whether through reclaiming dignity, mobilizing collective strength, or confronting hate on campuses, each chapter underscores the urgent need to reframe peace as both a site of resistance and a roadmap for social transformation.
List of contents
Chapter 1: Killing Time: Environmental Crimes and the Restoration of the Future.- Chapter 2: Restoring Trust in the Self Through Failure: An exploration of Singing as Reflective Practice and its Role in Nonviolent Social Change.- Chapter 3: (Re)Claiming Human Dignity.- Chapter 4: Mobilising Shared Strengths for Collective Peacebuilding.- Chapter 5: Is an Oath to Hitler also an Oath to God? The Debate about Loyalty Oaths in Germany: 1934-45.- Chapter 6: Re-defining Justice and Creating Pathways for Healing: The Limits of the US Legal System and the Promise of Politicised Healing.- Chapter 7: Can Photography Restore Healing and Justice in Appalachia?.- Chapter 8: Young Peacebuilders as Architects of Knowledge: Challenging Traditional Paradigms.- Chapter 9: The National Chief Imam of Ghana: Religious Leadership Peacebuilding in an Emerging Democracy.- Chapter 10: Dear Friend : The Practice of Nonviolence in Gandhi s Letters to Hitler.- Chapter 11: Postcolonial Narrative as Peace Narrative? The Role of History Textbooks in Northern Ireland and India.- Chapter 12: Resistance and Repression Responding to Hate Groups on Campus.
About the author
Dr. Jeremy A. Rinker is the Associate Professor & Chair, Department of Peace and Conflict Studies, University of North Carolina Greensboro, USA. Jeremy’s recent publications include: Identity, Rights, and Awareness: Anticaste Activism in India and the Awakening of Justice through Discursive Practices (Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding in Asia) (Lexington) and Realizing Nonviolent Resilience: Neoliberalism, Societal Trauma, and Marginalized Voice (Conflict and Peace Series) (Peter Lang).
Summary
This edited volumeoffers a bold reimagining of peace studies by placing practice and not just theory, at the center of academic inquiry. It challenges conventional disciplinary boundaries to spotlight peace as an active, lived process rather than a distant ideal. Engaging with the premise that transdisciplinary praxis is inherently countercultural, the volume draws on global, grounded case studies to confront some of the most entrenched narratives surrounding violence, justice, healing, and change.
From exploring the potential of singing and failure as tools for nonviolent transformation, to examining Gandhi’s personal letters to Hitler, the chapters reflect a deep commitment to unsettling dominant militaristic discourses and offering creative, practical alternatives. Other contributions delve into pressing questions around environmental justice, politicized healing in the US legal system, peace education through history textbooks, and the symbolic power of photography and interfaith leadership in postcolonial contexts. The result is an anthology that refuses to see peace and violence as abstract concepts, instead treating them as embodied, contested, and dynamic forces.
A must-read for peace scholars, educators, and practitioners alike, this volume not only critiques the status quo but demonstrates how transdisciplinary methods can be used to reshape our understanding of justice, healing, and coexistence. Whether through reclaiming dignity, mobilizing collective strength, or confronting hate on campuses, each chapter underscores the urgent need to reframe peace as both a site of resistance and a roadmap for social transformation.
