ARENA PUBLISHERS 

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In this peace education book - “developments” in the plural form – is inspired by the Swedish social scientist Gunnar Myrdal when he – in criticizing dominant thought in economics in the 60ies - described development as an upward movement of qualities of value in a society and in the world. This book considers peace as a value. According to Johan Galtung`s recent theory, peace is built through upward movements of equity and empathy as well as processes of healing of past and present traumas combined with nonviolent conflict transformation. These peace qualities can be investigated in all places and times ranging from everyday life to the global level. It is argued that educational energy from below and political energy from above tend to seek harmony – even in contexts of strong antagonism between cultures and structures. This dynamism can be reflected in criticism of and struggles against problematic contextual conditions as well as in constructive ideas and plans for how those conditions can be changed. The cultural voice of education is therefore of political relevance pointing towards the need for transformation of problematic – sometimes violent – contextual conditions. In case such circumstances prevail, pedagogic activity may respond by adapting to the status quo – or resist. If such resistance is not possible within formal education, it is always possible (to varying degrees of difficulty and danger) in informal and/or non-formal education. In Part 1 it is argued that education in developments towards more peace is a topic of transdisciplinary magnitude. It comprises contents ranging from dyadic relations (and even inner peace) to the overwhelming structures on the global level. Micro cultural qualities meet qualities in global structures and their relations are decisive in the creation of more peace developments - involving actors from individuals to nation states and global corporations as well as organizations at any level/time. Chapters 1 through 3 introduce theoretical perspectives on education in developments towards peace in which the complexities of its substance not only pose the question of what is to be regarded as valid content, but also how contents relate to varying communication forms and differing contextual conditions. Dialectical relations among contents, forms and contextual conditions are central in transdisciplinary methodologies - embryonic roots of which are found in peace education initiatives as exemplified in the struggle against South African apartheid, Borrelli´s social work among street children in Naples and Nomura´s lifelong integrated education originating in Japan (chapter 4).In Part 2 it is argued that the understanding of relations between micro and macro requires respect for multiple epistemologies rooted in peoples´ life worlds when seeking their participation in developments towards more peace. Life worlds portrayed in novels written by young South African authors serve as examples of how people relate to each other in the transformation from apartheid to democracy (chapters 5 and 6). Chapter 7 highlights the roots of present constitutive rules inherited from past empires and chapter 8 discusses how social science is still characterized by multi-paradigmatic tensions in its understanding of power and knowledge.Part 3 deals with educational policy and methodologies. Chapter 9 presents an educational policy-making framework for participation, democracy and nonviolent civic resistance in Latin American circumstances. Chapter 10 discusses issues of transnational and neoliberalist policymaking in education furthered by OECD and the last chapter revisits peace learning methodology in light of Johan Galtung`s theory of peace.

It is argued in this book that educational energy from below and political energy from above tend to seek harmony. This dynamism is reflected in criticism of problematic contextual conditions as well as in constructive ideas and plans for how those conditions can be changed. The cultural voice of education is therefore of political relevance pointing towards the need for transformation of problematic – sometimes violent – contextual conditions. In case such conditions prevail, pedagogic activity may respond by adapting to the status quo – or resist. Whether culture is forced to adapt to structures or vice versa is a matter of power and control and to what degree education – formal, informal and non-formal – is independent or dependent upon what kind of political authorities. It is argued that in any kind of political context, pedagogic work is seen as relevant in the quest for transformation towards more peaceful and non-violent contextual conditions. Education towards non-violent conflict transformations in opposition to political authorities is quite a different challenge from practicing such education with the support from dominant power (Shaker Publishing, Maastrict, 2010, 286 pages)

El lector podría preguntarse por qué un noruego quiere compartir sus ideas,

pensamientos y reflexiones sobre educación con lectores del mundo

hispanoparlante.Resumiré mi respuesta a esta pregunta mediante tres argumentos. 

Primero, que la experiencia de trabajar con educadores y profesores de todas partes del mundo – incluídos colegas y amigos de América Latina y España – ha sido inspiradora y gratificante.

Segundo, que esta experiencia internacional estuvo siempre vinculada a una

sólida socialización dentro de un contexto socio-cultural específico en una pequeña comunidad agraria, localizada en un valle montañoso en el sur de Noruega. Siendo el menor de siete hermanos – solo la mayor era mujer – las condiciones contextuales de mi aprendizaje incluyeron una perspectiva cristiano-luterana en una familia de agricultores, tratando de sobrevivir año tras año mediante el cultivo intensivo de una pequeña granja, lo que requería traslados estacionales hacia otra vivienda en verano durante aproximadamente tres meses del año – granja localizada a treinta kilómetros y únicamente accesible a través de un angosto camino de montaña. Sólo las gallinas, el gato, los niños pequeños y los mayores disfrutaban de la comodidad de viajar sentados sobre las cajas ubicadas en el carro traccionado por caballos - desde y hacia la granja.

Los cerdos, las vacas, las cabras, las ovejas y por supuesto nuestro perro

Hektor, tenían que caminar o correr durante todo el trayecto guiados por uno de mis hermanos mayores.

La granja en la montaña no tenía electricidad y el agua debía ser recogida

directamente de un pozo. Esta relación tan cercana con la naturaleza, con los animales y con tantos miembros de una familia numerosa en una comunidad de entretejido cerrado contribuyó a terminar de formar una identidad que resultó útil en encuentros posteriores con otras identidades y otros contextos.

Es como si esos aprendizajes básicos en aquellos años tempranos de mi vida

hayan sobrevivido en todos los contextos en que luego me he encontrado desde

entonces.

Tercero - y como se hará cada vez más claro en los capítulos siguientes – es

evidente la influencia del gran latinoamericano Paulo Freire sobre mi formación y sobre el contenido de este libro. Sus ideas educativas son particularmente

relevantes en los que se refiere a cómo la educación puede contribuír en la

conformación de una sociedad mejor en el futuro.

In this book questions about how and why different social groups develop different educational behaviours are discussed. Theories of educational sociology provide different perspectives on such questions and this plurality in theoretical perspectives has rendered different and sometimes contradictory answers. Educational sociology has developed in a multi-paradigmatic fashion similar to other fields in the social sciences. Four main perspectives are presented and discussed in relation to each other. The "old" perspective is introduced in chapter 2, the Marxist perspective in chapter 3, the "new" perspective in chapter 4, and the feminist perspectives in chapter 5. The other three chapters in the book focus on the debate within and among these perspectives. The discussion leads towards the question of the foundations of future developments in the field of educational sociology. The field is seen in relation to its function as providing the basis for educational policy-making, school development and teaching practice (University Press, Oslo 1984 and Arena 1997, 247 pages).

The overall theme in this book is education as liberation and politicization in development processes toward the realization of peace values. The perspective is inclusive in that education is seen as more than traditional formal schooling, peace is seen as more than the absence of violence/war, and developments are seen as more than economic development. An inclusive approach views peace also as social justice and developments as applicable to socio-economic, political and cultural qualities at all levels of analysis. The book is divided into four parts. Part I discusses some major theoretical concepts related to the understanding of different schools of thought concerning the relationship between education and development (ch.1), principles of peace education and the concept of peace in relation to manifest versus hidden aspects (ch. 2 and 3), principles of inclusion and exclusion (ch. 4) and four approaches to disarmament education (ch. 5). Part II focuses on informal and adult education: how education for liberation represents an attempt at integrating everyday life and global contradictions (ch. 6 and 7), how oppressive contexts might lead to the need for temporary dissociation from the oppressor (ch. 8), and how communicative discourse between groups can enhance multicultural lifelong learning. Formal education is discussed in Part III from the perspective of student participation in social change (ch. 10), how civic textbooks tend to fragment micro and macro perspectives and also exclude content on social conflicts (ch. 11), how the school can develop knowledge about the future (ch. 12) and how content on global governance can be developed (ch. 13). Part IV foregrounds the inter-paradigmatic discussion in research on education in terms of political, cultural and socio-economic values and arguments (Arena, 1996, 306 pages)

Disarming: Discourse on Violence and Peace – 1993

ISBN 82-91040-04-4

The volume departs from the recommendations of the Unesco World Congress on Disarmament Education which was held in 1980 and the failure of many attempts to produce a UNESCO Teacher's Handbook on Disarmament Education since then. The book takes a fresh look at the substance, forms and practices of educational initiatives designed for contributing towards the creation of a world less characterized by violence, oppression, exploitation, dominance and brutality. Basic to the work is the idea that our minds have been occupied by words and ideologies originating from powers that have become accustomed to profit from the misery of the masses. Basic too, is the idea that education's role in transmitting such ideologies can be changed to become a critical force confronting dominant destructive authority and power. This idea may be a most important condition for increasing the probability of turning educational activity away from the interest of the oppressor towards the interest of those who are the victims of violent actors and structures. The theme is looked into from different contexts around the world - without the ambition to arrive at a unison answer to the question of how dialogue about violence and peace can contribute towards disarming minds and countries that support violence rather than peace (Arena, 1993, 301 pages).

ISBN 82-91040-00-1

This book reports on the findings in an investigation of the perceptions of more than 600 textbook authors in Norway. The purpose of the research is to map the authors' views of important aspects of the cooperation processes required in the planning, writing and publication of textbooks. The author has to relate to the publisher, the curriculum plans, the researchers in the field, the pupils, the parents and to four different consultants required by State regulations. The assumption is made that the cooperation established will be of importance to the quality of the textbooks and that more knowledge about this cooperation is of relevance in attempts at changing these structural conditions in which textbooks are produced. The findings uncover several problems concerning the interplay involved in writing textbooks. Examples: Female writers more often than male writers experience problems in their communication with publishers in the initial phases of the planning of a textbook project. Agreements between writer and publisher suffer as a result of ambiguous contracts about textbook projects. All parties concerned are not always in agreement with the basic idea and purpose of the textbook. This lack of agreement and understanding often results in problems in the last phases of the project. This can be a very serious matter when reviews by anonymous consultants employed by the publisher or the State actually can stop the publication. The book suggests how new forms of cooperation could improve on the quality of textbook materials (Arena, 1991, 96 pages)

Fredslæring (Peace Learning) - 1991 and UNESCO Yearbook on Peace and Conflict Studies - 1989 

ISBN 82-91040-02-8

The concept of peace is discussed from three perspectives. Firstly, peace is discussed in terms of what it is and what it is not. Secondly, the concept is discussed in terms of its relevance to the close, intermediate and distant reality seen from the point of view of an individual. Thirdly, peace as a state is discussed in relation to peace as a concept defined in terms of processes and interactions amongst actors at all levels. Main issues such as disarmament, development and human rights are discussed in light of micro as well as macro conditions. These three main issues are seen as interlinked, overlapping and interdependent. Content development is seen as dependent upon at least three factors: the context, type of conflict and the position of the actor in the conflict. Peace learning is discussed as politicization. Alternatives to politicization is discussed before the last chapter concludes with a review of the goals of peace education in the Norwegian school (Arena, 1991, 129 pages and Greenwood Press, UNESCO, 1989: 92-130).

Mario Borrelli and Magnus Haavelsrud: Peace Education within the Archipelago of Peace Research 1945-64

ISBN 82-91040-03-6

The analysis of the development of the concept of peace education departs from the evolution of forces behind the peace research formation, which gradually came to resemble an archipelago. A comparative analysis is given of the developments of peace research and education in different parts of this archipelago, especially centering in North America and Scandinavia with early exchanges between Columbia University and the embryonic Peace Research Institute in Oslo (Otto Klineberg and Johan Galtung). Since 1964 peace research has been organized in the International Peace Research Association (IPRA). This organization did not undergo a rectilinear evolution. Its development has been rather tortuous with lots of repetitions, of after-thoughts and retracing of tracks, of contrasts, of division and of annoying and persistent ambivalence: its world does not seem to have reached peace The book attempts to search for a methodology for an action for peace in an overall strategy which transforms intellectual practice into a political theory that can give birth to social practice.It is argued in the book that in the wake of the sense of apocalypse which followed the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings and the disarmament movement following these events, peace research became another hope for ending the threat of wars and peace education was seen as another step in that same direction. An important characteristic of the peace education that developed within the archipelago of peace research, however, was its belief in a continued association with research on as well as action for peace.The authors were motivated by their participation over many years in peace research and education. The involvement is seen as rewarding, but also frustrating in that the process involved also periods of stagnation. In such periods it became necessary to repeat established and accepted knowledge to newcomers in the field. The present publication is an attempt at taking stock of this accepted knowledge and what happened along the way in order to facilitate the socialization of newcomers to the field (1993)

Kunnskap og utvikling (Knowledge and Development) - 1995  

ISBN 82-91636-00-1 (Published by University of Tromsø)

Proceedings of the 3rd National Conference on Research in Education, Institute of Social Science, University of Tromsø and the Norwegian Research Council, 1995, 262 pages. Author of Et samlende perspektiv (A consensus perspective) p. 10-14.

Approaching Disarmament Education – 1981

ISBN 0-86103-043-5 (Published by Westbury House, Guildford, UK)

This volume was begun in the summer of 1979 as the preparatory discussions for the UNESCO-sponsored World Congress on Disarmament Education were well under way. The debate on disarmament education before and during the World Congress showed that the tricky political issue of disarmament became even more controversial when it came to the question of why and how disarmament education were to be developed. This volume aims at showing a variety of positive approaches for disarmament education excluding approaches of a clearly negative and indoctrinating nature. Hence, most of the contributions view the problem of disarmament, or negative peace, in light of social justice and development, or positive peace. The distinction between an approach to further critical thinking enabling people to recognize false arguments and become propaganda-proof, as Alva Myrdal puts it in the foreword to the volume, and attempts at bringing the "game of disarmament" into the classrooms and living rooms via television sets, is fundamental if attempts at ideological manipulation is to be avoided. Such ideological approaches are contrasted with other approaches, including a politicization approach, in the editor's contribution entitled "The Substance of Disarmament Education" (Westbury House, IPC Science and Technology Press, London 1981, 280 pages)

Magnus Haavelsrud and Hanna Hamran Hartvigsen (Eds.): Utdanning og likhetsidealer (Education and Ideals of Equality) – 1983

ISBN 82-03-12515-8. (Published by Aschehoug, Oslo)

The ideal that all groups and individuals should have equal educational opportunity has been basic to most educational policy-making after WWII. Nevertheless, it is documented in this book that both groups and individuals develop unequal educational behaviors. Inequalities develop between boys and girls, minorites and majorities (in terms of language, ethnicity and geography). The discussion centers around the misunderstood concept of equality as uniformity resulting in treating diverse groups equally and equality as plurality leading towards different educations depending upon the characteristics of differing groups (Aschehoug, Oslo 1983, 240 pages).

Indoktrinering eller politisering? Form og innhold i ungdomsskolens undervisning i samfunnskunnskap (Indoctrination or politicization? Form and content in civic education in junior high school) – 1979

ISBN 82-00-01922-5 (Published by Universitetsforlaget, Oslo)

The official version of valid knowledge about society is analyzed in civic education textbooks for use in the junior high school in Norway. Textbook content of relevance to the following themes are analyzed: Gender equality, technical development, rationalization, juvenile delinqency and conflicts. Both quality and quantity of the content is evaluated and analyzed. Alternative development of content relevant to the themes analyzed is discussed in terms of dialogic encounters between teacher and students and amongst students. Dialogic procedures evolve a different content than what is found in the textbooks. The dialectical influence between content and form is discussed in light of indoctrination or politicization of civic studies in the school).

Author of the following contributions in this book: "Society and civic textbooks" (Samfunnet og lærebøker i samfunnskunnskap) p 11-34; "On objectivity in texts on technological development and rationalization" (Om objektivitet i stoff om teknisk utvikling og rasjonalisering) p 53-86; "On the perspective of time in the text" (Om tidsperspektivet i stoffet) p 87-98.Co-author of the following contributions in this book: (with Gunnar Graff) "Conflict in the textbooks" (Konfliktstoff i lærebøker) p 119-184; (with Tone Skinningsrud) "Gender equality in textbooks" (Temaet likestilling mellom kjønnene i lærebøkene) p 185-220; (with Roar Huseby) "Society into the School and the School out to Society" (Samfunnet inn i skolen og skolen ut i samfunnet) p 221-278  (University Press, Oslo, 1979, 278 pages

Education for Peace: Reflection and Action – 1976

ISBN 0-902852 49-3 (Published by IPC Science and Technology Press, Guildford, UK)

This volume is the product of one of the first world conferences on peace education, held at the University of Keele in 1974 and organized by the World Council for Curriculum and Instruction. The book contains both analysis of the parameters of education for peace as well as action plans of the working groups in the conference (cf. the report by professor Alice Miel on pages 336 - 380 on action plans). The parameters of the substance of peace education are developed from both the structural perspective as well as from an interactional perspective. The analysis of self within the total structure is emphasized in that peace education requires conscientization among individuals and groups as a prerequisite for structural change. This means that in order to institage change in a structure, the function served by an actor in this structure in terms of its maintenance must be analyzed and understood before alternative structures are conceived and implemented (IPC Science and Technology Press, London 1976, 407 pages)