Diffraction, transrational perspectives, and peace education: new possibilities

ABSTRACT

This paper draws on the theoretical lens of diffraction to conceptualize a new approach to transrational peace education theory and praxis in the post-2016 posttruth political era and Industry 4.0 economic period. The paper reviews foundational concepts and approaches from key founders of the field – Paulo Freire and Betty Reardon – before turning to two contemporary peace education scholars – Wolfgang Dietrich and Hilary Cremin – to investigate the contributions of recent scholarship toward diverse diffractive possibilities for transrational peace education. In this sense, diffraction offers pluralistic views and transformative possibilities for transrational peace education in varied contexts. Transrational peace education builds upon peace education to integrate affective and aesthetic perspectives into peace education theory and praxis. Before concluding, we offer some theoretical implications and pedagogic responses for scholars seeking to work at diffractive transrational intersections. The contribution of the paper is toward theorizing new perspectives for transrational peace education theory and praxis in the 21^st century.

KEYWORDS:

• Peace education
• transrational perspectives
• diffraction
• Paulo Freire
• Betty Reardon
• Wolfgang Dietrich
• Hilary Cremin

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/post-truth.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Kevin Kester

Kevin Kester is Tenure-Track Assistant Professor of International Education and Global Affairs cross-appointed to the College of Education, Graduate School of Education, and School of Global Affairs at Keimyung University in Daegu, South Korea. He researches and teaches the sociology and politics of education and global affairs with a focus on comparative and international education; education, conflict and peacebuilding; de/postcolonial and postmodern thought; and critical pedagogy. His latest publications are in Irish Educational Studies; Teaching in Higher Education; and Educational Philosophy and Theory. E-mail: [email protected].

Tim Archer

Tim Archer is a final year PhD candidate and Hughes Hall College scholar at the University of Cambridge. He is a researcher-practitioner in conflict transformation and peace education with interests focusing on philosophical and practical approaches to peace and education. Tim predominantly works with young men on notions of masculinities and peace, as well as facilitating training for potential frontline workers, such as teachers or peaceworkers, to work in and on conflict. Email: [email protected].

Shawn Bryant

Shawn Bryant is an Assistant Professor at Endicott College of International Studies in Daejeon, South Korea, and maintains an affiliation as a member of the core faculty of the MA in Peace Studies at the University of Innsbruck, Austria. He holds a PhD in International Peace, Conflict and Development Studies from the Universitat Jaume I in Castellón, Spain. His research interests include transrational philosophy, body-based conflict transformation modalities, elicitive didactics, and transpersonal research methods. His latest publication, Fighting With No One: Reflections on Education, Aikido, and Peace, appears in the Journal of Martial Arts Anthropology. Email: [email protected].