This dissertation examines the nexus of complexity theory and peace education and its
implications for developing educational praxis that engages with the demands of global
complexity. In this thesis, I argue that as societies become more globalized and complex (global
complexity) there is an onus upon education to adapt its methods so people can understand the
workings of these processes better and further develop the ethical and creative resources needed
for responding to system dynamics effectively. My central thesis is that the most appropriate way
to do this is to use methods that are congruent with the subject matter of global complexity¿that
is to align ones pedagogy with one¿s subject area. This dissertation therefore investigates the
situated and contingent responses of peace educators working in the field to the challenges and
opportunities that arise when attempting to adapt to local/global dynamics. It utilizes
ethnography, narrative inquiry, and autoethnography and draws its data from interviews with
over 50 educators in India, Japan, and the US. This research demonstrates that when engaging
with global complexity, peace educators adapt both their ontological understanding and
methodological orientation in ways congruent at times with the insights of complexity theory.
While this understanding can be at odds with mass educational methodologies, this tension also
is a touchstone for peace educator¿s creative formulation of novel praxis in response to the
demands of global complexity. This dissertation thus examines some of the possibilities for
learning within complex knowledge production systems and highlights the need for further
research into the dynamics and processes at play within global educational ¿networks.¿
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BRADFORD/oai:bradscholars.brad.ac.uk:10454/5725 |
| Date | January 2012 |
| Creators | Romano, Arthur |
| Contributors | Not named |
| Publisher | University of Bradford, Department of Peace Studies |
| Source Sets | Bradford Scholars |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis, doctoral, PhD |
| Rights | <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/"><img alt="Creative Commons License" style="border-width:0" src="http://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-nc-nd/3.0/88x31.png" /></a><br />The University of Bradford theses are licenced under a <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/">Creative Commons Licence</a>. |
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