In this area, CIER has built up expertise in the relation of education to conflict, examining both the positive and negative contributions of education to peace and security. As well as exposés of violence in schools, this includes innovative work on how education might challenge violent extremism. Human security also includes the areas of education in emergencies, as well as work on environmental justice and environmental security.
Relevant projects and writing include:
Education in Emergencies in South Asia: Reducing the Risks facing vulnerable children (2009).
This UNICEF commissioned research on children whose education is the most vulnerable in times of emergency covered Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. It identified common patterns of vulnerability as well needs of specific groups, and gave examples of good practice.
Education policy for peace and social cohesion in Sri Lanka.
Consultancy with the Ministry of Education in Sri Lanka has helped produce the first ever national policy on education for peace and social cohesion (GTZ funded 2007 onwards). Sri Lanka is also piloting the manual Learning to Live Together: monitoring and evaluation of programmes in life skills, citizenship, peace and human rights www.hrea.org/erc/Library/sinclair2008.pdf
Primary Education in post-conflict Angola (Education Action/CfBT).
This action research project worked with schools in remote parts of Angola to develop strategies for change identified by students, parents and teachers. It produced a manual for headteachers to instigate change in their schools which were not reliant on extra funding, and hence were sustainable as well as democratic.
Initiatives to prevent violent extremism.
We are evaluating innovative programmes for secondary school students which generate dialogue and awareness of alternatives to single truths and violent action. We are also working with West Midlands Police to evaluate a programme on the mentoring of those at risk of radicalisation.
Evaluations have included:
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an evaluation of street working children in Afghanistan (European Commission)
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an evaluation of child
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labour projects in the Lebanon (US Dept of Labour)
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an evaluation of programmes for vulnerable children in Liberia (Oxfam).
Major books
Lynn Davies (2008) Educating Against Extremism Trentham Books
Lynn Davies (2004) Education and Conflict: Complexity and Chaos (Routledge).
Clive Harber (2009) Toxic Schooling Educational Heretics Press
Clive Harber (2005) Schooling as Violence: How schools harm pupils and societies Routledge
Chris Williams (1997) Terminus Brain: the environmental threats to human intelligence (Cassell. German translation Klett-Cotta, 2003)
Examples of papers
Davies, Lynn (2010) ‘Conflict, Radicalisation and Freedom of Speech’ Forum 21: European Journal on Child and Youth Research, 5, pp36-42
Harber, Clive (2009) ‘Schooling for Violence and Peace: how does peace education differ from ‘normal’ schooling?’ (with N.Sakade) Journal of Peace Education Vol.6, No.2 pp171-87
Du Plessis, P.; Bisschoff, Tom. & Chukwu, E. (2009). Sexual harassment in schools is not ‘routine adolescence’ – a case study in the Vryheid District of South Africa. Journal of Research and Reflections, 3 (2): 123-138.
Harber, Clive (2008) ‘Perpetration disaffection: schooling as an international problem’, Educational Studies 34,5 pp 457-68
Davies, Lynn (2008) ‘Gender, Education, Extremism and Security’ Compare 38,5, pp611-626
Williams, Chris (2002) ‘New security risks and public educating: the relevance of recent evolutionary brain science’. Journal of Risk Research, 5(3). pp225-248.
Williams, Chris (2000) ‘Education and human survival: the relevance of global security to international education, International Review of Education (UNESCO) 46(3-4) July: 183-203.