PEACE-DEV-Chapter-4
PEACE-DEV-Chapter-4
Definition of Terms
1. Prejudice – negative feeling or attitude towards a person or a group
even if it lacks basis.
- refers to an attitude or belief that one group is in some way, inferior to
others.
- comes from the latin rots “prae” (in advance), and “judicum”
(judgement), essentially means “to judge before”.
- When we “pre judge” someone, we make up our minds about who they
are before we actually get to know them
Types of Prejudice
Prejudice can be based on several factors including sex, race, age, sexual
orientation, nationality, socioeconomic status, and religion. Some of the most
well-known types of prejudice include:
1. Racism - the belief that one’s own cultural or racial heritage is innately
superior to that of others, hence, the lack of respect or appreciation for
those who belong to a “different race”.
2. Sexism - a system of attitudes, actions and structures that
subordinates others on the basis of their sex where the usual victims
are women.
3. Heterosexism - negative attitudes towards lesbian and gay men.
4. Classism - Distancing from and perceiving the poor as “the other” (Lott,
1995)
5. Looksism - prejudice against those who do not measure up to set
standards of beauty. - - The usual victims are the over- weight, the
undersized, and the dark-skinned. (Nario-Galace, 2003)
6. Ageism - negative attitudes held against the young or the elderly.
7. Linguicism - negative attitudes which members of dominant language
groups hold against non-dominant language group. (Chen-Hayes,
Chen & Athar, n.d)
8. Religious Intolerance - prejudice against those who are followers of
religions other that one’s own.
2 categories of stereotypes
Tolerance recognizes that others have the right to be who they are.
Educating for tolerance is a practical alternative.
Prejudice https://open.lib.umn.edu/sociology/chapter/10-3-prejudice/
Psychological Theories of Prejudice and Discrimination (2005) Blacksacademy – April
2005 https://www.simplypsychology.org/Prejudice%20and%20Discrimination.pdf
This perspective is repeated many times over in both the secular and
faith-based peace literature. There is a growing consensus that, indeed,
there is an intimate connection between our inner state and what we do in
our outer spheres. This consistency is the foundation of being a fully
integrated person.
World Religions
– The essential message is that we do to others what we want them to do
to us.
- A source of peaceable relationships which, in turn, brings personal peace.
This indicates to us that indeed there is a link between social and personal
peace. Similarly, as people pursue the goal of personal peace, this will
contribute to a more peaceful community.
3. Live Simply
Inner and outer clutter are distracting and complicate our lives. On
some level they keep us on edge all the time. Creating a physical
environment that is peaceful and calm will nurture the same within you. Take
a careful look at your space, calendar, and the people in your life. It may be
time to let some things go.
Cultivating inner peace is a gift to yourself and those around you. It is from this grounded
space that you can evolve into your best self and create your best life.
And, it feels so good.
Reference:
This part of the module is mostly extracted from the book “Peace Education: A
Pathway to Culture of Peace - 3rd Edition (March 2019) by Loreta Navarro-Castro &
Jasmin Nario-Galace
Luke, Linda (2018, April 6). “How to Cultivate Inner Peace”. https://medium.com/the-
positopian/how-to-cultivate-inner-peace-b4e2c755c209
Lesson 4: Promoting Non- Violence
Introduction
The man who led the people of India out of British subjugation held the
following beliefs about non-violence:
1. As long as people accept exploitation, both exploiter and exploited will be
entangled in injustice but once the exploited refuse to accept the relationship,
refuse to cooperate with it, they are already free.
2. Nonviolence and cowardice do not go together. Possession of arms
implies an element of fear, if not cowardice.
3. A person and his/her deeds are two distinct things. Hate the sin but not
the sinner.
4. If we fight back (in a violent way), we will become the vandal and they
(oppressors) will become the law.
5. An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.
6. Nonviolence is more powerful for converting the opponent and opening
his ears which are otherwise shut to the voice of reason.
7. Nonviolence demands that the means used should be as pure as the ends
sought.
Why Nonviolence?
1. It is both an ethical and moral choice.
- Major religious and philosophical traditions teach about respect for life.
• Jainism- it is taught that a wise person “does not kill, nor cause others
to kill, nor consent to the killings by others.”
• Lao Tzu, founder of Taoism taught that “weapons are instrument of evil
and not of a good ruler.”
• In Buddhism, the precept “not to kill” is the foundation for all Buddhist
action. Everyone is believed to have been born with a Buddha nature
so “no one has the right to take the life of another”.
4. Nonviolence works
examples: EDSA People Power and the Speech of Martin Luther King Jr.
about equality between white and black Americans.
Nonviolent Struggles:
1. Nonviolent Protest and Persuasion - seeks to produce awareness of the
dissent. - Examples: Petitions, banners, posters, lobbying, singing, marches,
Prayer rallies, mock funerals and vigils.
Reference:
UN.org (2019, September 21). Non-violence. Day of Peace. Retrieved from
https://internationaldayofpeace.org/get-involved/nonviolence/. July 18, 2020.
What Is Conflict?
In the earlier part of this course, we have discussed that conflicts arise
when one’s actions or beliefs are unacceptable to — and, are, hence resisted
by the other (Forsyth, 1990).
The word conflict came from the Latin word ‘conflictus’ which means
striking together with force. Conflicts may come in dyads to larger societal
conflicts as mentioned earlier.
Anger may also cause adverse effects on our health. Anger sets of the
surge of stress hormones which can damage arteries and heart muscles
that lead to irregular heartbeats.
• Recognize that you are angry. Awareness of the emotion that you are
currently feeling can help cool it down.
• Distance yourself from the situation. Leave the anger scene. Changing
environment, albeit temporarily, will help calm you down.
- Shout and let it out in a place where no one can hear you
- Hit a pillow, a punching bag, a mattress or anything soft to reduce
adrenaline level in the hands
- Draw or paint your anger out. Release the stress hormones by using
forceful strokes
- Walk, run, and swim vigorously
- Hit the gym. Exercise. Under pressure, people who exercise have lower
levels of stress hormones and small increases in heart rate and blood
pressure (Reyes, 2006).
• Relaxation Techniques
- Breathe deeply many times while saying a calming word or phrase like
“relax”
- Paint pictures in your mind of happy thoughts and experiences
- Go for a massage
- Do meditation techniques
• Therapeutic Techniques
- Multi-media fax: Turn on the TV and watch an entertaining show. Go to the
movies. Listen to music.
- Play a musical instrument
- Sing or dance
- Take a shower or a long bath
- Take a cold drink
- Stroll in the park or in the mall
- Tinker with your PC. Blog, chat online, or download an entertaining video
clip.
• Spiritual Aids
- Lift it up. Pray for patience, understanding and the will to forgive. For
example, the Bible tells us to forgive “seventy-times seven”. Forgiveness,
according to the Center for Dispute Resolution, does not mean condoning
the act. Rather, it is an act of releasing ourselves from the pain we have
experienced at the hands of others.
- Visit your place of worship. Offer your anger.
• Social Support
- Talk to a family member or a friend
- Get a hug from a loved one
- Cuddle your pet
2. Move against. Win the battle. Tis option is taken when the issue is
important, the party thinks that s/he is right and is bent to prove that, or s/he
has the power to achieve his/her goals. (FIGHT)
3. Give up or give in. Tis option is taken when goal is to preserve harmony
in the relationship. It is also taken when the other party recognizes the validity
of the other’s viewpoint. (ACCOMMODATE)
4. Give half. Meet in the middle. Tis option is reached when both parties
cannot get what they want fully and are willing to give up part of their goals.
(COMPROMISE)
Surveys made by the Center for Peace Education among its workshop
participants, mostly students and teachers, revealed that the path normally
taken is avoidance. Responses gathered from the question “What option do
you usually take when you get into a conflict,” 37% of responses point to
“moving way” from the adversary as a strategy, 9% opted for aggression,
17% claimed that they would talk to their adversary and 36% would give up,
give in or do coping techniques such as talking to a friend. If both issue
and relationship are important to the disputants, moving towards the
adversary or problem-solving is the ideal option.
What is mediation?
Reference:
This part of the module is mostly extracted from the book “Peace Education: A Pathway
to Culture of Peace - 3rd Edition (March 2019) by Loreta Navarro-Castro & Jasmin
Nario-Galace