Nina Caspersen, Professor of Comparative Politics and the Associate Dean (Research) for the Faculty of Social Sciences.
The world as we know it is changing before our eyes, as the scaffolding underpinning the international order has come under sustained attack. Long-established norms are undermined, warfare is increasingly seen as a legitimate policy instrument, and belligerent leaders act with expectations of impunity. The human consequences are catastrophic: armed conflicts are more frequent, last longer and are more deadly than ever. Yet voices of peace are increasingly marginalised.
Government funding has moved away from peace and development, as defence spending is prioritised. Traditional multilateral approaches to peace are no longer available or appropriate, and the space for local bottom-up peace initiatives is rapidly shrinking. In such times of war and growing authoritarianism, does it even make sense to talk about, research and teach, peace?
I would argue that it is more important than ever, but we cannot simply study the world as it was: we need to understand a rapidly changing world and we should make it our mission to shape it. Universities are uniquely positioned to do so: our academics can research questions that may be too sensitive or political for government officials, and engage with actors, such as non-state armed groups, which diplomats often need to keep at arms length. Universities can facilitate dialogue and provide sanctuary for scholars and students at risk. More broadly, but no less importantly, we are teaching a generation who will help determine the direction of the emerging new world order.
The York Peace Lab
This is why we set up the Peace Lab at the University of York. The Peace Lab is the first of its kind in the UK, but it is part of a rapidly expanding Global Peace Labs Network. It was launched with the explicit aim of designing and implementing innovative approaches to sustainable peace. We want to find better, evidence-based ways to prevent violence and reduce human suffering as a result of war. The challenge of doing so in a world where old certainties no longer apply is considerable. We need to reexamine what we know about conflicts and peace, understand how the dynamics of conflicts are changing, and identify possible avenues for peaceful transformations.
How do we do this? Through interdisciplinary collaboration, drawing on extensive expertise from across the University. These are complex problems that cannot be addressed in disciplinary siloes. We also draw on our in-depth knowledge of specific conflict contexts, and we work closely with local partners who understand the impact of changing dynamics on the ground (see the Beyond Compliance Consortium for an excellent example of a co-productive, interdisciplinary project, led by Prof Ioana Cismas from the York Law School). Finally, our approaches are developed in close collaboration with policymakers and practitioners, at the local, national and international level. We need to ensure that we approach peace in ways that are realistic in today’s more fragmented and volatile world, but maintain the objectives of responding to local needs, protecting human rights, and ensuring sustainable peace.
Student engagement is integral to the Peace Lab. We are mindful that we are educating the policymakers and practitioners of the future, as well as the next generation of peace and conflicts researchers. With our students we have, sometimes difficult, conversations about what kinds of peace are possible and discuss what different actors can do in response to armed conflicts. Few of our students will end up as peacebuilders, but whichever career path they choose – whether they end up working in government, media, NGOs, humanitarian organisations, environmental organisations, or in business – it is vital that they have gained an understanding of the complexity of contemporary armed conflicts. One thing we already know is that today’s global challenges, including wars, climate change, migration and poverty, are closely interrelated and cannot be understood or treated in isolation. We want our students to gain an appreciation of how they can contribute to a more peaceful world; how they can promote social change amidst global disorder. Or at least not take actions that could inadvertently make matters worse.
Since our launch, we have worked closely with our students, through panel discussions, dissertation workshops and research internships. We have been immensely impressed and encouraged by their drive, and by their new and vibrant ideas. This makes us hopeful for the future, at a time when it is sometimes difficult to find much reason for optimism.
Photo credit: Photo by Sebbi Strauch on Unsplash