From violence and abuse within family units, to communities and regions
torn apart by inter-group conflict and wars among nations, the human
condition is rife with turmoil. The consequences of this seemingly
perpetual strife weigh heavily on humanity, often creating feelings of
powerlessness and hopelessness that only serve to breed more conflict
and violence. In the face of these monumental challenges, initiatives
for peace struggle to take root. Seeking effective ways to encourage
these efforts, the United Nations adopted three declarations on the eve
of the 21st century, including the Declaration on a Culture of Peace
that broadly defines what the vision looks like and the actions
necessary to build cultures of peace. Taking up this central challenge
of our time, this volume of collected essays presents multiple
perspectives on the critical issues of peace and conflict resolution
that pervade the globe, addressing the UN's charge to develop values,
attitudes, modes of behavior and ways of life conducive to the promotion
of peace among individuals, groups, and nations. Bringing together
scholars and practitioners from fields including education, sociology,
criminology, political science, and peace studies, this work
constructively engages the task of creating peace and fostering hope in
a conflict-ridden world.
