Decolonising Peace Work

Who can register for this course?

This course is tailored for peacebuilders from the global north seeking to enhance and enrich their understanding of decoloniality by critically analyzing postcolonial power dynamics within the international peacebuilding field.

Participants are expected to possess familiarity and foundational understanding with subjects including racism, discrimination, colonialism, white supremacy, and intersectional perspectives on privilege. They should demonstrate dedication and enthusiasm to delve into a more profound understanding of post-colonial power structures and their implications within this professional field and their own positioning within these structures.

The course will accommodate a maximum of 16 participants. Register early to reserve your place!

Content

This course provides participants with a dedicated platform to exchange experiences, challenge eurocentric practices, and scrutinize the power dynamics between the global north and south within the peacebuilding sector and their everyday lives. Delving into the historical context of colonialism and its enduring ramifications on contemporary society, participants will gain insights into its pervasive influence.

While assuming a foundational understanding of anti-racist and decolonial concepts from participants, we will delve deeper into exploring current models and successful initiatives aimed at decolonizing peacebuilding efforts.

Time will be allocated for introspection and for processing content both individually and within supportive group environments. Leveraging our collective expertise and diverse experiences, discussions will be enriched, supplemented by private follow-up conversations where necessary to ensure all participants are fully engaged and comprehending the shared knowledge.

Objectives

The course aims for participants to:

• Critically analyze post-colonial power structures within the contemporary peacebuilding and development industry.
• Comprehend the ramifications of coloniality within their respective peacebuilding organizations.
• Identify and cultivate strategies and tools conducive to inclusive, anti-racist, and decolonized peacebuilding practices, prioritizing the voices of the Global South.
• Emphasizing critical self-reflection and openness to challenge, these are pivotal aspects woven throughout the course.

Key Concepts

• Power and identity dynamics in peace and conflict work.
• Historical structures, systems, and practices contributing to racism and colonial continuities:
  - racial (in)visibility in existing peace and conflict theories and practice.
  - role of aid in perpetuating racism and colonial continuities.
• Approaches, strategies, and tools for anti-racist and decolonized peacebuilding practices.

Methodology

Participants engage in critical reflection regarding their own roles and their organizations' contributions to the perpetuation of racist and colonial structures.

Central to the course is the recognition of participants as the primary resource. Each individual's knowledge, skills, beliefs, and experiences are valued and leveraged to enhance the collective learning journey.

Emphasis is placed on fostering a safe environment where sensitivity is acknowledged, given the nature of the topic and the diverse experiences present. Building trust and ensuring everyone feels secure to express themselves is a priority.

The course promotes interactivity, encouraging participants to actively engage with the training content for a more immersive learning experience.

In the course, participants use a variety of tools, including a digital learning platform, a video conferencing tool, and an online whiteboard. Participants should therefore have a good internet connection (1 Mbit down/upload or better). A headset is highly recommended.

Workload

This online course is designed as a hybrid asynchronous-online model. The online class will meet once a week for 2 hours for 7 weeks via a video conference call. For the asynchronous, self-paced learning part, course content will be posted prior to the live session.

Participants will receive the course content before the live sessions, so they can prepare themselves in-depth for class. Participants are expected to complete their homework in a timely manner, come prepared to class, and follow up the session by responding to journal prompts. Reading, homework and group assignments will not exceed 4-6 hours per week.

Certification Requirements:

• Viewing of all recorded lectures and audio recordings
• Full participation is preferred. However, a minimum of 5 online classes is required.
• Reading of/watching of/ listening to assigned course content in advance of online classes
• Submission of journal entries by the end of the course
• Submission of a personal pledge towards decolonial and anti-racist practices by the end of the course
• Submission of a collective pledge by the entire group towards decolonial and anti-racist practices by the end of the course.

After a successful participation, participants receive a certificate and become part of our alumni network.

Total expected weekly hours: 6 to 8 hours per week