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Can Education Bring Peace In Post-Conflict States? - Maham Asif

Writer's picture: Maham AsifMaham Asif

Education is used to build state narratives to promote national unity in post-conflict countries. The state homogenized the narrative of the dominant group to create a shared identity while not taking into perspective the experiences of the marginalized groups. This measure was adopted to consolidate political control and bring stability post conflict. 


For example, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the 1990s conflict raised tensions between the various ethnic groups: Bosnaiks, Croats, and Serbs. What followed was a fragmented education system. Dominant ethnic groups in each region adopted their own teaching methods and curriculum. The state allowed this under the democratic right of every person to receive education in their mother language, not taking into account that the dominant language was not shared by all ethnic groups residing in an area. 


Another example is Rwanda, where the Hutus and Tutsi were undergoing an ethnic conflict in the 199os. The education laid an emphasis on national unity through the creation of a shared identity. After coming into power in 1994, the government removed ethnic identities from identification cards and in 2001 passed laws against discrimination based on ethnic grounds. However, removal of these markers of identity did not take into account the violence perpetrated by the Hutus on the Tutsi and no amends were made for accountability.


Cultural education is a long-term solution for conflict between diverse groups. Cultural education focuses on cultural pluralism instead of cultural assimilation. This raises the question that during times of conflict, the narrative of the dominant group is perpetuated so how can an alternative version of history be adopted in the post conflict state? 


Collective memory of states is formed through oral histories, which form a personal connection with one’s history fueling identity formation and invoking a sense of civic responsibility. This alternative to mainstream view of history also offers critical thinking and helps one understand history through lived experiences, which humanizes history that is otherwise very clinical and statistics oriented. 


Independent actors carried out oral history projects in post conflict states. In Pakistan, The Citizens Archive created “The Oral History Project” which offered an insight into the experiences of those who underwent migration in 1947. Moreover, University of Karachi and Quaid e Azam University played a central role in researching on the historic partition. Similarly, South Africa started oral history projects following the apartheid to reconcile the differences between the different racial groups. This was pioneered by universities and National Archives of South Africa that supplemented the historic narrative with testimonials of those who lived through the history. 


References:


Kreso, A. P. (2008). The war and post-war impact on the educational system of Bosnia and Herzegovina. International Review of Education, 54(3), 353-374. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11159-008-9087-y


McLean Hilker, L. C. (2014). Navigating adolescence and young adulthood in Rwanda during and after genocide: Intersections of ethnicity, gender and age. Children's Geographies, 12(3), 354-368. https://doi.org/10.1080/14733285.2014.913784


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Aqsa Hasan
Oct 06, 2024

This blog highlights how through the emphasis on a homogenized narrative rooted in the experiences of dominant groups, marginalized communities often find their voices silenced, perpetuating cycles of exclusion and resentment - we see this most significantly in your example of Rwanda and the Tutsi. This raises critical questions about the effectiveness of these educational approaches: how can a nation genuinely achieve reconciliation while systematically sidelining the narratives of those most affected by conflict? Moreover, the concept of cultural education as a long-term solution underscores the need for pluralism over assimilation, fostering a more inclusive understanding of history. Engaging with collective memory through oral histories provides a platform for marginalized voices, offering a more nuanced perspective that promotes empathy and…

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Khadija Aftab
Khadija Aftab
Oct 06, 2024

I found this blog thought-provoking and insightful, especially in how it explores the complex role education plays in post-conflict states. The examples of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Rwanda, and others clearly illustrate how education can either be a tool for promoting unity or, if mishandled, can depen divisions by excluding marginalized voices. What really resonated with me is the discussion on how education is often used to enforce a dominant group’s narrative, which might bring temporary stability but doesn’t address the deeper, unresolved tensions in these societies.

The emphasis on cultural education as a long-term soluion to conflict is particularly important. The idea that teaching cultural pluralism, rather than assimiation, can foster greater understanding and peace makes a lot of sense.…

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Dayan Ejaz
Dayan Ejaz
Oct 06, 2024

Your blog highlights a great deal about how the dominant narratives are often kept into consideration when the education is provided in post-conflict times. The need to uphold unity and foster collaboration in the already divided society is ignored by the state motives and hence the discriminatory and exclusionary practices are exercised to further disparage the marginalized communities. The examples of Bosnia and Rwanda, and the state intervention to restore order illustrates that problem lies with the delivery and not the identification of the issue. This makes me wonder about the role of international bodies in shaping post-conflict educational reforms. Should they have a greater role in ensuring that curriculum foster inclusivity, especially when national unity is promoted at th…

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Niwal Zahid
Oct 06, 2024

One key aspect of the article is the notion of cultural education as a long-term solution for fostering peace and unity among diverse groups. Cultural education emphasizes pluralism, enabling a more inclusive approach that recognizes and values the different identities and experiences present within a society. But how difficult really is this to implement? How can we ensure that those perspectives are held in the same light as they were before? This perspective raises a significant question: In societies where dominant narratives have historically marginalized other identities, what mechanisms can be implemented to ensure that alternative versions of history are taught and integrated into the educational curriculum?

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Ali Khan
Oct 06, 2024

Thank you, Maham, for such a thought-provoking piece! I agree that education is a crucial tool for building state narratives, but as you’ve pointed out, the challenge lies in balancing the dominant group’s narrative with the diverse experiences of marginalized groups. Your mention of Bosnia and Herzegovina illustrates this well, where ethnic fragmentation in the education system only deepened divisions.

Your point on cultural education as a long-term solution is particularly intriguing. If we focus on cultural pluralism rather than assimilation, as you suggest, how do we ensure that this doesn't perpetuate the same divisions that led to conflict in the first place?

I agree that oral history projects, like those in Pakistan and South Africa, offer a powerful way…

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