Challenges in Teaching Nonviolence in Schools

The increasing levels of violence and conflicts in society and the general lack of relevant research on nonviolence provide a challenging backdrop to efforts by teachers to teach nonviolence in schools. This chapter reviews the literature on some of the challenges confronting teachers in teaching nonviolence in schools. The chapter shows that there is little research done on nonviolence suitable for peacebuilding in schools. The reason for this is that we are still involved in the study of violence. Violence is the orientation for peace. We appear to know little about peace. We think of peace as something it is not, instead of what it is. Cases of successful peacebuilding experiences are rare. In addition, learning institutions continue to churn out values that could promote violence. Nonviolence receives little to no coverage in school curriculum. When war is discussed, it is done with a sense of passion and excitement, while peace when it is included, is portrayed as boring. In conclusion, the chapter behooves us to imagine a non-violent world. Only then can we look around us and begin to understand what was necessary for us to arrive in a world full of violence in the first place.