Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Academic takes nonviolent peacekeeping research on tour
Rachel, a Senior Lecturer in Peace Studies and Course Leader for our MA and BA (Hons) degrees in the subject, was awarded an Early Career Researcher grant from our Faculty of Health & Social Sciences last year. Using the grant, she travelled around the world, interviewing those who work in nonviolence, peacekeeping, and who are unarmed civilian peacekeepers. Following the interviews, Rachel produced materials about the topic and has written a paper, which she will be reading at the conferences.
Rachel commented: “In my paper, I argue that nonviolence is an essential component of all the work we do to move away from violence, and towards sustainable peace, and that peacekeeping should not be excluded from this. At the conferences, I will demonstrate that, over 30 years of practice by civilians, civil society and unarmed agencies have been saving lives, protecting people and showing that peacekeeping doesn't have to include the use or threat of force.
“With the talks, I am most looking forward to the conversations that this issue provokes. It's a new idea for many people and there are often questions.”
A booklet as an introduction to the subject is available by post. To receive a copy, please email Rachel.
Rachel’s programme of talks will be:
3 September- University of Tromso, Norway,European Peace Research Conference.11 September- Manchester University, Inequality and Peace Conference.
14 September - University of Kent, Conflict Research Society Conference.
21 September - Public meeting, 15:30-17:00, Friends Meeting House, Euston Road, London.
9 October - Bonn, Germany. Rachel will be the keynote speaker at conference on Civilian peacekeeping.