Peace Pedagogies in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Book excerpt: This collection presents interdisciplinary perspectives on educating for peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It explores a range of theories, contexts, pedagogies and practices within formal education settings and draws attention to the multiple roles that teachers play in fostering socially transformative learning. The volume offers readers a critical exploration of peace pedagogy as an imagined ideal and fluid space between post-war educational politics, institutional and curricular constraints, and the lived experiences and identities of teachers and students in socially and historically situated communities. The book highlights local voices, initiatives and practices by illustrating good examples of how classrooms are being connected to communities, teacher education programs and teachers continued professional development. It demonstrates why and how the grammars of peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina are still in a state of flux and negotiation, and what the implications are for classroom practice and pedagogy. Recommendations are offered for policymakers, curriculum developers, teacher educators and teachers on how peace pedagogies can be promoted at all levels of the education system and through pre-service and in-service teacher education, taking into account the structural uniqueness of the country. .