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Decolonising Peace Education in Africa

Decolonising Education for Peace in Africa

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Research

Decolonising Education for Peace Education in Africa for locally contextualised knowledge and values.

Research Aims

DEPA is widening access to quality peace education using a combination of multi-disciplinary, international collaboration and participatory design processes that will enable groups on either side of conflict to explore local knowledge and values of peace.

Ultimately, the project is enabling peace educators by developing context sensitive pedagogic content and design of delivery for use among people aged 16-35.

DEPA is enhancing the role of education in building future peace by connecting and comparing findings from the different partners and country contexts and creating education resources that can be used in other countries by a diverse range of organisations from international agencies, governments, civil society and academia to support and complement peace education curricula.

In order to achieve the project’s overarching aims there are a series of linked objectives:

Networking 

  • To build interdisciplinary research capacity at scale across a range of ODA recipient countries by producing high-quality research outputs, engagement events and teaching materials
  • 4 Proof of Concept projects have scoped the validity of Arts and Humanities methodologies in societies facing conflict
  • Building on existing knowledge in partner countries
  • Fostering knowledge exchange and develop partnerships.

Research design and data collection

Through processes of co-design and co-production the DEPA project is:

  • Establishing a network of researchers across Africa to refine a conceptual and methodological framework that explores the meanings and mechanisms of peace in different contexts
  • Completing Proof of Concept projects in each of the partner countries using Arts and Humanities methods to learn from local peace practices
  • Developing teaching materials that can be used in peace education
  • Connecting and comparing these projects, methodologies and outcomes across partner countries
  • Drawing lessons to improve understanding intersectionality of conflict across different contexts.

More detail can be found for each of the Proof of Concept projects by visiting the Country Teams pages.

Commissioned Projects

The Proof of Concept projects have led the way for the DEPA Commissioned Projects. These are a key element of the Network Plus Awards and the DEPA project has awarded funding to additional projects across Africa, extending the geographical and methodological reach of the project.  More details about the DEPA Commissioned Projects can be found on the Network pages, under Phase 2, 3 and 4 projects.