PAX 1102 Lecture Notes - Lecture 13: Johan Galtung, Structural Violence, White Supremacy
27 Sep 2017
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Document Summary
The definition of peace can be somewhat elusive. To some the word may mean an environment of calm and quiet. To others, the word may be associated with the lack of violence. Or the word may be used in the context of social justice. At a high level, we can define peace in two broad categories: negative and positive peace. Agreeing to stop fighting does not necessarily mean that the parties have resolved the underlying conflict. In this case, violence is likely to break out again soon between the parties. Positive peace is more than just the absence of war. Positive peace occurs when parties are actively pursuing resolution to the root cause of the violence. Positive peace works to create an environment where war is not likely to occur again. Clearly, positive peace takes more work and is a longer term solution that involves individuals or communities coming together voluntarily to seek social justice.
