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Dissertation Proposal Defense - Laura Villanueva
Local to Global Peace: Japanese civilians actively working for peace
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
12:00pm - 2:00pm
Metropolitan Building, room 5000
Arlington Campus
Committee:
Dr. Susan Allen (Chair)
Dr. Marc Gopin
Dr. Mark Thurston
Abstract
The history of people-to-people programs is one that focuses on attitudinal changes with large groups or key people so as to build relationships and trust across conflict lines. Peace Field Japan (PFJ) a Japanese NGO has led the Kizuna program in the Satoyama (Japanese rural landscape) and Kosuge villagers (that live in this Satoyama) have opened up their village, their time, their culture and way of life to Israeli, Japanese and Palestinian women for a decade. This research proposal will examine the why and how civilians decide to actively work for peace globally in their particular local and social context. This overarching research question will be examined through the case of the Kizuna Program focusing on three specific questions. The questions examined in this case are as follows: 1) why do individuals decide to work locally in their home community to build peace globally? 2) what facilitates this local work for global peace, and 3) what are the roles of individuals in community decisions to work locally for global peace? This auto-ethnographic study will employ grounded theory in an attempt not to separate the theory from the process that generated it. This chosen methodology will allow for a comprehensive look at a complex and rich experience with the systematic approach of grounded theory. What local actors reveal is expected to shed light on the broader questions of building peace. This is significant because it will lead to a greater understanding of local hosts’ perspectives through the lens of this particular social and cultural context. In doing so, it will inform efforts to attract additional local hosts to engage in peacebuilding. Consequently, new hosts can draw insights and guidance from the experience of seasoned hosts.