Seminar: Tatsushi Arai - Toward a Buddhist Theory of Structural Peace: Lessons from Myanmar in Transition

Session 2 –Toward a Buddhist Theory of Structural Peace: Lessons from Myanmar in Transition

Thursday, April 23rd
1:30 – 2:45pm
Conference Room 5145 

Many of the theories of peace and conflict established and taught at North American and European universities have their roots in Western culture and philosophy. Despite the significant progress made in recent decades to globalize peace research, the amount of well-developed theories of oriental origin is still relatively small. Action research aimed at constructing a Buddhist theory of peace fills this gap. Based on a series of interviews, focus group meetings, and capacity-building workshops that the presenter has conducted in Myanmar since 2013, Buddhist theories of social conflict, reconciliation, structural violence, and structural peace will be explored. Given the rising tension between Myanmar’s Buddhist majority and Muslim minority communities, approaches to interreligious dialogue and coexistence will also be explored based on the presenter’s practical experience. See his latest publication, “Toward a Buddhist Theory of Structural Peace: Lessons from Myanmar in Transition,” in Peace and Conflict Studies at:http://nsuworks.nova.edu/pcs/vol22/iss1/3/ 

Profile of the Presenter: 
Tatsushi (Tats) Arai received his PhD from S-CAR in 2005. He is a fellow of S-CAR’s Center for Peacemaking Practice, an associate professor of peacebuilding and conflict transformation at the School for International Training (SIT) Graduate Institute in Vermont, and a research associate of the Toda Institute for Global Peace and Policy Research in Hawaii. As a conflict resolution trainer, mediator, and dialogue facilitator, Tatsushi has extensive practical experience in Asia (East, South, and Southeast), the Middle East, the African Great Lakes, and the United States. Samples of his scholarship may be found at:http://works.bepress.com/tatsushi_arai/