Widening and Wilding The Socio-Ecological Dimensions of Peace. Experiences from the International Institute on Peace Education

Gerson, Janet C. ; Knox Steiner, Stephanie ; Pastoors, Dani*el*a

Abstract

A regenerative peace education involves reweaving relationships, of human and more-than-human; relearning how to be good participants in the earth community; repairing and healing from harm of centuries of colonialism and its myriad ongoing effects through justice and accountability; and growing new seeds for new possibilities from what we are able to compost (Knox Steiner, forthcoming) In this reflective article, we consider how the relational socio-ecological dimension of peace might be called regenerative peace education and discuss how these insights might open peace pedagogy and practices for cultivating dynamic webs of caring relations and generosity of spirit among humans, other living systems and the natural world upon which our survival depends and of which we are a part. We hope that in deeply exploring these considerations using the example of the IIPE, the insights might inform other peace education contexts and endeavors. We begin by naming the threads that brought us to this collaboration and build toward a description of our participation in a workshop at IIPE Nepal 2025.We review foundational concepts in this pursuit, engaging with modernity, peace, interbeing, and sentipensar. We then describe the learning ecosystem of the IIPE and delve into the mosaic thinking that forms the substrate to stabilize this ecosystem. Mosaic thinking is contrasted to the mutable dynamic aspects within the liminal spaces –interstices, intersubjectivity, and interbeing. Next, we engage in a detailed description of a “Hospicing Modernity”workshop, our roles, and our reflections on the hospicing and regenerative immersion. Finally, we consider how IIPE might enhance, deepen, or further emphasize the socio-ecological dimensions of peace through our relationships with each other, the inner workings of the institute, and the institute’s location in more intentional ways.