ABSTRACT

This chapter looks at the creation of a region-specific academic programme in Peace Studies as an innovative solution to bridging the international-local gap in peacebuilding. As such it represents an alternative approach to mainstream Peace and Conflict studies, and a paradigm shift towards a focus on locally informed, theoretical and practical notions of peace. The chapter documents a Master’s program under development since 2011 and follows the social and political factors prevalent in the region and the regional (dis)advantages for peace research. the chapter documents the impact and practical and theoretical implications of academic cooperation and the benefits of a region-specific approach to peace education and bottom-up peacebuilding.