ABSTRACT
“Peace” is best described as a desirable state of human relations—not merely as the cessation of hostilities. This chapter starts with a brief overview of care theory, moves on to a discussion of the centrality of communication in establishing and maintaining peace, and concludes with some recommendations on what we might do in schools to foster peacemaking. Most of what we teach today about peace in our high school courses is connected to war. Students of education know that “progressive” or “problem-oriented” texts and curriculum additions have been attacked repeatedly by critics who often brand critical studies as anti-American or anti-intellectual. Peace education should be a central topic in secondary education. In the troubling time of increasing polarization in America, the emphasis should be on peacemaking. The chapter draws on care theory, and provides an approach to peacemaking that emphasizes open, tolerant, critical communication across social classes.
