ABSTRACT

This chapter presents a rationale for peace-making in schools, setting out the philosophical and pragmatic reasons why a constructive approach to conflict is both important and useful. The field of conflict resolution in general tends to be built around modernist assumptions. It focuses on the intervention, rather than on the ground in which the intervention finds itself. The peace-making approaches that we have chosen to focus on here are restorative approaches (RA), peer mediation and peace-making circles. RA in schools can be understood as "a philosophy, in action, that places the relationship at the heart of the educational experience". Mediation is extensively used within the legal profession, where it is part of a wider system of alternative dispute resolution, but its usage has also extended into a range of other areas. Peace-making circles can be used to promote more child-centred and collaborative processes of behaviour management.