Pathways to Peace: The Transformative Power of Children and Families [Paperback]

Experts investigate the role of child development in promoting a culture of peace, reporting on research in biology, neuroscience, genetics, and psychology.

Can more peaceful childhoods promote a culture of peace? Increasing evidence from a broad range of disciplines shows that how we raise our children affects the propensity for conflict and the potential for peace within a given community. In this book, experts from a range of disciplines examine the biological and social underpinnings of child development and the importance of strengthening families to build harmonious and equitable relations across generations. They explore the relevance to the pursuit of peace in the world, highlight directions for future research, and propose novel approaches to translate knowledge into concrete action.

The contributors describe findings from research in biology, neuroscience, evolution, genetics, and psychology. They report empirical evidence on children living in violent conditions, resilience in youth, and successful interventions. Their contributions show that the creation of sustainable partnerships with government agencies, community leaders, policy makers, funders, and service providers is a key ingredient for success. Taken together, they suggest possible novel approaches to translate knowledge into concrete action.The Ernst Strüngmann Forum vii
List of Contributors ix
Foreword: The Culture of Peace
Anwarul K. Chowdhury xiii
Foundations for a New Approach
1 Peace Is a Lifelong Process: The Importance of Partnerships
James F. Leckman, Catherine Panter-Brick, and Rima Salah 3
2 Framing Our Analysis: A Dialectical Perspective
Robert A. Hinde and Joan Stevenson-Hinde 19
3 Ecology of Peace
Pia R. Britto, Ilanit Gordon, William Hodges, Diane Sunar,lƒ¤