peacemeal
greenfield community college journal for peace
Building Positive & Negative Peace
When I consider negative peace, I imagine someone treading water. It is not a state where one is moving forward but simply striving to keep their head above the water. I think that when most people (including myself) first think of what peace would look like in our modern world we envision negative peace, though not in that wording. We imagine the end of the war, streets without violence and weapons abandoned. But in this world, we are still only treading water. Although I do believe that negative peace has it’s place, it is not sustainable. It’s purpose is to …
Latest featured stories (view all)
- Building Positive & Negative Peace
- Ambassadors for Peace
- The Greenfield Community College Peace Project
- Symbols of Peace
- Unsung Local Heroines for Peace
Quotes (view all)
It must be that peace is so hard to achieve because there is not just one simple definition. It is not something that can just be taught to our children like the ABC’s. It must be taught through example and this is not always an easy task.
Katie, PSJ student
My definition of peace consists of security, honesty, awareness and an action that will always result in a good outcome. Peace is something that should not be pushed or enforced; it is also something that must be achieved for it can never be ascribed.
Zachary, PSJ student
Until recently my definition of peace would have only included something along the lines of the absence of war or military conflict. Peace would mean harmony and cooperative relations between peoples in society, fair and just practices that do not harm people or land. Peace holds much more meaning to me now, and I do believe in the values of peace building and creating positive peace in society. Even with the absence of military conflict and war, I feel that there cannot be true peace for all people until the social structures that cause violence and exploit people are no longer operating and harming people and creating disparities. I feel that there cannot be peace with the prevalence of injustice in society.
Marianne, PSJ student
Inspiration Station (view all)
Lament for the EarthMother
From “Dreamsinger” by John McDonnell Tierney
Mother…EarthMother, I weep for the scars on your face.
I cry for the rivers and lakes…for the songbirds, the spiders, the snakes.
Mother… EarthMother, I burn in …
Cooperative Work of Peace
This poem was created in the class called Peacemaking in Practice: Seminar on Nonviolence and Social Action. Students did free writes on what peace means to them and took a …
Peace
By Seaira, 6th grade
No wars. The feeling of safety.
Being able to believe, non-violence.
Love in the world, happiness in our hearts.
Peace is free. War is not.
Organizational Spotlight
International Day of Peace
The International Day of Peace (”Peace Day”), September 21st, is an opportunity for individuals, organizations and nations to create practical acts of peace on a shared date. Established by the U.N. in 1981, The first Peace Day was celebrated in …
Graduation Pledge Alliance
The Graduation Pledge of Social and Environmental Responsibility states, “I pledge to explore and take into account the social and environmental consequences of any job I consider and will try to improve these aspects of any organizations for which I …
Editor's Note
Building Negative & Positive Peace
As the semester draws to a close, I reflect on the state of the world since the inception of the Peace and Social Justice Studies option became a reality at Greenfield Community College. First conceived in 2002 with the advent of a course entitled the Psychology of Peace, Conflict and Violence, our country was first reeling from the aftermath of …
Partners in peace
