The tricky business of teaching peace and conflict: diverse pedagogical strategies for university classrooms

This paper examines the challenges and opportunities of teaching peace and conflict in university classrooms amid contemporary cultural divides, particularly in the United States, with relevance beyond this context. As debates over ‘woke’ education intensify, educators face the task of teaching peace, justice, and ethical responsibility in politically charged environments, raising questions about higher education as potential indoctrination. Drawing on over a decade of teaching experience, the paper introduces two ‘tricky’ pedagogical strategies: ‘sneaking in’ and ‘sneaking out.’ ‘Sneaking in’ involves the subtle introduction of contentious topics, such as toxic masculinity, critical race theory, and decolonization, through familiar and accessible media like popular music videos. ‘Sneaking out’ uses community service-learning projects to connect students with real-world peacebuilding efforts in their local communities. These strategies highlight how educators inevitably (mis)teach conflict, justice, and sustainability, and argue for a nuanced approach that balances implicit learning, practical engagement, and critical inquiry.