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POLI30262 Dimensions of Peace and Conflict is a third-year course that centres on\u00a0various aspects of peace efforts that aim to address both the direct violence seen in\u00a0armed conflicts, and the less visible structural violence that relates to social justice\u00a0issues. The course also introduces students to the interdisciplinary aspects of peace and\u00a0conflict studies by looking into how disciplines such as geography, political economy,\u00a0anthropology and art approach peace. I used the Diversifying the Curriculum fund to give\u00a0students in this course an opportunity to briefly explore some of these disciplinary\u00a0approaches in various sites in Manchester city centre that connect to the themes of this\u00a0course. While it may not be the most obvious place for addressing these topics,\u00a0Manchester has notable locations in the city centre that engage with them.<\/p>\n
To put this idea into action, I connected with ‘Invisible Cities’, a social enterprise that\u00a0provides job opportunities for individuals facing homelessness. Together, we developed\u00a0a walking tour called the ‘Peace and Conflict Tour’, carefully choosing sites to explore with\u00a0students that relate to the module material. A variety of memorials, statues, plaques,\u00a0streets, alleyways, and buildings related to themes of peace and conflict were included\u00a0in the tour itinerary. Exploring these sites provided students with an opportunity to\u00a0conduct a brief ethnographic study of their environment, encouraging a more critical\u00a0perspective on how spaces are shaped through struggle against different types of\u00a0violence and how some of them were reconfigured through artistic interventions.<\/p>\n
The first impressions of the students were notably positive, and the survey feedback for\u00a0this course highlighted the tour as an example of innovative teaching which helped\u00a0illuminate their understanding of the world around them. Most of the students were\u00a0aware of Manchester\u2019s history in terms of broader social justice issues, but they were\u00a0surprised to discover that Manchester has many sites linked to various global conflicts.\u00a0They knew that the struggle of the workers in the region influenced some of the most\u00a0important writings of Marx and Engels, but were surprised to learn that the workers also\u00a0endured considerable hardship in their support of the fight against slavery during the\u00a0American Civil War. The students were also glad to hear more about the struggle for\u00a0women\u2019s rights and the women whose efforts preceded those of the famous Suffragette\u00a0movement. Furthermore, they were pleased to find about the city\u2019s pioneering role in\u00a0the forming of nuclear-free zones across the globe, as well as the way in which the city\u00a0coped with the repercussions of terrorist attacks, which left an indelible mark on the\u00a0history of the city.<\/p>\n
They found it intriguing to observe how some of these events and the individuals\u00a0associated with them were represented through statues and other artistic interventions.\u00a0This exploration allowed them to enhance their understanding of these themes through\u00a0the exploration of the spaces where they are located and the changing environment\u00a0around them. Finally, the students expressed enthusiasm for joining the tour coorganised with a social enterprise that aims to combat issues stemming from\u00a0 structural\u00a0violence. The overall impression was that this tour has significantly enhanced their\u00a0critical perspective on the main themes covered in the module.<\/p>\n
In terms of challenges, despite our efforts to limit the number of sites visited to fit the\u00a0available time, it was difficult to visit all of them in the time allocated. Therefore, it will\u00a0be necessary to reduce the number of locations visited on the tour to facilitate a more\u00a0thorough examination of those that are most relevant for this module.<\/p>\n
In the future, the plan is to organise the tour every year for the students taking this\u00a0module. Now that its first iteration was arranged and carried out, in the coming years\u00a0the process will be more streamlined, which will allow for the integration of the tour\u00a0earlier in the semester. This will also allow to set up an assessment in the form of\u00a0critical reflection based on this tour. The information about the tour will additionally be\u00a0shared with colleagues who may consider it useful for their courses, and the tour will be\u00a0offered to participants attending the Manchester peace conferences organised by our\u00a0department.<\/p>\n
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