CONTEXTUALIZING PEACE AND CONFLICT STUDIES INHIGHER EDUCATION: COMMUNITY-BASED LEARNINGAND NGO PARTNERSHIPS FOR SUSTAINABLEPEACEBUILDING IN CONFLICT-AFFECTED REGIONS
Keywords:
Peace, Conflict, Peace and Conflict Studies, Higher Education, Community-based Learning, NGO Partnership, Sustainable Peacebuilding, Peace EducationAbstract
Abstract
The history of Conflict-Affected Mindanao has been shaped by complex conflicts involving minority groups, Indigenous communities, and settler populations. While numerous peace agreements, governance reforms, and autonomy arrangements have been implemented, achieving sustainable peace requires long-term educational interventions that cultivate critical awareness, intercultural empathy, and civic engagement among younger generations. Higher education institutions therefore play a significant role in advancing human rights education and peace literacy in conflict-affected regions.
This paper presents a curriculum innovation integrating a one-unit asynchronous course on Peace and Conflict Studies into the academic programs of Davao del Sur State college. The program was developed through collaborative partnerships with non-government organizations (NGOs), community elders, Indigenous knowledge holders, and local peace practitioners. The course contextualizes peace education within historical, cultural, and socio-political realities by combining community-based learning, experiential reflection, and dialogue with local peace actors.
The curriculum incorporates four core learning components: community-based engagement, historical and cultural conflict analysis, human rights and governance frameworks, and reflective peacebuilding exercises. Through these modules, students examine key issues such as minority struggles, Indigenous resistance, inter-ethnic tensions, and contemporary peace initiatives including regional autonomy arrangements.
Narratives from a student participant and a community leader illustrate how experiential learning fosters empathy, intercultural dialogue, and grassroots conflict transformation. The study demonstrates that community-engaged peace education strengthens human rights awareness and civic responsibility among students. By institutionalizing community-based peace education, Davao del Sur State college provides a replicable model for universities seeking to integrate human rights education and participatory peacebuilding within higher education systems in conflict-affected societies.
