01| A Question for Peace & Sustainability

Welcome to Peace of Earth! In this first episode, host and interdisciplinary researcher Akil Cole introduces his main research question, the reasons for this research and his two case studies: the Community Ecology Institute in Columbia, Maryland, USA and Soil for Life in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa. He also introduces some key concepts, including the “Triangle of Violence” (direct, structural, and cultural violence), positive peace, and negative peace.

Learn more about the key concepts and people discussed in today's episode!

• Johan Galtung’s “Triangle of Violence”
• Timeline for the concept of “positive peace”
• Defining the Concept of Peace (Negative vs. Positive Peace)
• Similar articulations of peace by from different indigenous peoples:
  • “Returning to the Teachings. Exploring Aboriginal Justice” by Rupert Ross (Cree and Ojibwe cultural values related to modern notion of “restorative justice”)
  • The Seventh Generation Principle (Haudenosaunee Confederacy [Iroquois] philosophy of present-day responsibility for the well being of future generations)
  • Great Law of Peace (Haudenosaunee Confederacy constitution)
• My themes for analysis
  1. Healthy human relationships;
  2. Oppressive systems and community transformation
  3. Gardens and farms as essential goods
  4. Organizational features and operations
• My research methods

Episode Script

Episode Sources

Have a question or feedback? Email me at [e-mail]!