Positive Peace

One month into our project, we must take the time to reevaluate our initial questions: What explains the Costa Rican culture of peace and can it be replicated in other societies?

Our thinking about these questions is founded on a simple theoretical framework provided in large part by Johan Galtung. Peace, according to Galtung, is not just the absence of war. Because two nations are not at war does not mean they are in peace. The Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States is the classic example, but look also to modern examples of negative peace between North and South Korea or Israel and Syria. Therefore, the mere absence of physical violence or war is a negative peace because the conditions that inevitably lead to violence persist. On the other hand, positive peace refers to a state of collaboration and support between states, nations, or members of a society.

In the case of Costa Rica, the 1948 Revolution led to the abolition of the military. Therefore, Costa Rica has been free of war for 62 years. Moreover, whereas many Central American states wielded military force against their own populations (Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, to name a few), Costa Ricans enjoyed a unique freedom from political violence.

But, though free from war, is Costa Rica truly a culture of positive peace? To answer this deeper question, we rely on Galtung’s notion of structural violence. Structural violence refers to the socially, culturally, or institutionally embedded measures of oppression or non-physical violence. Examples of structural violence include racism, sexism, heterosexism, classism, and the list goes on. Simply put, structural violence is built into the very social structure. In fact, the social structure may rely on it. To bring the theorizing full circle, positive peace is the cessation of structural violence. Sexism, heterosexism, and socio-economic inequality are plain as day in Costa Rica (CR’s Gini index is 46). Nonetheless, compared to its regional neighbors, Costa Rica scores very high in development indicators. It would seem, then, that while structural violence exists in Costa Rica, somebody is doing something about it.

That’s where we come in. So far, we have learned that Costa Rica is no “peace paradise.” That being said, we have witnessed a vibrant civil society making steps towards positive peace in all fronts. For us, some of the most exciting work is being done in the field of peace education. Our next post will explain a bit more about the peace education model being introduced in Costa Rican schools.

In the meantime, take a look at the website of Dramatic Problem Solving, an organization (run by Steven Hawkins) that uses theater methods to help communities solve their own conflicts. He draws inspiration from the work of Brazilian Augusto Boal and his Theater of the Oppressed, an important form inspired by Freirean pedagogy. Video clips will be uploaded soon.

Peace