Storytelling in Peace and Conflict Studies

I have always been a storyteller--not always a good one (sorry, Mom and Dad!)--and it has only been recently that I have begun to understand why.

A fundamental understanding of Peace and Conflict Studies (PACS) as a field is the consideration of narrative as more than just recollection and historic document; PACS inhabits a space that strives toward experience, that our stories are more than just what is recorded. This intersection opens up the inter-disciplinary; through storytelling, narrative construction, we give voice to our concerns and we consolidate or broker power. It is understanding this dynamic that has created the realm of the political and prompted globalized approaches to increasingly complex functions of civil society.

While there are other perspectives, more and more, we are beginning to see a shift in understanding and leveraging the power of story as a major component of change process. Different than "the tail wags the dog", the push for a broader understanding of how we remember, describe and share the impact of experiences provides an opportunity for transformative and constructive change.