Visualizing Peace in World Politics

The project brings together innovative research papers on the study of visualization in peace and conflict studies. While the importance of visualization has gathered great momentum in the discipline of International Relations, far less has been said about the concept of visualization in peace and conflict studies. The project has three central aims including the politics (1), the policy (2.) and the pedagogy (3) of visualizing peace: 1.) It will reflect on how peace is visualized in artifacts such as films, comics or posters and consider what these representations of peace do politically. In other words what is presented in the picture of peace and what is left out? What consequences can that have for the construction of politics? While there has been tremendous research on the depiction of violence, war and notions of self and other, very little has been done on the visualization of peace. 2.) Connected to the first aim, the special issue will reflect on how visual artifacts can contribute to real world peace after violent conflict. How can visualization in film, comics or posters help build peace and contribute to conflict resolution? Films are often seen as a means of contributing to the dichotomous construction of others and thereby aiding the legitimization of violence and conflict. If this holds, then film also can play a role in peace processes. (3.) Finally, the project will consider how visual artifacts of peace can used to teach students about a variety of issues in peace and conflict studies, conflict resolution and transitional justice.