Peacebuilding

Abstract

To explore the meanings of ‘peacebuilding,’ this article is divided into three parts, first looking at different conceptualizations of the idea of peace. The section titled Peace is based on the observation that the kind of changes peacebuilding actors are trying to implement will depend on their definition of peace. It starts with a critique of the liberal peace and then goes back to the origins of peace studies as a field to see what founding concepts of peace might continue to hold relevance today. In the second section, Peacebuilding, I explain why I consider this word as an umbrella term that includes various activities. I also point out the similarities between my concept of peacebuilding and that of other scholars. In the third part, Sound and Proactive Peacebuilding, I propose the formulation of a specific type of peacebuilding, in order to facilitate the emergence of numerous links between music and peacebuilding. This concept includes four modes: Inner Peacebuilding, Communicative Creativity, Planetary Awareness and Preventive Peacebuilding. My goal in this article is to advance a vision of peace in which anyone can play a role, with an emphasis on the concrete actions people can take in everyday life, building peace day by day.