Post-Cold War Peace Psychology More Differentiated, Contexualized and Systemic

The domain of peace psychology is delineated by scholars from around the world who demonstrate how the focal concerns of the field vary with geohistoricalcontext: some being primarily concerned with patterns of behavior and cognition involved in the prevention of violent episodes; and others with the amelioration of structural violence. A systems perspective is used as a framework for integrating episodes and structures of violence and peace. Articles emphasizing "systemic violence" underscore the interplay of structures and episodes of violence. Articles on "systemic peacebuilding"examine the nonviolent management of conflict, and movement toward socially just structures that yield cooperative and equitable relationships across levels, from interpersonal to intergroup.

Daniel J. Christie is Professor of Psychology at Ohio State University and past president of Division 48 of the American Psychological Association (Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict, and Violence: Division of Peace Psychology), and Psychologists for Social Responsibility. He is co-author of Peace, Conflict, and Violence: Peace Psychology for the 21st Century (Prentice-Hall), and Series Editor for the forthcoming Peace Psychology Book Series (Springer Publishers). His recent research focuses on the structural basis of conflict and peace, human needs theory, nonviolent democratization movements, social activism, and developmental changes in children's perceptions and understandings of violent events.