The UNESCO World Congress conception of the basic Aim of Disarmament Education is “… how to think about disarmament rather than what to think about it. Disarmament education should therefore be problem-centered so as to develop the analytical and critical capacity to examine and evaluate practical steps towards the reduction of arms and the elimination of war as an acceptable international practice (“World Congress on Disarmament Education: Report and Final Document,” Section II.A.8.); and that Human beings interpret and understand experience, including values and moral and political choices, through frames of reference, which include employing methodologies of reflective inquiry, in order for future citizens to learn how to think, they need to be exposed to various frameworks and methodologies of thinking within particular domains of reflective understanding.

Disarmament and social transformation toward a climate of peace require a shift in security and world order paradigms (the frameworks of thought that justify and legitimate various strategies and actions pertaining to governmental policy, including the development and deployment of military force). In turn, peace and disarmament education should entail an understanding of and reflective inquiry into historical, current, and alternative security and world order paradigms.

Regarding the consideration of peace and disarmament, we can look to and reflect upon the frames of reference that have historically guided understanding and practice of security and world order. While acknowledging the multi-dimensionality of the issue, this reflection will be focused on both ethical and critical reflective inquiry.

Based upon the above orientation the workshop will engage participants in the process of ethical reflective inquiry regarding paradigms of security and world order, and its implications for disarmament. This engagement will model a pedagogy of ethical reflective inquiry that can be replicated in a number of different educational contexts.

The workshop will engage participants in the process of ethical reflective inquiry regarding paradigms of security and world order, and its implications for
disarmament. This engagement will model a pedagogy of ethical reflective inquiry that can be replicated in a number of different educational contexts.