Student Projects
Introduction
A diverse group of young women sat around a table on the first day of class, collecting scraps to assemble a quilt panel. Shyly, we each presented our artistic representation of a conflicted moment. Each has her own personal story — filled with family traditions, cultural rituals, political affiliations — that influences how she views the world. It is from this multidimensional vantage point that this anthology was born.
We all became storytellers as part of our exploration in COEX 250: The Arts of Building Peace with Dr. Cindy Cohen at our helm. Together we embarked on a journey to understand how the arts can work as or with peace building activities in conflict transformation. We examined multiple case studies of successful projects worldwide; we scrutinized various theorists and practitioners in search of useable models and frameworks; and together we asked many, many critical questions about the future of this work.
Part of our study included interviewing an artist or community development worker currently engaged in peace building and analyzing their work in light of the theory we had read. The diversity of the activists and artists included in this anthology spans the globe and every medium. There are riveting narratives of a filmmaker in South Africa, a muralist in El Salvador, a community worker in Palestine and storytellers in rural America. As you read, you will no doubt notice common threads throughout: risk taking, improvisation, collaboration, and imagination. These ideas, along with the Guiding Questions, will help you explore the anthology. Each and every project has a unique vision, yet has a shared message: Everyone has a voice that deserves to be heard.
In the process of telling another’s story, our own stories are strengthened and reflected back to us. By sharing the stories with you, we in turn become the artists attempting to create change.
Liz Canter, editor
May 2007