Teachers as Peacebuilders
Exploring the Role of Educators in Promoting Conflict Resolution, Social Justice, and Social Cohesion in Schools
Keywords:
Teachers as Peacebuilders, Peace Education, Conflict Resolution, Social Cohesion, Qualitative researchAbstract
Although schools play an important role in promoting peace, conflict resolution, social justice, and social cohesion, limited research has examined teachers' experiences and practices of peacebuilding across different school contexts in Pakistan. This study explored the lived experiences of secondary school teachers as peacebuilders, focusing on conflict resolution, inclusive classroom practices, school-level peace culture, and social cohesion in Karachi. A qualitative phenomenological design was adopted, using purposive sampling to select 12 secondary school teachers from various school settings. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data, which were transcribed verbatim and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis with the assistance of NVivo 15. Member checking, reflexive analysis, and systematic coding procedures were used to enhance trustworthiness. Four interrelated themes emerged: teachers as peacebuilders, the classroom peace environment, school peace culture, and the perceived social outcomes of peacebuilding. Participants recognised peacebuilding as a core professional competency and identified respectful communication, inclusive pedagogy, restorative practices, and collaborative school leadership as key supports. The study provides context-specific evidence of teachers' agency in peacebuilding across multiple education systems in Karachi and calls for continuous professional development, whole-school peacebuilding initiatives, and institutional support to build peaceful and socially cohesive learning communities.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Dr. Nazir Ahmad, Muhammad Imran, Dr. Nazia Aslam (Author)
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