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Why Storytelling Matters for Building Peace [S-19-63]

Since the development of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission in the early 1990s, telling stories has come to be seen as a central part of peace building. At the same time, telling stories about violence can bring back trauma and reinforce divisive views. This course will explore the value and risks of national institutions for telling stories after conflict, like truth and reconciliation commissions, and the ways that fiction can contribute to peace building.

Lisa Propst is an Assistant Professor of Literature at Clarkson University. She specializes in contemporary fiction with a focus on the roles of narrative in post-conflict reconciliation and the ethical challenges of telling stories about other people’s lives. Lisa teaches courses on world literature, modern fiction, gender and pop culture, and violence and reconciliation, among other topics.

Cap: 50