Crafting Peace Through Autoethnography

In Crafting Peace Through Autoethnography: Reflexive Pedagogies for Navigating Difficult Times, Dr. Riva shares her autoethnographic method that employs a transformational pedagogy for conflict resolution and peace studies. Riva recollects her autoethnographic process, connecting her theoretical framework to lived experience. The transformagram learning model is presented as a stepwise approach with a scaffolded template. Students’ transformagram portfolios are showcased, offering examples of the transformational process.

Conflict narratives emerge from autoethnographic and duoethnographic methods that become tools for activating the inner compass, providing directionality for homing in to better-formed storylines and potential flyways. In this creative and reflexive space, story mandalas shapeshift, opening a transformational passageway. Conflict wisdom is enkindled through narrative conflict resolution approaches that increase connectivity and narrative coherency, giving rise to mediatorship.

The transformagram learning model provides a pedagogy that accompanies students as they navigate difficult times. Ample theories, stories, and examples provide peace study scholar practitioners with a model that can be applied to traditional higher education classrooms as well as online learning platforms.

Susan Mossman Riva teaches conflict resolution at Creighton University, USA, in the Department of Cultural and Social Studies within the medical anthropology program.