International Journal of Peace Studies, Volume 18, Number 2, Winter 2013
Relationships and World Peace: A Peace Movement Survey.
Alvany Maria dos Santos Santiago
Agnaldo Garcia
Abstract
This study aims to investigate the role of different levels of relationships (interpersonal, intergroup
and international) to promote world peace in accordance with the vision of the participants of the
organization / movement Servas International. The frameworks are the studies about interpersonal
relationship and Peace Psychology. Its approach is qualitative and the sample consisted of ten of
Servas’s leaders around the world, centering in providing and analyzing a number of personal
contacts which each participant has made through the Servas and the participants’ perspective on
how interpersonal relationships have affected the international peace. Servas is an international, nongovernmental, multicultural peace association run by volunteers in over 100 countries. Founded in
1949 as a peace movement, Servas International is a non-profit organization, working to build
understanding, tolerance and world peace. Data were collected through a semi-structured interview,
which lasted for about an hour each , and were analyzed by content analysis. Results indicate the
importance of interpersonal relationships to world peace, since it starts with contact between two
people that can spread their experiences to the groups and to the nations. However this contact must
be qualified in the sense that the person should be open to contact to different people of different
races, religions, cultures, and countries to overcome prejudices and to break stereotypes.
Introduction: Relationships and Peace
It has been argued that peace begins with people, but few studies have been
undertaken in this sector. This paper seeks to answer the central question: how international
peace movement members perceived the role of relationships (interpersonal, intergroup and
international) to promote world peace?
In this perspective, our objective is to investigate the role of relationships to promote
world peace in accordance with the peace movement members’ vision. The movement in
analysis is the Servas International.
Servas international is a worldwide network of hosts and travelers, created with the
purpose of helping to build world peace and to reinforce values of goodwill, mutual tolerance
and understanding through personal contacts among individuals of different cultures,
nationalities and life stories. Servas (Altieri, s/d; Knowles, 1989; Luteweiler, 1999; Mulder &
Viguurs, 2001) is an international, non-governmental, and multicultural peace association run
by volunteers in over 120 countries. Founded in 1949 by Bob Luitweiler as a peace
movement, Servas International is a non-profit organization, striving to build understanding,
tolerance, and world peace. It operates through a network of Servas hosts around the world
who are interested in opening their doors to travelers and of Servas’s travelers who want to
get to know more about the daily life of the people in the countries which the travelers visit.
The Servas’s helpers are members who support the goals of the organization in other ways,
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Alvany Maria dos Santos Santiago and Agnaldo Garcia
through leadership and communication or perhaps as a representative at the United Nations.
Servas International has consultative status as a non-governmental organization with the
United Nations Economic and Social Council, with representation at many of the UN's hubs
of activity.
We would like to point out two relevant aspects of the research. First, from the social
point of view, it is important to study interpersonal relationship to promote world peace, since
it may make possible the development of knowledge about aspects, which may promote the
predominance of these two points. It can influence people's behavior and increase the
perception of a constraint factor to a society of peace. The second one, from the scientific
point of view, it is important to further the studies on the role of interpersonal relationships to
promote international peace, since the interpersonal relationship level is recognized in many
studies. Moreover, it is also important to study the promotion of a peace culture as well as the
spread of values related to both, besides the need to develop actions to increase social capital,
improving the well-being and quality of life and its effects on sustainable development.
Theoretical framework
The two theoretical frameworks used, the dialectical perspective on
interpersonal relationships proposed by Hinde (1997) and Peace Psychology from
Christie, Tint, Wagner & Winter (2008), are considered as convergent approaches in
relation to human social behavior both working on different levels of complexity and
its dialectical relations are considered compatible and even complementary, and can
contribute to a wider view of the subject, allowing a productive dialogue for the two
areas in question: Studies of Interpersonal Relationship and Peace Psychology.
Garcia (2005) presents the contribution of classical ethology1 to the field of
interpersonal relationships, mainly through the studies of Konrad Lorenz, John
Bowlby, and Robert Hinde. The contribution of Hinde has also been discussed by
Garcia and Ventorini (2005) who emphasize the description as a first step to
understand the dynamics of relationships. Beyond the descriptive base, these authors
cite the given emphasis by Hinde to classification, analysis, and the synthesis of
analysis results, the move between levels of complexity and the emphasis on function,
evolution, development, and causation questions, besides the sense of humility on the
diversity of nature.
Hinde organized a theoretical approach for the area of interpersonal
relationship and established guidance for empirical studies. According to Garcia and
Ventorini (2005), to organize the research field on interpersonal relationships, Hinde
started from interaction content to its diversity and quality. He also discusses
reciprocity and complementarity, intimacy, interpersonal perception, and
commitment, as these categories help to organize descriptive data on relationships.
Hinde’s interpersonal relationship theoretical model (Hinde, 1997) consists of a
relationship system with different levels of complexity that affect and are affected
each other (on physiological processes, through interaction, relationships, groups, and
society) and also to sociocultural structure and physical environment (Figure 1).
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Relationships and World Peace
Society
Group
Relationship
Sociocultural
Structure
Environment
Interaction
Individual Behavior
Psychological
Process
Figure 1 - Dialectical relations among successive levels of social complexity
It is a four-stage model. The first one refers to the phenomena description, the
second one is formed by the underlying process discussion, the third stage refers to the
limitation recognition, and the last one, re-synthesis (Garcia and Ventorini, 2005). The
relationship description involves, in essence, an interaction description - content and
quality, a property description arising from the relative frequency and interaction
pattern within the relationship and the common property description to all interactions
within the relationship. Hinde also includes verbal and nonverbal elements as
important tools for relationship understanding.
In order to be considered as a relationship, Hinde (1997) emphasizes that the
interactions between individuals, who know each other, must repeat themselves, and
to make a relationship description, it is necessary information about each individual
activity what includes data about what the participants do, think and feel in different
levels of complexity from interactions, relationships and groups. The author asserts
that there will be a relationship if individuals have a common history of past
interactions and if the course of the current interaction is influenced by them. The
attitudes, expectations, intentions, and emotions of the participants are intervening
factors in the construction of relationships. Thus, these psychological characteristics
of the parties as the personal characteristics of the individuals, such as positioning
cultural norms, social and organizational self-concept, self-esteem, religious values,
communication skills, and energy dispensed in relationships, among others, have a
strong influence on the direction of the relationship.
Relationships, according to Hinde, can be grouped in order to form a
relationship network, such as family, neighborhood group, church, among others, and
from them to constitute the social group. He adds that these networks of relationship
may overlap or remain completely separate, behaving as distinct groups, one in the
face of others. Just as in interactions and relationships, each group both influences the
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Alvany Maria dos Santos Santiago and Agnaldo Garcia
physical and biological environment and is by its environments. The author
acknowledges the existence of distinct levels of complexity in social behavior. Each
one of these (interactions, relationships, and social groups) has their own properties
(Hinde, 1997).
Besides considering the differences among these levels, Hinde (1997) says that
we must approach these as an interrelated process that influences each other. The
interaction relationship nature depends on both participants, the behavior that
individuals demonstrate in each interaction, and the nature of the relationship, which
is influenced by the type of group to which it relates. Thus, each level not only
influences the physical environment and socio-cultural structure (ideas, myths, values,
beliefs, customs and institutions), but it is also modified by them.
From this perspective, the dyadic relationship and the interpersonal relationship
terms are used to refer to an actual sequence of interactions between two people at the
same time or to a sequence of potential interactions between two people who
interacted in the past. At the behavioral level, a relationship involves a series of
interactions between individuals who know each other. Accordingly, an interaction
description refers to the behavior content exhibited (what individuals do together), the
quality of behavior (how it is done) and standardization (absolute and relative
frequency) of the interactions that compose it. Some of the most important
characteristics of relationships depend on affective/cognitive factors, which also must
be considered (Hinde, 1997)
Regarding international peace, we resort to Christie, Tint, Wagner and Winter
(2008) Peace Psychology model. This model integrates the positive and negative
approaches to peace, integrating reactive interventions (negative peace) and proactive
interventions (positive peace) in units of interpersonal analysis, of intergroup, and of
international levels. This approach recognizes that violent episodes have structural and
cultural roots. In domestic violence, for example, the proximal cause may be an
interpersonal conflict that progresses toward violence. At the structural level, domestic
violence is rooted in the power asymmetry and in a woman’s economic dependence.
The authors (Christie, Tint, Wagner & Winter, 2008) named their approach as a
multilevel perspective (Psychology of Peace). Lasting peace requires not only the
removal of the proximal causes of violence, but also a turn towards the structural and
cultural roots of the problem: “Clearly, regardless of the size of the unit of analysis
(interpersonal, intergroup, or international) or setting (family, community, etc.),
sustainable peace requires multilevel interventions that integrate negative and positive
peace processes.” (p.548).
It is important to mention the work of other scholars on the subject. Ardila
(2001) defines the Peace Psychology: “The research field and application that uses
scientific findings, psychological methods and theories, to understand and change the
problems associated with peace, war, violence, and aggression and conflict between
groups, communities, institutions, and nations (p. 40)”.
Ardila (2001) also states:
“Psicología de la paz es el campo de investigación y aplicación que utiliza los
hallazgos científicos, los métodos y las teorías de la psicologia para la
comprensión y modificación de los problemas asociados con la paz, la guerra,
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Relationships and World Peace
la violência, la agresión y los conflictos entre grupos, comunidades,
instituiciones y naciones.” (p.40).
"Peace Psychology is the field of research and application that uses scientific
findings, methods and theories of psychology to the understanding and
modification of the problems associated with peace, war, violence, aggression
and conflict between groups, communities, and nations institutions.” (p.40)2.
Peace Psychology, according to the same author, is dedicated to developing
sustainable societies through the prevention of destructive conflict and violence, and
the mitigation of its consequence, people empowerment, and building a culture of
peace and a global community.
Souza, Mocelim, Trindade and Sperb (2006) defined the Peace Psychology as a
"field of study and practice in psychology that addresses the themes of peace, war,
conflict, and violence." They added that “The fundamental objective is to promote a
more peaceful coexistence among individuals and human groups or nations. It enables
the creation of new strategies for conflict resolution, and the consolidation or
development of existing ones. (p. 14)
Relationships occur within a structural and cultural context. While the negative
peace processes have three entry points, depending on the relationship phase,
opportunities for positive peace process are universal and can take place any time
where social injustices are present. When the relationship is characterized by conflict,
various conflict management strategies are appropriate to promote negative peace. At
the same time, positive peace, transforming the structure of the relationships in a more
equitable arrangement (Lederach, 2003), can also take place.
In this study, we have been using the term peace as defined in Peace
Psychology by Christie (2006): “Peace Psychology is a contextually nuanced
endeavor that is defined by theory and practice aimed at the development of patterns
of behavior and cognition that prevent and mitigate both episodic and structural forms
of violence.” (p.6)
This study is part of the “Relationships and Peace: peace movement member
vision”, a PhD research at the graduate program in psychology at the Federal
University of Espirito Santo, Brazil. That research, as a whole, discusses the role of
interpersonal, of intergroup and international relationship to promote peace.
Methodology
The approach was qualitative and descriptive. We used this approach because,
according to Strauss and Corbin (2009), qualitative methods "can be used to obtain
intricate details about phenomena such as feelings, thought processes, and emotions
that are difficult to extract or discover through more conventional research methods
"(p. 24). In this case, we sought to understand the subjective meanings, practices, and
processes that underlie relationships and peace phenomena for a particular group in a
specific context not because of quantity but for the meanings that are shared by group
members.
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Alvany Maria dos Santos Santiago and Agnaldo Garcia
Ten Servas International members (hosts and day-hosts) who had, at least, fiveyear experience in the group and who had participated actively in the movement in
leadership positions. Some participants were contacted personally during the Servas
International General Assembly, held in Mar del Plata, Argentina in September 2009
and also during the celebration of the sixtieth anniversary sponsored by Servas India,
in Goa, in January 2010. See Annex A – for a worldwide location of each participant.
Procedures. Participants were contacted during the events mentioned above, by
e-mail and telephone calls. For those participants who had been contacted through email, we followed up through a phone call during which we discussed the informed
consent for research along with the ethical aspects andan analysis of risk to
participants in the study. If the leader agreed to participate, s/he had to send us written
informed consent for research and then an interview was scheduled. Interviews were
recorded and lasted from 45 to 95 minutes.
Instrument. The instrument for data collection was a semi-structured interview
conducted in person, or by Skype (a website relationship) or by phone. Initially,
demographic data were collected from each participant. Following, the three contacts
made through Servas, the Servas leaders’ vision about the interpersonal relationship
role on international peace was investigated.
Qualitative data were worked through a content analysis (Bardin, 2004, Franco,
2005 and Minayo, Deslandes, & Gomes, 2007). The systematization and organization
of the analysis of the data followed the methodology proposed by Bardin (2004, p. 37)
which states that content analysis is a set of analysis techniques to obtain
communications, for procedures, systematic and objective description of the contents
of messages, indicators (quantitative or not) that allow the inference of knowledge
concerning the conditions of production / reception (inferred variables) of these
messages.
The ten interviews were transcribed literally in their original language into a
text editor. It was numbered and the participants identified as a leader 1 (L1), leader 2
(L2) consecutively to leader 10 (L10). Finally, it was stated the main categories of
each interview using the range of covered and inherent topics to a qualitative study.
Results
The context: Servas International and participants’ demographics
The research was conducted with Servas’s leaders around the world.In 1949
some young peace activists from various countries, attending a popular school of
elementary education in Askov, Denmark started a movement called “Peace
Builders.” Inspired by Bob Luitweiler, an American, who refused to join the army
(conscientious objector), they established a code of work, study, and travel, opening
their homes to people from other countries of similar view, to work actively for peace.
In 1972, Servas International was registered in Switzerland and, in later years, was
included in the list of Non-Governmental Organizations of the United Nations, with
representation at the UN today. In Brazil, Servas has existed for 30 years and began to
expand in 1979 (Borenstein, 2009).
Relationships and World Peace
71
Servas is an Esperanto3 word and means to serve. The choice of the name
represented the founder’s concerns for finding a word that had meaning in several
languages in order to get a more international connotation. Initially, the trend was to
use the name "Peace builders" or "Open doors", but the word choice of the work
Servas by Luitweiler (1999, p. 28) expressed the thought of “… people who traveled
would learn from their hosts how they could more effectively serve in their home
communities to develop programs and human relations that were free of the seeds of
war.”
The Servas International is a federation of national Servas groups, which are
administered autonomously. For a national group to become a country member with
voting rights it should have to get a minimum of 10 members, with, at least, three
contact key people and to be approved by Servas International (Borenstein, 2009). To
maintain country member status, the national group has to publish the hosts list, at
most, every two years and issue the annual financial report, at least, every two years,
preceding the General Assembly.
Servas is administered worldwide by the executive (Exco), development and
conflict resolution, audit, nominations, job description and statute committee and by a
youth committee formed by five people of different continents, newsletter editor
(Servas News) and an archivist. The Exco comprises the following sectors: president,
vice president, general secretary, treasurer, peace secretary, and coordinator of lists.
The occupants of these positions are elected during the general assembly which takes
place every three years. Nationally, Servas may be administered by a national
secretary, peace secretary, treasurer, national list coordinator, coordinator of
international lists, newsletter editor and the regional coordinators (usually from each
state), as in the case of Brazil, however it can be administrated by fewer volunteer
positions. At the continental level, Servas is administered by an area coordinator with
a three-year mandate, nominated three months after the general assembly.
Servas has worked through its volunteer members who host (Open Doors)
registered travelers who want to know the country, not only as tourists, but also as
peace promoters, and members who travel to get to know the people, the country and
not only the touristic areas. There have been work, travel, and study programs. One of
them is Servas Youth Language Experience - SYLE , an exchanging program with a
cultural immersion abroad. Recently, another pioneer program in Brazil called Servas
Cultural Experience – SCE for adults, was developed by Servas Brazil and Argentina.
One can join Servas in three ways: as a host, a day-host, or as a traveler.
Everyone must fill a registration form and go through an interview with a Servas
leader, who highlights the values and purposes of the organization. After the approved
interview and registration, the name is inserted into the confidential host list for the
country with access only to registered members. The host undertakes, when it is
possible, hosting travelers, regardless of sex, race, religion, political affiliation or
nationality, while the day- host promises to show the city to the traveler or to invite
her or him for a meal together. The traveler must also have a Letter of Introduction –
LOI with further personal information, and her or his interests in the travel, and go
through another interview in which they again emphasized the values of Servas and
responsibilities as a traveler, like to write a travel report. The "Letter of Introduction",
then receives a seal and a signature of the interviewer and of the traveler. This seal has
a small charge which varies from country to country.
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Alvany Maria dos Santos Santiago and Agnaldo Garcia
Demographics
Ten of the Servas’s leaders from ten countries took part of this research:
Argentina, Australia, Brazil, The United States, France, India, Israel, Malaysia,
Portugal, and Singapore. They were two men and eight women. Their ages ranged
from 33 to 83 years old and all had a college degree. Regarding marital status, six of
them were married, one widow, two singles and two divorcees. Such participants
belonged to an array of religious groups: Catholic (3), Jewish (2), Buddhist (1),
Atheist (2), and “None” (2), of which one of them stated to be spiritualist. Most of
them held citizenships in the country where they have lived except for one participant.
One participant spoke only their native language and most of them spoke two
languages fluently, three of them spoke four languages at an advanced level. All had
international experience as tourists, students or workers. Regarding the Servas
participation time, their ages varied from 7 to 31, and all have worked or acted as
leaders. These leaders were interviewers for national executive committees or
international executive committees (see Table 1).
Table 1
Participant demographics
Participant
Nationality
Gender
Age (year)
L1
American
Male
83
L2
Portuguese
Female
46
L3
Singapurean/American
Female
70
L4
Malaysian
Female
42
L5
Israeli
Female
63
L6
French
Female
51
L7
Canadian
Female
58
L8
Argentine
Male
33
L9
Brazilian
Female
35
L10
Australian
Female
71
The analysis of the interviews on the promotion of world peace has revealed
key-themes arranged below. However we shall first present the interpersonal
dimension of three of these contacts, and/or international visits (as host or traveler) as
to the characteristics of this contact and/or relationship.
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Relationships and World Peace
Contacts made through Servas
Ten of the participants mentioned their experiences with three contacts made
through Servas, either as hosts or guests. For this paper, we focus on experiences
characterized as a relationship, in the sense defined by Hinde (1997). These
experiences led to build friendship among people of different ethnicities, races and
nationalities. It was noticed that people who had affinities with their guests or hosts
have visited them in their country of origin, and such visits occurred more at once.
According to Hinde (1997), we can state that there is relationship when there were
past interactions and these interactions affect the current relationship. The importance
of contacts with people from different backgrounds that Servas has promoted was
emphasized. Some of these contacts would not be possible without the intermediation
of the movement. However, we would like to point out that there were contacts that
did not move to the next level – from interaction to relationship.
Opportunity to contact people with different backgrounds allowed by the
movement
L1, who was Jewish, mentioned his experience in hosting and being hosted by a
German:
“He grew up under the Soviet Regime and most them are either
antireligious or areligious… the history of anti-Semitist in Germany goes
back for a hundreds of years and not be affected by, it is asking a bit
much….” L1 continued:
“I felt that it is much more nuance, I don’t feel calling Germans responsible
for our luck and we had a German Servas person, who did not know we were
Jewish and said he would never have contacted us, because he would be
ashamed. I said no, you are not responsible for what you father or grandfather
might have done or said, you are responsible for what you do”.
Participant L5, in this sense, said:
“I was hoping that in this gathering here,4 I would meet some people from
Muslim countries that I could not go to and I will be able to talk to them. So I
met a few people from Malaysia and then I invited them to Israel and I
explained to them how come to Israel despite their government not allow
them to come to Israel.”
Opportunity to build new friendships and romantic relationships
All participants mentioned the construction of new friendship through
connections made through Servas. Despite the geographical distance, many of them
related to have the Servas´ members as the best friends.
The participant L3 reported the experience with thefriendship created during
their Servas experience. She said to have found her best friend through Servas. In this
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Alvany Maria dos Santos Santiago and Agnaldo Garcia
case, she lived in Asia, her family in America and her girlfriend in Scandinavia, who
visited her in various continents: “…she is my best friend, so. We traveled together, I
talked with her over the phone every couple of days, so, she is my closest, my closest
friend…when I had some family emergency, she came to help me, she is wonderful.”
And she states further: “My father (her father lives in Central America) was very ill,
she came twice to help me take care of him.”
Opportunity to build friendship and religious tolerance
L9 spoke about her experience in visiting countries in conflict and how it
provided the opportunity to meet new friends and learn lessons on religious tolerance:
"B. is Muslim, I have a Christian upbringing, and so, I'm more explosive, he is calmer,
he is harder, I'm more flexible, but still, with all these small differences, the
connection was wonderful, always flowed very well, because I think the two sides had
a curiosity and great respect for each other, and I think that was the most important
foundations of our friendship."5
L9 added that the fact of having hosted a Muslim at home was meaningful to
her family (mother and godmother) who were practicing Catholics: "They felt so
happy and excited to have fallen in love with a Muslim person and having lived the
religious tolerance experience in the practice, I thought it was a very big gain, you
know, I did for my family."6
Opportunity for professional and romantic relationships
Opportunities to find love partners and make professional connections were
also cited. The participant L4 reported that she had got married with the hostess’s son,
and the participant L5 cited the professional contacts made through Servas.
Having reported aspects of three contacts made through Servas, we present the
participant vision about the role of relationships to peace.
What’s the role of relationships in the promotion of the international peace?
According to the participants, interpersonal relationships are recognized as
important in the promotion of international peace. Nine of the participants stated that
peace started with personal contact, with positive contact among people.
We report, in more detail, the role of interpersonal relationships to promote
world peace through the perspective of the interviewees. The participant L1 said that it
depended on each person and cited the importance of emphasizing positive contact,
even though they were not looking for perfection. He added that personal contact with
people from another country allowed stereotypes and prejudices to be overcome: “If
you help people see that Americans aren’t just robbery, praises… .. they are not
interested in money, money, money…” Thus, it is important to make more meaningful
contacts, that people are interested one another and not just a superficial and formal
contact.
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75
Participant L2 said that the interpersonal relationship was very important to
world peace and focused on the international level, mutual respect and acceptance of
differences and specifically cited religious differences:
"Everyone, everyone would engage in mutual respect and acceptance of other
religions and the acceptance of what is to be different ... yes, I think the
relationships between countries would be different, and maybe there would be
more peace in the world."
Participant L3 said that everything starts with people, who have an open-mind
and compassionate, and mentioned the importance of getting international
experiences. Thus, in process of making decisions, they may consider other points of
view, besides their own ones. She supposed that this experience made the difference
in the actions of political leaders: “G. B. was never minded, close minded, had no
feeling for differences, where's O. is a very open and understanding that, you know,
can't always have everything in your way…”
A contact with someone from another country can provide information about
what is happening in that country. People who live in nations where the government
"manipulates information" or interferes with information disclosure can access
information from another perspective through direct contact with a person in that
country. Moreover, we tend to be more aware of the problems of that country when
we have friends there, and consequently, are more willing to help them. Thus,
interpersonal relationships are also important to improve access to more reliable
information and to increase motivation to help. Participant L4 reported:
“It helps in the way (...), it's something that one do not know but if in (...), like
to say, Brazil, something happen to Brazil, (...) let me say an example, (...) our
government hides it. How bad (...) ta ta ta ta ta, but if you know somebody in
Brazil that person may give you some information (...) a different perspective
to of what actually happening…”
Participant L5 focused on Servas group and mentioned that interpersonal
relationships help people understand the needs of others; help them in times of trouble
and enjoy their company, or just be good friends during the good times.
Participant L6 also mentioned that he or she promotes world peace by meeting
people, exchanging ideas about the culture and way of life.
Relationships among people are the basis for peace promotion. It goes up to
groups, communities and nations.
Participant L8, based on the movement, said having found his or her goals in
small actions of people:
“Entonces, es como un granito de arena, o sea a partir de la amistad
personas y de compartir actividades que se generan amistades;
favorece a la paz. Digamos que son pequeños granitos de arena
algunos, participando en actividades, estando en contacto con
colaborando y ayudando en el desarrollo de ciertas
de las
y eso
que a
gente,
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Alvany Maria dos Santos Santiago and Agnaldo Garcia
"Then, it is like a sand grain, or from people's friendship, and sharing
activities that generate friendships are generated, and this that favors peace.
Let's say we are small grains of sand and some, participating in activities,
being in contact with people, helping and assisting in the development of
organizational or administrative things of Servas in human groups. "6
He added that these changes favor the group’s consolidation, and thus from
smaller actions, interpersonal relationships, to broader actions, relationship within the
groups, and group after group until the relationship among nations, promote peace.
The friendship between two people is the beginning of peace and
understanding, and reflects in friends groups and family.
Participant L9 cited the case of countries in conflict:
“Is the contact between people, as well ... a practical example, to the extent
that you have a contact between a young Palestinian and an Israeli couple
without any disputes or speeches unrelated to this contact, I think peace is
possible, I think you have a seed of peace. Peace is possible between those
two people, and has the possibility to pass between the groups of friends,
relatives, between two people.”7
She stated that the lack of real contact between people has helped spread the
pseudo-differences and fear. The lack of contact leads to intolerance, stereotypes and
prejudice. Citing again the situation of Israel and Palestine, she stated: "Interpersonal
contact is a major instrument for promoting peace."
Finally, participant L10 reported that friendship and understanding through
established contacts provide a better understanding among people, and allow that
differences were not grounds for conflict.
Discussion
Based on data obtained from interviews, we will highlight some relevant
aspects related to relationship role to promote peace. According to participants,
personal contact is important for promoting peace. Personal contact, is here
understood, as relationships according to Hinde (2007), who states that relationships
refer to a sequence of interactions between two people at a certain time or the
sequence of potential interactions between two people that have interacted in the past.
These contacts allow small acts of peace and tolerance to be performed, and
extend to groups, communities and even nations. These actions show that the
movement is not only upward, but also downward, from group to individuals.
Within Peace Psychology model (Christie, Tint, Wagner & Winter, 2008),
lasting peace requires not only the removal of the proximate causes of violence, but
also turns to the structural and cultural roots of the problem. So we can say that the
action of hosting people from different backgrounds contributes to intervene in
cultural roots (to break prejudices and stereotypes), and it is also expected that in the
structural level through the actions of world leaders as mentioned by participant L6.
Relationships and World Peace
77
Reporting to the different levels of complexity and dialect relations present in
both models – interpersonal relationship (Figure 1) and peace psychology, contacts
can move toward the next level becoming relationships, and also go up to groups and
societies. Data from this study indicate that both directions happen: from individuals
to society and back from society to individuals. Studies on Peace Psychology have
become more nuanced by geo-historical contexts (Christie, 2006). It is also shown in
studies, when they report religious and government issues (L4 and L5). The main
points connecting the two areas are relationships, consciousness of problems and
efforts to develop behavioral patterns that mitigate any kind of violence. Increasing in
conscientization8 and the willingness to get to know the other, to live with the
difference may lead to a much more peaceful society, according to the Peace
Psychology objectives. In short, we can say the contacts made by the Servas´
members, by hosting or being hosted by a foreigner, at the beginning, may be seen as
proactive efforts to build constructive relationship. Based on the successive levels of
social complexity, we can state that first that the psychological process of willing to
host and be hosted occurs, then individuals behave to accept to travel and to stay with
their hosts. It leads to interaction and when there are complementarity or similarity,
reciprocity and other categories discussed by Hinde, the process moves to relationship
and then to group and society. This dialectical relation is under the influences of
sociocultural and physical environment (Hinde, 1997).
Both theoretical approaches, the dialectical perspective on interpersonal
relationships proposed by Hinde (1997) and Peace Psychology proposed by Christie,
Tint, Wagner & Winter (2008), are convergent concerning the existence of different
levels of complexity and possibly may be considered compatible and complementary.
Based on Garcia and Ventorini’s (2005) interpretation of Hinde’s principles,
peaceful relationships are expected to stem from positive interactions. For its turn,
these possibly depend on positive intercultural attitudes, positive interpersonal
perception, interest and understanding. For enduring peaceful relations, it would be
expected that all levels were involved.
According to Garcia (2005) and Garcia and Ventorini (2005), Hinde
emphasizes the move between levels of complexity. So, the consideration of personal
relationships as part of a relationship system with different levels of complexity
affecting and being affected by other levels (as interactions, groups, and society)
supports the possibility pointed out by participants that peaceful relationships in
personal level spread to more complex levels.
Based on Hinde (1997) premises, it could be considered that interactions
between the individuals investigated gave rise to relationships due to the fact that they
were of a positive nature, being possible for those individuals to share activities, ideas
and feelings. Thus, it could be stated that participants perceived that peaceful
interactions affected other levels of complexity, mainly societies and nations.
On the other hand, it could be assumed that the effect also migrates from higher
levels (groups, in the case) to more basic levels as interactions and relationships.
Consequently, belonging to a specific group concerned with peace (as Servas) would
foster intercultural positive attitudes and interests. This is a two-way movement, from
more personal dimensions to more social levels and vice-versa. Therefore, individual
personal characteristics, such as cultural sensitivity, values, and communication skills
78
Alvany Maria dos Santos Santiago and Agnaldo Garcia
would affect interactions and relationships. Positive relationships could give rise to a
positive relationship network or group. Whether or not positive interactions and
relationships are sufficient to guarantee a positive group is an open question.
Hinde (1997) says that the nature of the relationship is also influenced by the
type of group to which it relates. Thus, each level not only influences the physical
environment and socio-cultural structure (ideas, values, beliefs, customs and
institutions), but it is also modified by them, and people with similar ideas, values,
beliefs and customs possibly gather together what makes them still more similar.
Christie, Tint, Wagner and Winter (2008) Peace Psychology model is also
based on the analysis of interpersonal, intergroup, and international levels. According
to this multilevel perspective, “regardless of the size of the unit of analysis
(interpersonal, intergroup, or international) or setting (family, community, etc.),
sustainable peace requires multilevel interventions that integrate negative and positive
peace processes” (p.548). The idea of peace processes occurring in different levels of
complexity is similar to Hinde’s perspective. However, it is not clearly assumed if
actions conducted in one level are transposed to other levels, or if actions in different
levels are always necessary. However, the inclusion of interpersonal levels is not
always present in Peace Psychology definitions, as the case of Ardila’s (2001)
association of Peace Psychology with “aggression and conflict between groups,
communities, institutions, and nations (p. 40)”.
Some Final Observations and Directions for Future Research
To conclude, we would like to suggest further studies. Further studies should
deal with the model of Peace Psychology to identify the actions in which the peace
movement members have been involved in achieving the goal of promoting peace in
harmony with the environment, exchanging and promoting nonviolent behavior.
Another study would be about the conflict management strategies used by the peace
movement members.
Further studies may also investigate the number of contacts made through hospitality
networks which have moved to the next level - relationships, considering Hinde’s
model comparing to those ones which have not moved.
Furthermore, considering the importance to get transnational corporates
involved into peace causes, or to target them in their business practices, we would
suggest further studies not only at personal level, developing projects in their units
with their employees, but also at international level, since their presence worldwide
and the degree of autonomy they have to develop social responsibility and sustainable
activities. It’s important to mention that these studies should be applied in practice
Acknowledgments
We wish to thank Science and Technology Support Foundation of Pernambuco
State (FACEPE), Federal University of Sao Francisco Valley (UNIVASF) and Federal
University of Espirito Santo (UFES) in Brazil, for contributing to this research
project.
79
Relationships and World Peace
ANNEX A – Map locating participant worldwide.
Notes
1
Classical ethology is a branch of zoology that studies animal behavior based on the
evolutionary theory knowledge and through fieldwork.
2
Free translation by the author.
3
Esperanto is a worldwide language and it did not belong to a country nor a people
and it is considered to be easy to learn. Its objective is to avoid the supremacy of
certain language speaker.
4
Servas 60th years’ anniversary celebration, Goa, India, 2010.
5
Free translation by the author.
6
Free translation by the author.
7
Free translation by the author.
8
Conscientization concept as stated by Freire (1972). It refers to the ability to analyze,
problematize (pose questions), and affect the sociopolitical, economic, and cultural
realities that shape one lives. It leads to the idea of an individual and sociohistorical
context
Correspondence
concerning
this
article
should
be
addressed
to
Alvany
Santiago,
Colegiado
de
Administração.
Universidade
Federal
do
Vale
do
São
Francisco,
Avenida
José
de
Sá
80
Alvany Maria dos Santos Santiago and Agnaldo Garcia
Maniçoba,
S/N
Centro
-‐
Campus
Universitário
CEP
56.304-‐917
-‐
Petrolina
-‐
PE
–
Brazil
[e-‐
mail:
alvanysantiago@yahoo.com.br
or
alvany.santiago@univasf.edu.br
].
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