During a two-day training the core group of teachers of forumZFD’s ‘Peace and Conflict in Political Science’ project as well as an Indigenous Peoples (IP) community-based organization learned about the histories of Mindanaoan conflicts and the emergence of the different peace processes. The training focused on teaching inclusive Mindanaoan histories as an important aspect in discussing peace and conflict issues within political science. The diverse group of IP and non-IP participants stressed the importance of appreciating the diverse narratives of peoples in Mindanao.
The training allowed participants to reexamine Mindanaoan histories highlighting the historical roots of injustices, the institutionalized discrimination against Moro and IP groups and the ensuing struggle for self-determination. Following an interactive, transdisciplinary approach, the facilitators gave an overview of the different histories characterizing the struggles for peace in Mindanao and zoomed in on particular issues such as the media coverage of individual armed encounters and the role of recent events in the Moro secessionist movement.
By hearing about the past and the present struggle of the Moro and the Indigenous peoples of Mindanao, the group of Political Science teacher was able to identify issues they wish to include in the subjects they are already teaching and were able to identify strategies to be responsive in their respective teaching contexts and to address the challenges they face.
The training on Mindanaoan histories was the second in a series of trainings particularly tailored for political science teachers. The workshops are part of forumZFD’s project ‘Peace and Conflict in Political Science’ aiming to enable higher education teachers to integrate peace and conflict issues into political science curricula. The participants already completed a training on ‘Fundamental Concepts and Theories on Peace and Conflict’ in October 2018. A third training is planned for October 2019.