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Peacebuilding as a Gendered Process
Author(s) -
De La Rey Cheryl,
McKay Susan
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of social issues
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.618
H-Index - 122
eISSN - 1540-4560
pISSN - 0022-4537
DOI - 10.1111/j.1540-4560.2006.00443.x
Subject(s) - peacebuilding , context (archaeology) , thematic analysis , citizen journalism , political science , sociology , gender studies , public administration , qualitative research , social science , geography , law , archaeology
Peacebuilding is frequently viewed in terms of post‐conflict societal reconstruction without consideration of cultural context and gender. Using a feminist participatory methodology, this study investigated South African women's understandings of peacebuilding and how these are mediated by gender and context. Sixteen women engaged in dialogue over 2 days. Thematic analysis of the recorded dialogue provided insight into how the 16 South African women leaders understand their efforts to build a more peaceful society. The findings pointed to gender‐ and context‐specific aspects of peacebuilding. Most of participants' peacebuilding activities occurred outside of the aegis of national governmental institutions and their peacebuilding priorities focused less upon structural rebuilding and more on processes, people, and relationships. One of the important priorities was the prevention of violence toward women. Whether these findings are gender‐specific and contextually unique are topics for future research.