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Scaling‐Up Peacebuilding and Social Justice Work: A Conceptual Model
Author(s) -
Ross Karen,
Burnett Charla,
Raschupkina Yuliya,
Kew Darren
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
peace and change
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1468-0130
pISSN - 0149-0508
DOI - 10.1111/pech.12371
Subject(s) - peacebuilding , scaling , grassroots , process (computing) , government (linguistics) , social movement , sociology , work (physics) , economic justice , political science , epistemology , computer science , political economy , engineering , law , politics , mathematics , mechanical engineering , linguistics , philosophy , geometry , operating system
This article presents the concept of scaling up in relation to the work of peacebuilding and social justice initiatives. We propose a holistic conception of scaling up that emphasizes the need to look at the impact of peacebuilding and nonviolent movements along the processes that those actions involve. Our model proposes broadening scholars’ understanding of the success of nonviolent movements not only by analyzing the size or territorial span of the movements but also by discussing societal changes that the very actions of social movement facilitate, regardless of whether the movement fails or succeeds in achieving its goals. In other words, we propose viewing scaling up as a holistic process where change is inevitable. In addition, our model shifts away from thinking about scaling up as a linear or chronological sequence of steps. Instead, the model views scaling up as impact‐oriented and as an iterative process of social learning, where actions are shaped by reactions (by the government and/or other actors) to previous moves. We suggest that this model can be used to better understand how grassroots peacebuilding and conflict transformation initiatives can broaden impact.