Conflict in the academy: peacebuilding and education professors in dialogue about higher education

Higher education (HE) in the Global North is entrenched in violent systems and practices. This article brings leading Peacebuilding and Education scholars Hilary Cremin (Head of Faculty, University of Cambridge) and Edward J. Brantmeier (Editor, Journal of Peace Education) into dialogue to respond to the question: is a more peaceful academia possible? They argue that more peacebuilding professors are needed because academic institutions are mired in conflict. Hilary and Ed discuss: (1) different forms of structural and cultural violence within academia and (2) how educators can integrate everyday peacebuilding practices into their teaching practice. Facilitated by two early career academics, the article engages intergenerational perspectives and builds on the tradition of dialogic writing in peace education to offer situated insights rooted in the experiences of peacebuilding professorship in practice.