Fostering peace leadership learning and practice: a pilot study analysis of the peace leadership development curriculum

Purpose Presented in this paper is a mixed methods pilot study that analyzes the Peace Leadership Development Curriculum (PLDC). The PLDC was designed to teach integral peace leadership concepts embedded in the areas of Innerwork, Community, Knowledge and Environment to students and community peace leaders. Analyzed herein is the impact of the curriculum in terms of participants’ understanding of leadership topics, the frequency in which they utilize these practices, and their perceptions of their importance for peace leadership. Design/methodology/approach Study methods include a pre- and post-survey with Likert-scale questions and open-ended response questions. Findings Findings from the study demonstrated that skills and practices taught in each of the four areas enabled participant growth, particularly in the areas of Community, Knowledge, and Environment. The contents of this paper further explore these findings and conclude with a discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the PLDC, suggestions for improvement, limitations, and recommendations for other similar programs. Originality/value This paper provides an analysis of one of the first peace leadership training programs to date. As an emergent field, peace leadership is a new, innovative way to lead groups, communities, and organizations toward positive peace. This article articulates how teaching concepts in the integral peace leadership framework can help enhance these practices.