project Activities

In February 2001, a trans-disciplinary research group on post-massacres issues was created at CERI. During this initial brainstorming phase (2001-2002), CERI created a space in which academics and practitioners from different disciplines could reflect together upon the issues faced in such situations. A report of each session may be consulted on this website (available only in French).

On the basis of the first findings, the International Peace Academy (New York) and the United Nations University (Tokyo) joined CERI to launch an international call for contributions in order to draw a first account of current research on these issues. After the selection process, an international symposium was organized in New York, in June 2003. An international multi-disciplinary team dealt with different aspects of how best to approach rehabilitation of post-mass crime societies. As a result, an edited volume was prepared and has just been published by UNU Press.

This volume emulates our collective reflection and provides a basis for moving to the fieldwork-based phase of the project, which aims to understand the multiple ways collective frames of reference have been transformed by mass violence; and to develop tools in order to help identify and support local resources to build peace and prevent the re-emergence of conflict. Dr. Pouligny devoted 2002-2004 to traveling to different countries; contacts were established and collaborative work was conducted with local academics and practitioners working on issues relevant to the project. Four pilot countries were then selected: Guatemala, East Congo (DRC), Bosnia-Herzegovina and Cambodia and preparatory field work was conducted. In November 2004, a two week-orientation and goal-setting international seminar was co-organized by CERI and the Institute on Violence and Survival (Virginia Foundation for the Humanities / University of Virginia), in Charlottesville (VA). Some twenty-eight scholars, practitioners and activists came together to share their thoughts about post-massacre issues. This intensive effort involved extensive discussions about the overall framework of the research-action effort, its methodology, objectives and main topics, as well as the possible exchanges to be developed between countries.

Since 2006, a new research has been developed on the role of arts in conflict transformation programs.