Actual Places: The Transformative Nature of Experiential and Reflective Learning

Identity-based discrimination resulting from intercommunity conflict has the potential to produce biased attitudes toward those outside of the group, creating a division between communities, with individuals becoming more entrenched in their identity-grounded beliefs. This chapter highlights the significance of experiential and reflective learning in grassroots interventions designed to promote peacebuilding in communities affected by conflicts that lead to ethnic segregation. The argument is that, by actively engaging with places and people, program participants can develop new perspectives and stories, stimulating transformative learning. In addition to experiential learning, peacebuilding education initiatives (PEIs) utilize various other methods of reflection and critical thinking to challenge the participants’ existing beliefs and values, desiring to aid in the modification or restructuring of their cognitive framework. The chapter also suggests that visiting places and reflecting on experiences can promote reconciliation and foster a more inclusive civic identity among participants.