Alternatives to Violence Project around the world – Call for chapters

I’m part of an editorial team that is seeking proposals  for chapters for a book exploring the Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) around the world. The purpose of the book is to demonstrate the flexibility of AVP and the way in which it can adapt to different contexts. It aims to:

1. Capture the way AVP has been used and adapted around the world
2. Highlight similarities and differences around the world
3. Present the case for AVP as a broad approach rather than a narrow program.

Details of the timing and requirements for proposals are below.

Send submissions to avpbooks2@gmail.com

Outline of the book

While the contents will largely be shaped by the proposals for chapters received, a broad outline of the book (with content or questions that could be addressed)  is as follows:

Section 1: Overview of AVP

• An overview of AVP’s approach to peace education
• AVP governance and structure
• History of AVP (with a focus on its spread around the world)
• Essential components of AVP

Section 2: AVP around the world

• Examples of how AVP has been introduced around the world
• How have context and location impacted AVP methods

Section 3: AVP in prison

• Ways in which support has been obtained from prison officials
• Ways in which inside facilitators are supported
• Innovative approaches to workshops in prison
• Ways in which AVP in prisons have been evaluated and what counts as evidence
• Ways AVP is used by inmates and prison authorities to influence relationships, inmate benefits, parole etc.

Section 4: AVP with youth, schools and postsecondary education

• AVP with children (18 and under) in schools, after school programs, camps, etc.
• Youth as AVP facilitators
• Schools adopting AVP as a part of the curriculum or culture
• AVP in college and university settings for credit, non-credit, internship or professional development for faculty & staff

Section 5: AVP with victims of trauma such as refugees, soldiers

• AVP for healing and rehabilitation in post-conflict contexts
• AVP as part of refugee integration programs
• AVP as part of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of combatants
• AVP as part of transitional justice programs

Section 6: AVP in other contexts

• Has AVP been harnessed for purposes unique to your context?
• What kinds of issues is it addressing here?
• Has this work required special adaptations of AVP? If so, what are these?
• How does this work relate to AVP in other contexts?

Section 7: Programs inspired by AVP

• How has AVP been included in both formal and non-formal programs
• What kinds of accreditation, curriculum and governance issues does such program development create?

Section 8: Personal reflections on the impact of AVP

• While all chapters of this edited volume are encouraged to include personal reflections of participants and facilitators, this section may allow for powerful stories of transformation from prisoners, facilitators, prison administrators etc. Likewise personal journeys of conflict, healing and renewal in different contexts may be narrated in this section.

Section 9: Research demonstrating the impact of AVP

• How is the impact of AVP assessed and reported?
• What counts as evidence of such impact?
• What kinds of paradigms and methodologies are involved in impact assessment?
• How can the range of impact assessment strategies be expanded to meet multiple audiences and stakeholders?

Section 10: Visions for AVP

• Potential areas for growth
• Ways to improve AVP
• Ways to reach new sections of society
• Ways to take projects to scale
• Ideas for building sustainability in AVP interventions

Guidelines for chapter proposals

The first step is to send us a 1-2 page overview of your proposed chapter. Once the call for proposals is over, we will make decisions about the shape of the book and which chapters will be included (see below for the timeline). While we want to be as inclusive as possible and to include a range of perspectives and experience, we are unlikely to be able to accept all proposals received.

Your 1-2 page proposal should include:

• The author(s) names, affiliation, and a brief bio including connection to AVP
• Contact details for the author who will liaise with us
• The aim of the chapter
• The context and background to your chapter. What to include here will vary depending on your focus but could include: why you think this is an important topic, where the workshops took place and who they were with, your involvement in the workshops or research, and/or what other research has been done on the topic.
• Brief overview of content. Again the content will vary depending on your focus but could inlcude: how AVP is run in the context you are discussing, how AVP was customised, evidence of the impact of AVP (which could include stories or testimonials), challenges faced in implementing AVP, governance issues, and/or how the voice of participants could be included
• A brief outline of how the chapter will be organised

We want this to be an honest, open discussion of AVP and so we welcome discussion of some of the challenges faced by AVP and some of its limitations, as well as what makes it the powerful program we believe it is.

Requirements for chapters

Length of chapters: 4000-6000 words

We are interested in a wide variety of ideas for chapters including original research, descriptions of workshops and approaches, discussions of the theoretical underpinnings of AVP, and personal reflections.

We are particularly interested in chapters that include the voices of participants, and/or that discusses the impact of AVP.

We will be using APA 6 (http://www.apastyle.org/) for formatting and referencing. Where appropriate use referencing to acknowledge any sources of information. More details about referencing, style and other requirements will be provided once your proposal has been accepted.

If you have something you want to say but do not feel confident with writing, we can help or help you find a co-author. Don’t hesitate to discuss ideas or concerns with us.

Timeline

1 December 2018    Proposals for chapters due (Send submissions to avpbooks2@gmail.com)

February 2019        Decision about what chapters will be included

August 2019        First draft of chapter due

November 2019        Draft returned with comments for the editors

February 2020        Revised chapter due

The editorial team

While we met through the AVP International Research sub-committee, and will be collaborating with the sub-committee, the book is an independent initiative.

Dawn Addy – Past president of AVP USA; Facilitator with AVP Miami; Director Emerita of the Center for Labor Research and Studies, Florida International University, AVP-I Education Committee Co-chair

Vaughn John – Facilitator and Board Trustee of AVP, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa. Peace educator and scholar in the School of Education, University of KwaZulu-Natal

Tonette Rocco – Professor and program leader of Adult Education and Human Resource Development, Florida International University

John A. Shuford – Past president of AVP USA; Past vice president of AVP International; Facilitator with AVP Delaware and North Carolina

Graeme Stuart – Co-convenor of the AVP International Research Sub-committee; Facilitator with AVP Newcastle (Australia); Lecturer at the Family Action Centre, University of Newcastle

Chaundra Whitehead – Vice president of AVP USA; Facilitator with AVP Miami; PhD candidate at Florida International University

To contact us, email avpbooks2@gmail.com

If you liked this post please follow my blog, and you might like to look at:

1. What are Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) workshops?
2. An Alternatives to Violence Project workshop for parents
3. Strengths-based measurement
4. 12 principles of a problem solving approach to conflict resolution
5. Principles of nonviolence
6. Nonviolence as a Framework for Youth Work Practice

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