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Two books by Birgit Brock-Utne, Educating for Peace and Feminist Perspectives on Peace and Peace Education, convey the picture of their author, an internationally known activist in women's work for peace. Peace is defined not only as absence of violence, but as equality of rights as well. The author provides plenty of facts about the disadvantageous living conditions and position of women, and classifies this information into categories of violence. A feminist perspective on peace education means concentrating on women's possibilities to influence the socialization process of (their) children. The author's personal contribution consists of analysing a wealt of research results from the viewpoint of gender-specific socialization. Starting from the view that boys are educated for war and girls for peace, the author develops a view of socialization that would promote peace. The discussion of socialization concentrates on its influence on personality traits of youngsters, but the growth process itself is not really analysed. Seen from the author's feminist perspective, the formal school system is unfit for peace education, functioning to maintain the existing (male) power structure of society. Conceptual extrapolation from individual traits to the relationships between nations and national states is characteristic of many views presented by the author. In the final pages of the second monograph, the author states that in order to promote peace, changes should be made simultaneously at the micro-, meso-and macrolevels of society. If this is taken seriously, then the role of the formal school system cannot be overlooked.

A review essay on two books by Birgit Brock-Utne, Educating for Peace & Feminist Perspectives on Peace and Peace Education (Oxford: Pergamon, 1985 & 1989, respectively [see listings in IRPS No. 62]). Despite the similarity of titles these books are considered complementary, rather than overlapping: the first describes women's actions for peace & against armament & violence; & the second analyzes different perspectives on the position of women, & the concrete consequences of the author's broad notion of peace (absence of violence & equality of rights). Brock-Utne's standpoints on the sources of the underprivileged living conditions of women & on gender-specific socialization determinants, her analyses of historical perspectives on pioneer female peace activists, & of the effects of televised violence, & her concept of peace as absence of violence are criticized. The second book's analysis of peace education in the formal school system, it is suggested, lacks sufficient reference to relevant research. While the books contribute to peace education & research on it, the interrelation between individual, social, & national violent interactions requires further research. 5 References. I. Shagrir