Raising Silent Voices: Harnessing local knowledge for communities' protection from violence in Myanmar
Lead Research Organisation:
Leeds Beckett University
Department Name: School of Social Sciences
Abstract
Civilians living amidst violent conflict, like everyone experiencing conflict, know who is involved, the history what it makes it worse or lessens the impact on them. They have knowledge that those outside the conflict do not possess. The dominant peace and conflict intervention strategies of international agencies and NGOs begin with assessing the conflict situation using models based on western understanding of conflict trajectories, community resilience and peacebuilding, with an outsiders understanding. Although local people may be involved, their knowledge is rarely informing intervention and support strategies. This research will show the importance of placing local, contested, knowledge in the centre of intervention strategies, empowering and enabling local people and potentially making interventions more effective.
The research takes a case study of local conflict knowledge in Karen and Mon areas of Myanmar, training local researchers to use storytelling, arts and craft approaches to enable local people to represent and share their knowledge in culturally appropriate ways, through which they share their understanding of the conflicts, violence and peace strategies. The content of what they produce will be mapped onto the existing conflict analysis of the local partner in order to analyse the themes and gaps.
The local partner is Nonviolent Peaceforce, an NGO who provide unarmed civilian peacekeeping and protection of civilians to local communities around the world. They have been in Myanmar since 2012 and the results of this research will enable them to be more able to capture and use local knowledge about the conflicts, violence and peace to inform future project choices.
This international and innovative research will impact on local people by making their voices louder and clearer, on Nonviolent Peaceforce interventions by potentially making them more effective, and on academic and policy approaches to conflict analysis, 'the local', and the types of knowledge used in understanding conflict and peace. It crosses peace and conflict studies and arts disciplines, adding methodologically and to the way we teach about conflict knowledge.
The research takes a case study of local conflict knowledge in Karen and Mon areas of Myanmar, training local researchers to use storytelling, arts and craft approaches to enable local people to represent and share their knowledge in culturally appropriate ways, through which they share their understanding of the conflicts, violence and peace strategies. The content of what they produce will be mapped onto the existing conflict analysis of the local partner in order to analyse the themes and gaps.
The local partner is Nonviolent Peaceforce, an NGO who provide unarmed civilian peacekeeping and protection of civilians to local communities around the world. They have been in Myanmar since 2012 and the results of this research will enable them to be more able to capture and use local knowledge about the conflicts, violence and peace to inform future project choices.
This international and innovative research will impact on local people by making their voices louder and clearer, on Nonviolent Peaceforce interventions by potentially making them more effective, and on academic and policy approaches to conflict analysis, 'the local', and the types of knowledge used in understanding conflict and peace. It crosses peace and conflict studies and arts disciplines, adding methodologically and to the way we teach about conflict knowledge.
Planned Impact
The structure and nature of this research has been developed with an understanding that local people will directly benefit from the participation in, and results from the research, as well as the local partner, other international NGOs, academics, and practitioners in the developments and challenge to current conflict analysis, and overall on future effectiveness of interventions.
In Myanmar, the two local researchers will be trained in participatory methods and data collection, which will directly benefit them, and also be building capacity for future research. Local participants will benefit because by collecting their knowledge in culturally appropriate ways we will influence the provision of suitable interventions, and a recognition of the value of local knowledge. Through the printed report we will disseminate their voices to other local and national actors.
The local partner, Nonviolent Peaceforce, will benefit from the local knowledge of the workshop participants which will add to their understanding of the complexity of the situation and have additional insights into locally generated peace approaches. The findings from the workshop will be mapped onto their current analysis so it will be clear where there are opportunities for further investigation.
There will be an impact on other peace and conflict intervention and support agencies. Whist we won't be mapping directly onto their analysis, the dissemination of the results will include talks, teaching and written materials that will enable them to be more able to gather, value and use local knowledge in their planning.
Outside Myanmar, our research will contribute to a changing understanding of the value and role of local knowledge in conflict analysis. This will have an impact on programme staff in UN agencies and International NGOs by making their projects more relevant to local people and more effective by valuing local capacity. It will have an impact on policy staff who devise and update conflict analysis systems and approaches, and on the teaching of conflict analysis.
The final booklet and online exhibition of the art works created (and have the consent from participants to use) will be available for future research and as teaching materials, or resource on cultural understand of conflict.
In Myanmar, the two local researchers will be trained in participatory methods and data collection, which will directly benefit them, and also be building capacity for future research. Local participants will benefit because by collecting their knowledge in culturally appropriate ways we will influence the provision of suitable interventions, and a recognition of the value of local knowledge. Through the printed report we will disseminate their voices to other local and national actors.
The local partner, Nonviolent Peaceforce, will benefit from the local knowledge of the workshop participants which will add to their understanding of the complexity of the situation and have additional insights into locally generated peace approaches. The findings from the workshop will be mapped onto their current analysis so it will be clear where there are opportunities for further investigation.
There will be an impact on other peace and conflict intervention and support agencies. Whist we won't be mapping directly onto their analysis, the dissemination of the results will include talks, teaching and written materials that will enable them to be more able to gather, value and use local knowledge in their planning.
Outside Myanmar, our research will contribute to a changing understanding of the value and role of local knowledge in conflict analysis. This will have an impact on programme staff in UN agencies and International NGOs by making their projects more relevant to local people and more effective by valuing local capacity. It will have an impact on policy staff who devise and update conflict analysis systems and approaches, and on the teaching of conflict analysis.
The final booklet and online exhibition of the art works created (and have the consent from participants to use) will be available for future research and as teaching materials, or resource on cultural understand of conflict.
Publications
Bliesemann De Guevara B
(2020)
Researching with 'Local' Associates: Power, Trust and Data in an Interpretive Project on Communities' Conflict Knowledge in Myanmar
in Civil Wars
Bliesemann De Guevara B
(2021)
Drawing Out Experiential Conflict Knowledge in Myanmar: Arts-Based Methods in Qualitative Research With Conflict-Affected Communities
in Journal of Peacebuilding & Development
Julian R
(2019)
From expert to experiential knowledge: exploring the inclusion of local experiences in understanding violence in conflict
in Peacebuilding
| Title | Aberystwyth mini exhibition |
| Description | "Raising Silent Voices", fieldwork-related mini-exhibition, Department of International Politics, Aberystwyth University, October 2017 - ongoing. This uses the artwork by some of the participants from Kachin art workshop |
| Type Of Art | Artistic/Creative Exhibition |
| Year Produced | 2017 |
| Impact | It has prompted debate on the role of art in research in international politics. |
| Title | Animation involving works by Jill Gibbon and Raising Silent Voices research |
| Description | The animation was produced through audio reflection on the work of Jill Gibbon and Raising Silent Voices, recording collage and producing new imagery and reflection on the meaning of security. |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | The inclusion of young people in listening and making collage and talking about how they feel sacure |
| Title | Illustrated booklet "Like a Shady Tree for Those in Trouble" |
| Description | The illustrated booklet "Like a Shady Tree for Those in Trouble: Experiences of War and Hopes for Peace of People Living Amidst Violent Conflict in Kachin State, Myanmar" disseminates the experiences of conflict-affected communities in Kachin state, Myanmar, through the words and drawings of some of its members. |
| Type Of Art | Creative Writing |
| Year Produced | 2019 |
| Impact | The Drawing Out method, co-developed by one of the project team members and adapted in our project to the study of communities' experiences of violent conflict, was subsequently taken up by the project's partner organisation Nonviolent Peaceforce Myanmar and used in their engagement with Myanmar-based partner organisation and beneficiaries of their nonviolent protection work. The dissemination of the booklet in Burmese and Jinghpaw languages was foreseen for 2020 but had to be postponed indeterminately due to the onset of Covid-19 and more recently the military coup. |
| URL | https://drawingout.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Kachin-Booklet-FINAL-PDF.pdf |
| Description | The key findings from our research so far relate primarily to the methodology and context of the research in terms of Myanmar and analysis for international interventions. The second objective of our research depends on further analysis of the data and reporting/sharing with the local partner and building the research methodology into a conflict analysis framework. This year, the research was primarily involved in collecting data from people experiencing violence in Myanmar (Yangon, Kachin and Rakhine), but through an innovative methodology of arts workshops run by local researchers or those experiencing violence from the conflicts. The research findings link to the welfare of Myanmar is through a) the specific empowerment of participants to share their experiences, b) to the local researchers by increasing the research capacity and c) the improved intervention strategies by INGOs because their knowledge will include local voices. The findings from the methodological innovation in this research are; 1. That cooperative research design with local researchers can subvert the norms of 'using local brokers' provides opportunities and highlights the challenges of dealing with the power and communication issues in local-international researcher collaboration. Our model, where the local researchers lead and carry out the workshops where the data is collected went very well and the participants reported empowerment results through their participation in the 2. The collecting of data through arts workshops produces rich and complex data revealing stories, themes and knowledge which is not demonstrated through interview and focus group methodologies. 3. That knowledge about conflict, peace and protection threats amongst local people is deep and comprehensive. They have a complex understand of the victim/perpetrator dynamic, the threats they face and the possible solutions to reduce threats to family and community. The participants from the north were aware of their own power and agency and their actions showed it being used. The findings on the context of the research are 1. The complexity of the conflicts in Myanmar are huge, and revealed through the lens of local knowledge, in particular the way in which conflicts exist across and within boundaries of ethnicity and religion and therefore an analysis cannot categorise by these values alone. 2. The initial analysis of the conflict analysis tools most commonly available reveal that 'experience' and 'local knowledge' are not present in the collection of data that informs the analysis, not in the process of analysing it. 3. The local partner is now able to uncover new understanding about the lives of the civilian protection monitors through a focus on lives and experience. This has given them a deeper understanding of the importance of collecting stories from them, and has begun to change their thinking on analysis. In particular they have decided to adopt the methodology internally with their staff. |
| Exploitation Route | At the moment we are working on the routes to present findings to international agencies through their meetings and in Yangon, and to the local partners in Kachin state using presentations, printed media. There are new opportunities emerging to disseminate findings to a larger audience and could include exhibition or film. Update March 2021 Nonviolent Peaceforce have been using the methods, and the new learning from the data they produce to improve their understanding of the conflict situations and the impact of their programmes. NP staff commented that using drawing means they get information directly from the participants and they can ask direct questions that are relevant to each context. Using drawing has enabled NP to overcome language and cultural barriers across the different ethnic groups. It has also helped NP staff to explain complex concepts more easily. Aspects of the work they couldn't convey through narrative were easier when they used drawing as a 'universal language'. The people participating in research reported that they felt more able to express their fears and opinions through drawing. It enables them to reflect and give deeper information. NP staff found the participants to be more open when they used drawing, and this helped build trust. NP have used the method to get a better understanding of the community and conflict contexts and are confident that the local community understand how the project is working for them. Evaluation gathered that 'The great majority of NP staff observed that the method strengthened local ownership of the peace process, improved inclusion and equality, and levelled power differentials in NP engagements with, and among, partners'. The programmes of emerging women leaders is developing this impact. This method empowers marginalised groups. |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Government, Democracy and Justice,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections,Security and Diplomacy |
| Description | We are making progress on all the outputs identified for ODA Compliance. Our impact has primarily been at the local and national level in Myanmar. The impact on the local researchers: the project has built their skills and experience in research and in particular the use of arts to understand lives and experience. They have also built capacity in research methods which empower the participants and have extended their own understanding of the conflicts. The local researchers organised both arts workshops - including recruiting participants, taught the participants some basic art skills, collecting the data and creating a safe space where people affected by violence feel comfortable talking and sharing their experience. We all learnt a lot about international and local cooperation, power and communication, which has changed the way we work and think. In subsequent research proposals we have written to extend the work we have designed projects still in close cooperation with local researchers, but are better designed and structured. The impact on the local partner, Nonviolent Peaceforce, has been to introduce new ways of looking at the lives and experience of the local people, which has affected the way the discussed the people in staff meetings and also want to use the methodology as an internal tool to better understand staff and their experiences. Finally, because Myanmar is not well known and many assumptions exist about it and because the Rohinga crisis was internationalised, we have all commented on the conflicts in Myanmar, changing the discourse and challenging assumptions people have about the role of the Government, the breadth of the violence and the complexity of the conflicts. Through these discussions we have helped people who might be in a position to help others in Myanmar to have a more nuanced view. We want to continue to support the local researchers and people living amidst the violence so we will build the arts workshops into a workshop offered widely by the local researchers, and through funding to widen the work to other violence affected states. UPDATE March 2019 As well as our impact being on Myanmar - we now have an impact on Philippines because we are using the same methodology to gather experiential knowledge on the roles of civilians to understand how civilians have been monitoring the peace agreements in Philippines. The work in Philippines has been involving civilians for over 10 years, but little research has been done to understand their roles and tasks. This will have a direct impact on people in Philippines as we demonstrate their impact, and on future peace agreements to show how civilians can participate. This is funded by United States Institute for Peace. Our impact on local researchers has developed. One of the local researchers produced a book about her art and conflict in Myanmar, and included the 3 international researchers in the credits. We have enabled this researcher to learn and apply more about the process of research and analysis of results. The local researchers are also involved in the design and feeding back to participants about the analysis of their stories and artwork. This includes the production of a booklet in 3 languages. Our new impact on the local partner, Nonviolent Peaceforce has developed because as well as applying our methodology to their own staff, they have designed their own research project that is based on participatory and experiential knowledge and inclusion. Update March 2020. We have continued our collaboration with Nonviolent Peaceforce as they have engaged more with women in communities who are working on peacebuilding and communities, and supported their networking with women working to influence the peace process in Thailand with a Women Peacemakers workshop in Thailand in January 2020. The women shared stories and experiences and reported that it has helped them in understanding, skills and confidence in their work. Update March 2021 We collected new impact data from stakeholders and the following impacts were identified "The findings of this project were shared with NP Myanmar during meetings in Yangon between 2017 and 2019. NP staff were also trained in the use of the 'DrawingOut' methodology at a workshop in Bangkok in 2019. To support the dissemination and share experiences and findings, a booklet "Like a Shady Tree in Trouble: Experiences of War and Hopes for Peace of People Living Amidst Violent Conflict in Kachin State, Myanmar" was made available digitally and as hard copy (see publications). The research methods of using 'DrawingOut' was subsequently implemented by Nonviolent Peaceforce in Myanmar (NPM) in the following ways: 1. The "Resilience" project, with 35 community peace workers in northern Shan state, Myanmar; 2. Project evaluations with representatives of eight Burmese civil society organisation (CSO) partners coordinating community protection work in Chin, Mon, Kayin, Kachin, Shan and Kayah states; 3. An NPM internal evaluation with 10 staff; 4. The "Emerging Women Leaders" project, with 80 women community leaders/multipliers across eight states of Myanmar. These women leaders subsequently used the method for peace work in their own communities, though the next project phase with a further ninety women leaders is on-hold due to Covid-19 restrictions. This is also funded through the Partnerships for Equality and Inclusion. The successful use of the method in Myanmar led NP to also adopt it in a project evaluating the role of unarmed civilian ceasefire and conflict monitors in Mindanao, Philippines, in 2019. Similar to Myanmar, NP's work in Mindanao was affected by access restrictions, low community trust levels after decades of violence, and a systematic marginalisation especially of women and youth. Here, the adoption of the method has to date benefitted NP's work with 54 CSO representatives and community beneficiaries." 2022 We have continued to use the outputs (booklet) and methods (drawing out) in researching ways to raise the voices of people affected by armed conflict. In the last year we have finished the work funded by Partnerships for Equality and Inclusion with the Emerging Women Leaders network (although this was disrupted by the military coup) in which women were trained to do research in their own villages and communities, enabling them to build confidence and be able to influence policy using their own research results. The output and method were shared with colleagues in East Africa and Colombia through the Network + 'Creating Safer Spaces' influencing other communities experiencing violent conflict to use drawing to share stories and experiences and empower local communities. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2017 |
| Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy |
| Impact Types | Societal |
| Description | Building International Partnerships |
| Amount | £4,434 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Leeds Beckett University |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2019 |
| End | 07/2019 |
| Description | CIDRA-GCRF Agility Grant - Drawing Out Silent Voices: Evidencing the impact of drawing as a method in conflict research and protection practice |
| Amount | £2,974 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Aberystwyth University |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2020 |
| End | 06/2020 |
| Description | CIDRA-GCRF Seed Grant - Nonviolent local self-/protection in the midst of conflict and displacement |
| Amount | £19,388 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Aberystwyth University |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 05/2019 |
| End | 06/2021 |
| Description | Leeds Beckett University Building International Partnerships 2020 |
| Amount | £2,500 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Leeds Beckett University |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 10/2020 |
| End | 12/2020 |
| Description | PARTNERSHIPS FOR EQUITY AND INCLUSION |
| Amount | £126,404 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/T024402/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 06/2020 |
| End | 05/2021 |
| Description | United States Institute for Peace - Impact of civilians monitoring the Philippines Framework and Comprehensive agreements. |
| Amount | $88,000 (USD) |
| Funding ID | 1804-18482 |
| Organisation | United States Institute for Peace |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United States |
| Start | 01/2019 |
| End | 12/2020 |
| Description | Good Practices in Unarmed Civilian Protection workshops |
| Organisation | Nonviolent Peaceforce |
| Country | France |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Involvement in the co-design and co-facilitation of regional workshops with international, regional, national and local organisations providing unarmed civilian protection to civilians amidst violent conflict and displacement, as well as with beneficiaries of this work. Workshops were held in South and Southeast Asia (Manila, 2017), the Middle East (Beirut, 2018), Subsaharan Africa (Nairobi, 2018), North America (Minnesota, 2019), Latin America (Bogota, 2020), Europe (online, 2021), and with United Nations staff and diplomatic missions (New York, 2019). The first Global Gathering of UCP organisations was held online in 2021. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Initiation, design, organisation and implementation of the Good Practices in Unarmed Civilian Protection workshops (in-person and online). |
| Impact | This collaboration laid the groundwork for a major GCRF Network Plus application on the nonviolent protection of civilians in the context of violent conflict and displacement. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Partnership for Equality and Inclusion |
| Organisation | University of Leeds |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Raising Silent Voices was invited to join the Partnership for Equality and Inclusion (PEI), led by Dr Ghazala Mir, University of Leeds and funded by EPSRC. PI of Raising Silent Voices (Professor Rachel Julian) was a Co-I in PEI. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Nonviolent Peaceforce Myanmar were successful in bidding for pilot study funding from PEI to work on local level research with Emerging Women Leaders |
| Impact | There is a report from the pilot project in Myanmar |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | AHRC interview with David Galbreath |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | David Galbreath, the Fellow for the PaCCS initiative, was interviewed by AHRC and included the Raising Silent Voices Research in it. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/research/readwatchlisten/features/in-conversation-with-professor-david-galbrea... |
| Description | Article in Yorkshire Post and Yorkshire EVening Post |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I was interviewed by Yorkshire Post and Yorkshire Evening Post about the work. It sparked questions to me and about my research, especially when the article was circulated on social media |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/academic-s-research-considers-unarmed-approaches-to-keeping-the... |
| Description | Colloquium at Aberystwyth |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | This was a presentation by Berit Bliesemann de Guevara "The Joys and Woes of Arts-based Research with Local Associates on Violent Conflict in Myanmar", in a colloquium of the Centre for the International Politics of Knowledge, Aberystwyth University, 11 October 2017. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | EISA conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Berit Bliesemann de Guevara gave the following talk. "Reflections of Researching War and Peace from Below: Insights from Burma and Syria", at 11th Pan-European Conference on International Relations, 13-16 September 2017, Barcelona, with Birgit Poopuu |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Featured in Nonviolent Peaceforce website and social media |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Featured on Nonviolent Peaceforce website. May 7th 2018. 'Highlighting a Fellow Advocate and NP Supporter, Dr Rachel Julian |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://www.nonviolentpeaceforce.org/blog/730-highlighting-a-fellow-advocate-and-np-supporter-dr-rac... |
| Description | Invitation to the 'AHRC TV' training on transferring research into television |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Invitation for the PI to the event in order to increase dissemination of the research, and to widen knowledge of dissemination channels |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Invited speaker at Women Peace and Security in SE Asia Webinar |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | I participated as an invited speaker at WPS webinar series for academics, policymakers and general public. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Leeds Beckett Social Science video |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | The Dean in School of Social Sciences, Leeds Beckett University made a video about the school which featured me talking about my research from Myanmar - I recorded my bit of the video while in Kachin doing fieldwork. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8KaNzn1THPc |
| Description | Leeds Beckett Transform |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Leeds Beckett University organised a 'Transforming Research' campaign and my reserach, which includes the Raising SIlent Voices project, was one of the ones featured. It's consisted of a poster campaign in the University, full two pages in the Underhgraduate prospectus and on the website. The campaign was then featured on my personal website and in a social media campaign. In addition the local partner in Raising Silent Voices featured the campaign in their international newsletter |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | http://leedsbeckett.ac.uk/transform/#chasing-peace-in-a-modern-world |
| Description | Manchester seminar |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | "Raising Silent Voices", Critical Global Politics seminar series, Manchester University, 15 March 2017. Talk by Berit Bliesemann de Guevara. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Nonviolent Peaceforce Philippines meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Berit Bliesemann de Guevara was invited to facilitate a 'UCP Good practices' workshop in Manila, Philippines. This included practitioners, staff from Myanmar and senior managers in Nonviolent Peaceforce. The event was organised by Nonviolent Peaceforce. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Nonviolent Peaceforce international meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Rachel Julian attended the international Board and Senior Management team meeting of Nonviolent Peaceforce in France. At this meeting new research opportunities were discussed within the context of emerging innovative practice. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | On Berit's personal blog |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Berit recorded the research on her personal website |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | https://www.bliesemann-de-guevara.de/research/raising-silent-voices/ |
| Description | Open Day Talk at Aberystwyth University |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | The research was highlighted in an Open Day talk for prospective students at Aberystwyth University. The research was presented by the Dr Bliesemann de Guevara. The impact was that more people knew about the research, the specific expertise in conflict in the University, and the research-led teaching in the Department of International Politics. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Open day presentation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | The research was highlighted in an Open Day talk for new students in the University. The research was presented by the PI. The impact was that more people knew about the research and highlight specific expertise in conflict and communities in the University. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | PaCCS workshop London |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Berit and Rachel represented Raising Silent Voices at a PaCCS organised workshop to understand emerging themes, challenges and opportunities for doing better interdisciplinary research in complex conflicts. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Presentation at Leeds Beckett University Politics and International Relations Festival |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | 7 people attend the talk in which I presented the Raising Silent Voices project to explain the importance and method for including the voices of people living amidst violent conflict. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Rachel was invited to speak at a Policy Late event at the British Academy on Conflict and Disaster. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Rachel was invited to speak on a panel exploring the links between Disaster and Conflict, bringing the expertise from this research project. During the discussion and in the networking afterwards we made links on the importance of understanding the role of local people and use their work and experience as the starting point. The panel members also networked between themselves and agreed to speak on the same panel at Kings at the launch of the Disaster Research network and work together to strengthen the dialogue. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Reported on Leeds Beckett University website |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | A media press release and story was prepared by the research PI and put on the University website. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | http://www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/news/0616-new-peacekeeping-research-to-put-local-community-at-heart-of... |
| Description | Research blog on Rachel's personal website |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Rachel wrote some research blogs to explain the first field trip in November 2016. The purpose was to explain to my students and colleagues why I was going to Myanmar and a little about the process we were following when we were there. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | http://www.racheljulian.co.uk |
| Description | Research on Aberystwyth website |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Aberystwyth University promoted the research through its media work. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/interpol/research/researchprojects/currentresearchprojects/raisingsilentvo... |
| Description | Seminar Leeds Beckett 16-17 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | A seminar by Rachel Julian into the methodological insights and cultural basis for the project Raising Silent voices |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Talk at Bath University |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Dr Rachel Julian gave a talk at Bath University. Title 'How cultural expression of conflict can inform analysis and intervention strategies in Myanmar.' |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | http://www.paccsresearch.org.uk/event/raising-silent-voices/ |
| Description | Uppsala Seminar |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Berit Bliesemann de Guevara gave a talk "Researching Violent Conflict Where/When It Happens? Fieldwork Impressions from Burma", Hugo Valentin Centre research seminar, Uppsala University, 27 April 2017. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Uppsala talk |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Berit Bliesemann de Guevara gave a talk. "Power - Trust - Ethics: Research relationships in the Raising Silent Voices project in Myanmar", workshop Research Brokers in Zones of Conflict, Research Node Conflict and Method, Uppsala University, 15-16 June 2017 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Webinar with Creating Safer Spaces |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | A webinar on how we used drawing in the Raising Silent Voices project with Creating Safer Spaces Network +. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Women's Day talk |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Living in the Midst of Violent Conflict: Women, Violence and Refuge in Myanmar's Kachin and Rakhine States", International Women's Day conference, Gender Research Group, Aberystwyth University, 8 March 2018. By Berit Bliesemann de Guevara |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |