Exploring Post-Normal Peace

The Role of Hope in an Ever-Divided World

Abstract

In an age marked by systemic upheaval, protracted conflict, and widening global divides, the concept of peace is being redefined. This reflective essay explores the idea of post-normal peace, “the in-between period where old orthodoxies are dying, new ones have not yet emerged, and nothing makes sense” (Sardar, 2010). Utilizing the concept of a polylogue—dialogic spaces that provide for “multiple logics, perspectives, voices, and existences,” and bring people together to generate critical insights (Kristeva, 1977; Sardar & Sweeney, 2016)—the authors each examine how traditional paradigms of peacebuilding are being challenged and how new approaches, rooted in hope, trust, and inclusive dialogue, are emerging in response. The authors (i) propose a reimagining of both leadership and peace practice - one in which peace is not imposed but practiced, and leadership is redefined as relational, inclusive, and anchored in radical imagination; and (ii) offer a powerful framework: radical hope as the moral compass, non-formal education as the vehicle for change, and trust as the essential fuel for a more just and peaceful future.