Peace Policy Spotlight: The Power of Art in Peacebuilding

Art has long been a powerful tool for fostering understanding, reconciliation, and healing in conflict-affected societies. By transforming cultural, political, and ideological boundaries, artistic expression allows individuals to communicate, reflect, and envision new possibilities for coexistence.

In this episode, Peace Policy guest editor Norbert Koppensteiner, associate teaching professor of peace studies, joined the contributors of the issue to discuss the diverse ways that art contributes to peacebuilding, demonstrating its ability to cultivate empathy, challenge oppressive structures, and create spaces for dialogue.

Contributors to this issue of Peace Policy include Alison Ribeiro de Menezes, a professor of hispanic studies at the University of Warwick, UK; Vera Brandner, head of the NGO ipsum and a freelance scientist and lecturer; Jessica (Doe) Mehta, Ph.D. (Aniyunwiya/Cherokee Nation), a 2024-2025 visiting research fellow at the Kroc Institute; and Paula Ditzel Facci, a dancing peace researcher and assistant professor of peacebuilding at the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding at Eastern Mennonite University.Read all articles in this issue at peacepolicy.nd.edu.

This episode was originally published by the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies on May 13, 2025. To explore the entire library of Kroc Cast podcast episodes and for more information , please visit kroc.nd.edu.