Power, Identity and Privilege

This training is part of the Full Time Course in Peace and Conflict Work. However, it can also be booked separately or as package with the training on Conflict Sensitivity and the training on Trauma, Stress Management and Resilience (with a 10% discount on the combined block of the three trainings).

Who can register for this training?

This training is intended for people who work in or plan to enter the field of civil conflict transformation, non-violent activism, peacebuilding or conflict-sensitive international cooperation and have an interest in exploring the concepts of power, identity, intersectionality, culture and privilege and the importance of those topics within the peacebuilding field.

Depending on methods and topic of the training, we limit the number of available spaces to a maximum of 16 participants. Register early to reserve your place! 

Content

Peacebuilding does not take place in a social or political vacuum. The identities we hold, the identities attributed to us, and the power and privilege attached to these identities shape how we experience conflict, how we relate to others, and how peacebuilding interventions are designed and implemented. At the same time, peacebuilding itself can reinforce or challenge existing power relations, inequalities and forms of exclusion. The course explores all of this as well as colonial legacies and their continued manifestations in international cooperation and peacebuilding, inviting participants to critically reflect on established approaches, assumptions and practices within the field.

Objectives 

• Reflect on one’s own identities, how and by whom these are constructed and how they change over time and in different contexts
• Critically examine own biases and privileges, the abilities & expectations that come with that and how one’s own perspectives have been shaped
• Explore the concepts of power (and different kinds of power, discrimination and exclusion), intersectionality, culture and privilege and the importance of those topics within the peacebuilding field
• Critically examine and evaluate peace interventions through the lenses of identity
• Reflect on colonial legacies and their manifestations in today’s international cooperation
• Develop tools and strategies for inclusive peacebuilding interventions in regards to gender, disability, and other marginalized social identities

Key Concepts 

• Getting familiar with relevant concepts (such as: identity, power and power relationships, racism, diversity, postcolonialism and intersectionality etc.)
• Reflecting those concepts in relation to one’s current field of work
• Identify mechanisms for diversity
• Concrete tools and strategies for inclusive peacebuilding 

Methodology

In this training we employ an elicitive methodology that builds on the participants’ experiences from the fields of the humanitarian-, development- and peace sectors. The overview of key concepts and learnings from past non-violent approaches provides a base for practical orientation of the training. During the exercises we provide a safe space that allows us to learn from mistakes and create small feedback loops for an optimal learning progress. 

After a successful participation, participants receive a certificate and become part of the academy’s alumni network.

Certification Requirements

The course certification requirements serve as a guideline for the participants to critically evaluate their own learning progress and as a point of reflection on the importance of their continued engagement with the group, participation in the course and commitment to the tasks.

The specific requirements are the following:

• Punctuality and regular attendance during the course. Participants are allowed up to 25% of absence, with permission from the Academy, to attend to urgent issues;
• Completion of 90% of the compulsory tasks and deliverables per module; and
• Respect and observance of the agreements about the learning process such as; active participation, treating each other with respect, readiness to work on one’s own skills, willingness to resolve conflicts in a constructive way, and openness to reflect on one’s roles and behaviours, emotions and thoughts.

Exceptions on individual basis and/or alternative tasks as compensation of missed requirements could be granted in agreement with the course team. Gaining new knowledge and perspectives and learning new skills are the core outcomes of the course. However, inability to meet most or all the requirements may lead to the participant not receiving a certificate at the end of the course.

Do you have questions about this training? Our team is happy to assist you. Please do not hesitate to contact me: claudia.osthues@propeace.de

Application

Please register for this training online via our website by 31 December 2026. We will then contact you for the next steps. Please note that the number of available spaces per training is limited, and that your participation in the training is only guaranteed if the training fee is paid in time. Early registration is highly encouraged. 

Please make sure to clearly express your motivation and expectations for the training. Also, please share your experiences relevant to the topic.

Visa: Participants from outside the EU will need a visa to enter Germany. We can generally support the visa process with a formal invitation letter from our side. Be advised that it takes a significant amount of time to get the visa processed, so be sure to start the process 8 weeks before the training start. Please make sure you are eligible and check the specific requirements and usual timeline for processing with your local German embassy. The responsibility for obtaining the visa lies with each of the participants themselves.