Professor Lobinger, images of war strike us immediately, while those of peace seem almost absent. Why do you think this happens?
"The problem with peace is that it is very abstract and complex. It is often associated with a personal or mental concept, or it is reduced to simplified symbols, such as a dove, but strong and concrete representations are lacking. This makes peace harder to visualise, which creates a communicative problem for those who want to ’speak’ about peace in today’s media environments, which are strongly dominated by images."
How can peace be visualised in an effective and meaningful way?
"Recent studies show that even in contexts where violence is prevalent, there can be a commitment towards peace, and this is precisely what the concept of ’everyday peace’ aims to highlight. There are different forms of ’peace’, which vary depending on the context; the goal of our project is to show how these local, coexisting forms of peace can be made visible."The project focuses on ’no war - no peace’ contexts. What challenges does this grey area present, also from a communication perspective?
"This grey area is particularly interesting because it challenges binary views and questions universal and liberal definitions of ’peace’. The classic dichotomy between ’peace’ and ’war’ suddenly becomes blurred. From a communicative perspective, visualising this blurring is initially a challenge, but at the same time we see it as a great opportunity: by making local peace actors more visible, we might arrive at a new and more nuanced understanding of these contexts, and develop possible solutions for sustainable peace."
One of the goals is to offer practical suggestions to those working in peacebuilding. In what ways can images become concrete tools for conflict transformation?
"In today’s world, strongly shaped by images, it is essential to visually represent peace-not just violence or destruction. Images have the potential to influence our emotions, attitudes, and perceptions. A more nuanced visual communication of peace efforts, particularly in contexts that often receive little media attention, can make them more visible and accessible, helping to change our perspectives. Furthermore, the research process itself can contribute to conflict transformation: for example, bringing together diverse actors around a table to discuss their perceptions using images as a starting point can help initiate constructive dialogue."