A Cultural Shift Toward Peace: The Need for a National Symbol

Countless brave Americans have publicly opposed U.S. wars and advocated for peace, yet history does not often document their contributions. National monuments honor those who have engaged in combat or died in war, but there are no national memorials to indicate that U.S. society values peace and cit...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Peace and conflict 2009-01, Vol.15 (1), p.97-101
Main Authors: Knox, Michael D, Wagganer, Annie M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Advocacy
Combat
Culture
Honor
Human
Memorials & monuments
Monuments
Peace
Social Change
Social Movements
Symbolism
United States of America
War
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Summary:Countless brave Americans have publicly opposed U.S. wars and advocated for peace, yet history does not often document their contributions. National monuments honor those who have engaged in combat or died in war, but there are no national memorials to indicate that U.S. society values peace and citizens who take action to oppose war. In fact, these individuals are often held in contempt. Because culturally shared symbols reinforce commonly held social sentiment, it is anticipated that the developing US Peace Memorial will significantly contribute to a cultural shift by educating and inspiring new generations of Americans to embrace and advocate for peaceful alternatives to war.
ISSN:1078-1919
1532-7949
DOI:10.1080/10781910802545008