Scholar and Peace Practitioner

This article reflects on the author’s life’s journey as a peace practitioner and scholar. Gopin recounts his lifelong quest to understand and mitigate violence in the world through peacebuilding, influenced by personal tragedies and extensive study in religious and philosophical ethics. His peacebuilding interventions in war zones have shaped his interdisciplinary approach to conflict resolution, integrating philosophical ethics, neuroscience, and positive psychology into a methodology he has developed entitled Compassionate Reasoning. Gopin explores the personal impact of empathic distress and trauma, advocating for a healthier path of joyful care and compassionate reasoning in peacebuilding. Through the story of Ibrahim, a member of the Bereaved Parents’ Circle, Gopin illustrates the transformative power of self-examination and dialogue over revenge. The article underscores the necessity of Compassionate Reasoning as a means to foster nonviolent coexistence, ethical engagement, and sustainable mental health among peace practitioners. Gopin calls for a revolution in training conflict resolution professionals, emphasising the integration of compassionate actions and rational ethical principles to achieve a flourishing future

Political science · Health and Conflict Studies · Psychology