Sponsor
This research was supported by a Fulbright (2021-2022) from the Thailand United States Education Foundation (TUSEF).
Published In
Teaching in Higher Education
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2026
Subjects
Higher education, Hope, Peace-building, refugees
Abstract
Our Point of Departure (POD) argues that the type of hope fostered within the Karen refugee community in Thailand – manufactured, false, or critical – shapes the impact of peace-building and higher education efforts. Through a dialogue among a Karen scholar, his supervisor, and a migration researcher, we demonstrate that manufactured hope, often driven by external aid, sustains dependency and overlooks core conflicts. In contrast, false hope arises from the gap between student desires and institutional barriers, leading to unmet expectations. We aim to show that by applying critical hope, the pedagogical approach enables the Karen community to enhance its capacity, develop its own educational solutions, and engage as partners, ultimately positioning them to lead peace-building efforts grounded in their expertise and needs. Our POD thus highlights how centering affected communities in educational refugee policy and peace-building leads to more sustainable, community-driven outcomes.
Rights
Copyright (c) 2025 The Authors
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
DOI
10.1080/13562517.2025.2598754
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/44466
Citation Details
Martin, S. B., Thako, H., Ty, R., Tuntivivat, S., & Ly, R. (2026). The hope industrial complex: resisting manufactured and false hope with critical hope in peace education, Thailand’s refugee context. Teaching in Higher Education, 1–12.