Peace and Conflict Studies
Chair(s):
Brigittine French
Faculty:
Timothy Dobe
Ross Haenfler
Sharon Quinsaat
Gemma Sala
Conflict is a regular and enduring facet of the human condition. The purpose of the concentration is to give students the academic knowledge and skills to identify underlying causes of conflict, address conflict productively, and work constructively in post-conflict environments. Peace and Conflict Studies is an interdisciplinary academic field with historical roots stretching through a rich range of social and intellectual contexts, beginning with concerns about the Cold War nuclear arms race, a heritage in the civil rights and antiwar movements, and now reflecting applied scholarship in building peaceful practices and institutions in societies across the globe that have been ravaged by war and violence.
The Peace and Conflict Studies Concentration focuses on the following aspects of peace and conflict in historical, theoretical, and/or broad comparative perspective: (1) underlying causes of conflict; (2) strategies for resolving conflict and the consequences of different strategies for resolving conflict; (3) approaches to dealing with post-conflict trauma, including issues of identity (individual, group, and especially ethnic identity) and restorative practices; (4) conflict prevention strategies including global development and security; and (5) justice and human rights issues as they pertain to peace.
The curricular structure of the concentration is comprised of a core course chosen from four pathways into the concentration, four 200-300 level elective courses, and one 300 level advanced course with a major project dedicated to Peace and Conflict Studies.
