This program is designed for students who are interested in studying and pursuing a career focused on conflict prevention, mediation and resolution, whether within the United States or abroad. Our focus is on the ongoing struggle for peace and reconciliation where the legacy of violence, conflict and war remains, investigating the philosophy and strategies embedded within these movements and exploring, across various contexts, the obstacles (socioeconomic, cultural, political, etc.) that tend to stand in the way.
From the examples of Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and John Hume to the work of Diane Nash, John Lewis, Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks and others within the US Civil Rights Movement, we can see a common thread in the non-violent social movements that have occurred within each of these struggles and how these movements eventually led to positive social change. Our hope is to empower students within this program to translate this knowledge into action in the work that they do.
Five broad objectives are embedded within the Global Peace and Reconciliation Initiative: (1) provide students with foundational knowledge about the dynamics of peace and reconciliation through rigorous coursework; (2) enable students to deepen their understanding of the world and broaden their cultural awareness; (3) offer students the knowledge and skills necessary to make a positive difference in the world; (4) provide students with transformative, potentially life-changing experiences; and (5) prepare students for a career working on issues related to peace and reconciliation either within the United States or abroad.
Students in this program will take a set of foundational courses, which will provide them with the necessary knowledge and skills to embark on a career focused on peace and reconciliation. These include:
Within this program, students will be given numerous experiential learning and professional development opportunities. These include field study courses offered each year that take students to places in the world that have recently experienced conflict to learn about the peace and reconciliation process. These have involved immersive experiences in the southern part of the United States (Civil Rights), Europe (Holocaust), Argentina, Colombia and Northern Ireland.
In addition, we have established one of the largest Model United Nations programs in the country, which allows students to participate in one-week conferences in Washington DC and New York City each year, engaging in mock deliberations of global issues and challenges. Many of our students also complete internships related to peace and reconciliation in Washington DC, New York City and abroad each year. Beyond these experiential learning opportunities, we host seminars and panels throughout the year with activists and policymakers, focused on issues related to peace and reconciliation.
