Peace and Conflict Studies Minor
Coordinator: Associate Professor Pous
The Peace and Conflict Studies minor is a broad and interdisciplinary program designed to promote a critical, holistic, and intellectually rigorous understanding of:
1. the complex nature, causes, and modes of expression of violence and conflict and the ethical debates surrounding the use of violence;
2. the history, philosophy, and strategies of nonviolent action and resistance;
3. the conditions to create and promote peace, justice, and conflict resolution.
Minor Requirements
Required course: 4 sh
| PCS3500 | Foundations of Peace and Conflict Studies | 4 sh |
Peace in Practice: 4 sh
Students must complete a total of 4 sh from the following:
| PCS1210 | Introduction to Conflict Mediation | 2 sh |
| PCS1220 | Communication Across Differences | 2 sh |
| PCS4985 | Internship in Peace and Conflict Studies | 1-4 sh |
| PCS4991 | Independent Study | 1-4 sh |
| PCS4999 | Research | 1-4 sh |
Select twelve semester hours from the following: 12 sh
No more than two courses may be counted from a student’s major, and no more than two courses with the same prefix may be counted.
| ARH3200 | Issues in Contemporary Art | 4 sh |
| ARH3300 | The Un/Ethical Museum | 4 sh |
| ARH3330 | Jewish, Christian, & Islamic Cultures: Contact & Conflict | 4 sh |
| ART3390 | Eco Art | 4 sh |
| COR3590 | Media and the Middle East | 4 sh |
| COR4160 | Wealth and Poverty | 4 sh |
| COR4430 | Poverty and Social Justice | 4 sh |
| GBL2300 | The Call of South Africa | 4 sh |
| GBL2400 | Holocaust Journey | 4 sh |
| GBL2510 | World War II in Europe: Daily Life in a Time of War | 4 sh |
| HSS3110 | Social Policy and Inequality | 4 sh |
| HSS3490 | Violence in Families | 4 sh |
| HSS3500 | International Human Services | 4 sh |
| HSS3510 | Global Violence Against Women | 4 sh |
| HST1390 | Fascism and Propaganda | 4 sh |
| HST1400 | Themes in Caribbean History | 4 sh |
| HST3390 | A History of the Holocaust | 4 sh |
| HST3490 | Comparative Slavery in the Atlantic World | 4 sh |
| HST3540 | Modern Latin America | 4 sh |
| HST3650 | Social Movements in Post-Civil War America | 4 sh |
| HST3920 | North American Slavery | 4 sh |
| IDS2240 | Disarming Injustice: Nonviolence and the Civil Rights Movement | 4 sh |
| PCS1210 | Introduction to Conflict Mediation | 2 sh |
| PCS1220 | Communication Across Differences | 2 sh |
| PHL1120 | How Should we Live? | 4 sh |
| PHL2120 | Ethical Practice | 4 sh |
| PHL3200 | Reclaiming Democracy | 4 sh |
| PHL3410 | Philosophy of Law | 4 sh |
| PHL3560 | Restorative Justice | 4 sh |
| PHL3630 | Rap, Race, Gender, and Philosophy | 4 sh |
| PHS3020 | Global Health | 4 sh |
| POL1410/IGS1410 | International Relations | 4 sh |
| POL3430 | International Law | 4 sh |
| POL3450 | International Terrorism | 4 sh |
| POL3460 | International Security | 4 sh |
| POL3480 | International Human Rights | 4 sh |
| POL3620 | India and South Asia | 4 sh |
| POL3660 | Middle East Politics | 4 sh |
| POL3680 | Latin American Politics | 4 sh |
| POL3920 | Topics in Political Science | 4 sh |
| PSJ1100 | Introduction to Poverty Studies | 4 sh |
| PSY3540 | Stereotyping and Prejudice | 4 sh |
| PSY3850 | Criminal Behavior | 4 sh |
| REL1810 | Buddhist Traditions | 4 sh |
| REL3110 | Beyond Conflict and Tolerance: Interreligious Encounter and Social Change | 4 sh |
| REL3120 | Religion Goes Global: Fanatics, Frauds, and Peacemakers | 4 sh |
| REL3440 | Christianity and Social Justice | 4 sh |
| REL3480/PHL3480 | Environmental Ethics | 4 sh |
| SOC3410 | Racism and Race in the United States | 4 sh |
| SPN3570 | (Re)Presentations of Socio-Political Conflicts | 4 sh |
| SPN3620 | Race, Class and Gender | 4 sh |
| ENG2590 | Literature of the Holocaust | 4 sh |
| HSS3590 | Criminal Justice | 4 sh |
| PHL3330 | Modern Philosophy | 4 sh |
| PHL3450 | Sex, Gender, Power | 4 sh |
| SOC2210 | Rethinking Race: Inequality, Colorblindness, and the "Post-Racial" Era | 2 sh |
| SOC3550 | Criminology | 4 sh |
| SOC3340 | Environmental Sociology | 4 sh |
| GEO3450 | Global Environmental Change | 4 sh |
| HST3530 | Colonial Latin America | 4 sh |
| HST3570 | America's Civil War | 4 sh |
| POL1610 | Comparative Politics | 4 sh |
| POL3610 | Politics of the Caribbean | 4 sh |
| POL3920 | Topics in Political Science | 4 sh |
| REL3360 | Religion and War in America | 4 sh |
| REL1850 | Jewish Traditions | 4 sh |
| REL3820 | Jewish Ethics | 4 sh |
| REL4610 | Special Topics | |
| IDS2220 | The Black Man in America | 4 sh |
| SPN3560 | Texts and Social Change | 4 sh |
| ENG3351 | Narratives of Slavery Before and After Emancipation | 4 sh |
| PHL3300 | Economic Justice | 4 sh |
| POL3280 | Race and Ethnicity in American Politics | 4 sh |
| POL3660 | Middle East Politics | 4 sh |
The following special topics courses are offered at various times and are acceptable for this minor:
- Wealth and Poverty
- Writing About Poverty
- Animal Captivity: Zoos, Sanctuaries and Asylums
- Issues in African Art
- Gender/Sexuality in Latin America
Special topics courses and core seminars relevant to peace and conflict studies may be counted toward the minor with the approval of the coordinator.
Total Credit Hours: 20
Program Outcomes
Students will be able to demonstrate a working knowledge of the theoretical and operational aspects of conflict genesis, resolution, and post-conflict reconciliation. Students can demonstrate this knowledge through traditional academic writing, interpersonal mediation skills, and other applicable projects.
Students will be able to integrate the methods and essential questions of different fields – the social sciences, humanities, and behavioral sciences - in an interdisciplinary effort to produce research in the field.
Students will be assessed on their ability to demonstrate the theoretical foundations of peace and justice. Students will also have the ability to demonstrate peace advocacy, mediation, and non-violent resolution techniques that can be used in and beyond the classroom, and in our local and global communities.
Students will be assessed on their ability to conduct in-depth analysis on the course material, resulting, but not limited to, independent research on their chosen projects.