Director: Louise Cainkar, Ph.D.
Reflecting the reality that questions of peace and justice permeate our lives, Peace Studies is one of the fastest growing academic fields. As a peace studies major or minor you can choose from classes in many disciplines (including political science, sociology, history, anthropology, theology, psychology, philosophy and other fields) to first understand the causes of conflict; second, develop ways to nonviolently prevent and resolve conflict; and third, build peaceful and just systems and societies. Through course work you analyze conflicts varying in scope from international to personal through lenses of peacemaking, conflict resolution, justice, human rights and development.
Peace studies emphasizes valuable skills such as strategic thinking, conflict resolution, creative problem solving, negotiation, persuasion, critical analysis and effective communication. These skills and experiences are attractive to a wide variety of employers including those in peace and development organizations, nonprofit and social service organizations, law (e.g., human rights, immigration), public health, journalism, counseling and more.
Peace Studies Major
The major consists of 10 courses (30 credit hours). Four required courses (12 credit hours) and six elective courses (18 credit hours) chosen from any of the focal area course listings.
| Required Courses: | ||
| INPS 2010 | Introduction to Peace Studies | 3 |
| THEO 2500 | Theology, Violence, and Nonviolence | 3 |
| INPS 4997 | Capstone Seminar in Peace Studies | 3 |
| One of the following: | 3 | |
| Communication and Conflict | ||
| Conflict Resolution and Restorative Justice | ||
| World Conflict and Security | ||
| Elective Courses: Choose six courses from the following areas | 18 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |
Elective Course Options:
Focal Area One: Peacemaking
Theories and Practices of Peacemaking
Working for the cessation of violence (intervention methods, causes of violence/terrorism, resources for reducing violence)
Peacemaking is the discipline that concentrates on preventing war and violence by addressing the underlying causes of violence and war, and by providing alternatives to war and violence such as conflict resolution, nonviolent action, arbitration, mediation and legal structures of dispute resolution.
| ANTH 4320 | Culture, Law and Violence | 3 |
| CMST 4150 | Communication and Conflict | 3 |
| CMST 4400 | Cross-Cultural Communication in the United States | 3 |
| CRLS 3640 | Domestic Violence in the United States | 3 |
| CRLS 4640 | Family Violence and Public Intervention | 3 |
| PHIL 3770 | Feminist Philosophy | 3 |
| POSC 4281 | Urban Public Policy | 3 |
| POSC 4631 | World Conflict and Security | 3 |
| PSYC 3210 | The Psychology of Prejudice | 3 |
| SOCI 3700 | Social Movements | 3 |
| SOCI 4400 | Social Inequality | 3 |
| SOCI 4450 | Sociology of Sex and Gender | 3 |
| SOCI 4600 | The Social Reality of Crime and Justice | 3 |
| SOWJ 2300 | Conflict Resolution and Restorative Justice | 3 |
| SOWJ 2600 | Community Organizing | 3 |
| SOWJ 3400 | Advocacy and Social Change Theory and Practice | 3 |
| SOWJ 4600 | Faith-based Activism | 3 |
| THEO 4490 | Studies in Moral Theology | 3 |
Focal Area Two: Peacekeeping
Justice, Human Rights and Reconciliation
Sustaining the peace (identify actors, human rights and civil liberties, allocation of resources, justice systems)
Peacekeeping is the discipline that keeps violence and war from spreading or reigniting after a peace agreement is signed.
| CRLS 4120 | Comparative Justice Systems | 3 |
| ENGL 4452 | British Literature of the Romantic Period, 1790-1837 | 3 |
| HIST 4260 | Modern Ireland | 3 |
| HIST 4460 | Modern South Africa | 3 |
| PHIL 3710 | Political Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL 3750 | Philosophy of Law | 3 |
| PHIL 4953 | Undergraduate Seminar: | 3 |
| POSC 2801 | Justice and Power | 3 |
| POSC 4251 | The Politics of Civil Rights and Liberties | 3 |
| POSC 4601 | International Law | 3 |
| POSC 4611 | International Organizations | 3 |
| POSC 4651 | The Politics of Human Rights | 3 |
| SOCI 4660 | Law and Society | 3 |
| SOCI 4700 | Political Sociology | 3 |
| SOCI 4740 | Social Change | 3 |
| SOWJ 3700 | Social Welfare and the Law | 3 |
| THEO 4390 | Studies in Systematic Theology | 3 |
Focal Area Three: Peace Building
Social, Cultural and Economic Development
Building a more peaceful society (environment and resources, addressing poverty, international entities, solidarity)
Peace building is the discipline that goes beyond the cessation of hostilities to bring people previously at odds with one another into reconciliation. Peace building assumes that peace is more than a negative, the end of war and violence. Peace is also a positive, something that needs to be built. Peace building therefore works to encourage and build a culture of sustainable peace—which includes such fundamentals as human rights, the rule of law and an equitable economy.
| ANTH 4316 | Culture Change and Development | 3 |
| ECON 4016 | Environmental and Natural Resource Economics | 3 |
| ECON 4047 | Development Economics | 3 |
| ECON 4070 | Economics and Ethics | 3 |
| ENGL 4840 | Postcolonial Literatures | 3 |
| ENGL 4850 | Global Literatures | 3 |
| HEAL 1025 | Culture and Health | 3 |
| NURS 1001 | Nursing and Health in the Jesuit Tradition | 3 |
| PHIL 3350 | Philosophy of the Environment | 3 |
| POSC 4193 | Environmental Politics and Policy | 3 |
| POSC 4411 | Politics, Economics, and Democracy | 3 |
| POSC 4441 | Designing Liberal Democracy | 3 |
| POSC 4561 | Politics of the Developing World | 3 |
| POSC 4621 | Politics of the World Economy | 3 |
| POSC 4641 | Politics of the Illicit Global Economy | 3 |
| POSC 4661 | The Political Economy of Development | 3 |
| SOWJ 4700 | Global Aid and Humanitarianism | 3 |
| THEO 4390 | Studies in Systematic Theology | 3 |
| THEO 4440 | Foundations of Ecological Ethics | 3 |
Focal Area Four: Topics in Peace Studies
| Holocaust and Genocide | ||
| HIST 4266 | Nazi Germany and the Holocaust | 3 |
| HIST 4600 | Comparative Twentieth-Century Genocides | 3 |
| Race, Ethnicity and Migration | ||
| ANTH 3350 | Native Peoples of North America | 3 |
| COMM 4500 | Race and Gender Issues in Mass Media | 3 |
| CRLS 4140 | Race, Crime and Punishment | 3 |
| ENGL 4810 | Comparative Race and Ethnic Studies | 3 |
| ENGL 4820 | Studies in Critical Race and Ethnic Studies | 3 |
| ENGL 4830 | Africana Literatures | 3 |
| HIST 1301 | Survey of Latin America | 3 |
| HIST 3455 | Modern Middle East Since 1500 | 3 |
| HIST 4135 | African-American History | 3 |
| PHIL 3380 | Asian Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL 3780 | Africana Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL 4953 | Undergraduate Seminar: (Latin American Philosophy) | 3 |
| POSC 4361 | Politics of Race, Ethnicity, and Gender | 3 |
| SOCI 3250 | Race and Ethnic Relations | 3 |
| SOCI 4250 | African-American Social Thought | 3 |
| SOWJ 2150 | Immigrants and their Communities | 3 |
| SOWJ 3450 | Arabs and Muslims in Global Context | 3 |
| THEO 3420 | Bridging the Racial Divide | 3 |
Notes:
- Internship, Independent Studies and Special Topics courses can count toward a relevant focus area with the approval of the director of Peace Studies
- Special Topics course listings vary by departments.
Peace Studies Minor
The minor consists of six courses (18 credit hours): two required courses (6 credit hours) and four elective courses (12 credit hours) as listed below.
| Required Courses: | ||
| INPS 2010 | Introduction to Peace Studies | 3 |
| INPS 4997 | Capstone Seminar in Peace Studies | 3 |
| Elective Courses: Choose four courses from the following areas: | 12 | |
| Focal Area One: Peacemaking | ||
| ANTH 4320 | Culture, Law and Violence | 3 |
| CMST 4150 | Communication and Conflict | 3 |
| CMST 4400 | Cross-Cultural Communication in the United States | 3 |
| CRLS 3640 | Domestic Violence in the United States | 3 |
| CRLS 4640 | Family Violence and Public Intervention | 3 |
| PHIL 3770 | Feminist Philosophy | 3 |
| POSC 4281 | Urban Public Policy | 3 |
| POSC 4631 | World Conflict and Security | 3 |
| PSYC 3210 | The Psychology of Prejudice | 3 |
| SOCI 3700 | Social Movements | 3 |
| SOCI 4400 | Social Inequality | 3 |
| SOCI 4450 | Sociology of Sex and Gender | 3 |
| SOCI 4600 | The Social Reality of Crime and Justice | 3 |
| SOWJ 2300 | Conflict Resolution and Restorative Justice | 3 |
| SOWJ 2600 | Community Organizing | 3 |
| SOWJ 3400 | Advocacy and Social Change Theory and Practice | 3 |
| SOWJ 4600 | Faith-based Activism | 3 |
| THEO 4490 | Studies in Moral Theology | 3 |
| Focal Area Two: Peacekeeping | ||
| CRLS 4120 | Comparative Justice Systems | 3 |
| ENGL 4452 | British Literature of the Romantic Period, 1790-1837 | 3 |
| HIST 4260 | Modern Ireland | 3 |
| HIST 4460 | Modern South Africa | 3 |
| PHIL 3710 | Political Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL 3750 | Philosophy of Law | 3 |
| PHIL 4953 | Undergraduate Seminar: | 3 |
| POSC 2801 | Justice and Power | 3 |
| POSC 4251 | The Politics of Civil Rights and Liberties | 3 |
| POSC 4601 | International Law | 3 |
| POSC 4611 | International Organizations | 3 |
| POSC 4651 | The Politics of Human Rights | 3 |
| SOCI 4660 | Law and Society | 3 |
| SOCI 4700 | Political Sociology | 3 |
| SOCI 4740 | Social Change | 3 |
| SOWJ 3700 | Social Welfare and the Law | 3 |
| THEO 4390 | Studies in Systematic Theology | 3 |
| Focal Area Three: Peace Building | ||
| ANTH 4316 | Culture Change and Development | 3 |
| ECON 4016 | Environmental and Natural Resource Economics | 3 |
| ECON 4047 | Development Economics | 3 |
| ECON 4070 | Economics and Ethics | 3 |
| ENGL 4840 | Postcolonial Literatures | 3 |
| ENGL 4850 | Global Literatures | 3 |
| HEAL 1025 | Culture and Health | 3 |
| NURS 1001 | Nursing and Health in the Jesuit Tradition | 3 |
| PHIL 3350 | Philosophy of the Environment | 3 |
| POSC 4193 | Environmental Politics and Policy | 3 |
| POSC 4411 | Politics, Economics, and Democracy | 3 |
| POSC 4441 | Designing Liberal Democracy | 3 |
| POSC 4561 | Politics of the Developing World | 3 |
| POSC 4621 | Politics of the World Economy | 3 |
| POSC 4641 | Politics of the Illicit Global Economy | 3 |
| POSC 4661 | The Political Economy of Development | 3 |
| SOWJ 4700 | Global Aid and Humanitarianism | 3 |
| THEO 4390 | Studies in Systematic Theology | 3 |
| THEO 4440 | Foundations of Ecological Ethics | 3 |
| Focal Area Four: Topics in Peace Studies | ||
| Holocaust and Genocide | ||
| HIST 4266 | Nazi Germany and the Holocaust | 3 |
| HIST 4600 | Comparative Twentieth-Century Genocides | 3 |
| Race, Ethnicity and Migration | ||
| ANTH 3350 | Native Peoples of North America | 3 |
| COMM 4500 | Race and Gender Issues in Mass Media | 3 |
| CRLS 4140 | Race, Crime and Punishment | 3 |
| ENGL 4810 | Comparative Race and Ethnic Studies | 3 |
| ENGL 4820 | Studies in Critical Race and Ethnic Studies | 3 |
| ENGL 4830 | Africana Literatures | 3 |
| HIST 1301 | Survey of Latin America | 3 |
| HIST 3455 | Modern Middle East Since 1500 | 3 |
| HIST 4135 | African-American History | 3 |
| PHIL 3380 | Asian Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL 3780 | Africana Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL 4953 | Undergraduate Seminar: | 3 |
| POSC 4361 | Politics of Race, Ethnicity, and Gender | 3 |
| SOCI 3250 | Race and Ethnic Relations | 3 |
| SOCI 4250 | African-American Social Thought | 3 |
| SOWJ 2150 | Immigrants and their Communities | 3 |
| SOWJ 3450 | Arabs and Muslims in Global Context | 3 |
| THEO 3420 | Bridging the Racial Divide | 3 |
Notes:
- Relevant upper-division, independent study and special topics courses may be counted toward the course requirements of the minor with the prior approval of the director of Peace Studies.
- Any substitutions must be approved by the director of Peace Studies.
- A number of the courses listed above have pre-requisites that must be met prior to taking the course.
Courses
INPS 2010. Introduction to Peace Studies. 3 cr. hrs.
An interdisciplinary, introductory seminar for students interested in Peace Studies. Students explore faith-based and secular theoretical and practical approaches to the concepts of peace, through critical discussion of relevant texts and reflective writing.
INPS 3960. Research in Peace Studies. 1-3 cr. hrs.
Students engage in original research, intensive study and/or critical discussion under the close guidance of a professor who is generally an expert in the field. Prereq: Cons. of instr.
INPS 4997. Capstone Seminar in Peace Studies. 3 cr. hrs.
Senior seminar for students completing Peace Studies. Designed to bring interdisciplinary approaches to bear on questions of peace. Topics include the application of peace building skills, the creation of just systems, the protection of human rights, and effective models of development. Students explore paths to peace through text-based inquiry, multidisciplinary theoretical analysis, and integration of prior course work. Experiential learning opportunities and internships are offered. Prereq: Sr. stndg. and INPS major or minor.