IDS 296 - Peace and Justice Studies

This course provides an introduction to the interdisciplinary field of peace and justice studies. We begin by asking big questions about what peace and justice mean-as abstract concepts and as practical goals for social transformation. We also consider related concepts like freedom, truth, and reconciliation. In doing this, we pay attention to how perspective matters when asking these questions. Who gets to define these concepts? Who has the standing to say what peace and justice look like in the world? This approach requires us to identify and interrogate systems of conflict-on a global level and always connecting the past and the present-including systems of violence, marginalization, and oppression. We do this through several global case studies of injustice, violence, and conflict transformation. In this work, we will consistently ask: How can we-individually and collectively-act as agents of peace and justice in the world, working towards resolving and transforming conflict and moving toward a more sustainable and just peace?

Credits: 3
Terms Offered: Spring