Fact Sheet 07: Peace and Conflict Studies

Revised August 2007

Peace and Conflict Studies

Peace and conflict studies, an interdisciplinary program at West Chester University, is a field that emerged nationally in the 1950s and 1960s (the oldest program in the country dates to 1948) but which has seen its most rapid growth since 1970. Drawing from a diversity of specialized academic domains, especially the social sciences and humanities, peace and conflict studies imparts an understanding of human conflict and how to manage it constructively. War is the most destructive form of conflict, and this ongoing problem has received a great deal of attention.

But the field also is concerned with conflicts of various other sorts - for example, those rooted in ethnicity, class, or gender. The intent throughout is to show that conflict can be managed - not necessarily eliminated - without violence. What peace and conflict studies aims for is a world in which "positive peace" prevails (a world of justice), not just "negative peace," which can be defined as the absence of overt war, terrorism, and other forms of violence. This would be a world quite different from the one we now experience.

Career Opportunities

Minoring in peace and conflict studies can enrich your personal life. You will be better informed about important social, political, and personal issues. You will learn something about conflict management that will benefit you no matter which career path you choose. You will have a sense of how different disciplines in which you have taken courses relate to one another.

Beyond this, since conflict is a "growth industry," you will be better prepared for careers in government (e.g., in mediation or arbitration work) or nongovernment work. The latter includes internships and jobs with "cause" organizations such as Peace Brigades International and Union of Concerned Scientists, whether in administration, fund raising, public education, or organizing. Additionally, there are positions in the field of education (teaching, training, and consulting), opinion and attitude research, and other professions such as the ministry, social work, and politics. Peace and conflict studies also may help prepare you for self-employment as a consultant, trainer, writer, media specialist, organizer, public relations consultant, or military/draft counselor.

Program Offered

Minor in Peace and Conflict Studies. This 18-semester hour program begins with a required introductory course that highlights the interdisciplinary nature of the field. The minor is compatible with any academic major and permits you to elect courses from a number of different departments, some of which may do "double-duty" in satisfying other requirements.

Typical Courses

Environmental Crises
Gender and Peace
Global Perspectives
Humans and the Environment
Intercultural Communication
Introduction to Peace and Conflict Studies
Philosophies of Nonviolence
The Problem of War
Race Relations
Small Group Communication
The Holocaust
Third World Women

Related Student Activities

Amnesty International
Black Student Union
EARTH (Environmental Association for Repairing the Habitat)
Habitat for Humanity
Together Toward Peace

Faculty

You can obtain a complete listing of faculty and their academic qualifications for this program from the contact person listed below.

For More Information

Dr. Frederick R. Struckmeyer, Director
Peace and Conflict Studies Program
Department of Philosophy
100 Main Hall
West Chester University
West Chester, PA 19383
610-436-1004
E-mail: fstruckmeyer@wcupa.edu