Peace and Conflict Studies

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Coordinator:

LEE A. SMITHEY (Peace and Conflict Studies, Sociology and Anthropology)
Anna Everetts (Administrative Assistant)

Committee:

Wendy E. Chmielewski (Peace Collection)
Ellen Ross (Religion)
Krista Thomason (Philosophy)
Dominic Tierney (Political Science)
Andrew Ward (Psychology)

The Peace and Conflict Studies Program at Swarthmore College provides students with the opportunity to examine conflict in various forms and at levels stretching from the interpersonal to the global. The multidisciplinary curriculum explores the causes, practice, and consequences of collective violence as well as peaceful or nonviolent methods of conducting or dealing with conflict.

Students who minor in peace and conflict studies at Swarthmore will:

understand factors shaping human conflict, including psychological, social, cultural, political, economic, biological, religious, and historical ones;
analyze specific cases of conflict, including interpersonal, inter-group, inter-state, and international disputes;
examine theories and models of peace-building and reconciliation and evaluate attempts to manage, resolve, or transform conflict nonviolently;
investigate forms of oppression and injustice, and their relationship to conflict, locally and globally; and
explore opportunities to study topics relevant to peace and conflict through fieldwork, internships, or other experiences outside the classroom.

The Academic Program

Students with any major, whether in Course or in the Honors Program, may add a course minor in peace and conflict studies. Students in the Honors Program may choose to complete an honors minor in peace and conflict studies.

Course Minor

A minor in peace and conflict studies consists of six credits, of which no more than two may be taken in the student’s major department. Introduction to Peace and Conflict Studies (PEAC 015) is required and should be taken before the junior year, if possible. It is preferable (but not always possible) for students to have taken two courses in the minor, including Introduction to Peace and Conflict Studies, when applying to join the program.

Honors Minor

Students in the Honors Program who choose an honors minor in peace and conflict studies must complete one preparation for external examination. A standard two-credit preparation can consist of a seminar, a combination of two courses in different departments, a two-credit thesis, or a combination of a thesis and a course. According to the Honors handbook: “When the preparation for the interdisciplinary minor is an interdisciplinary thesis, the rule is that at least half of the work of the thesis should be in a subject outside the student’s major”. Each student should propose a standard preparation unless he or she has obtained the approval of a sponsoring faculty member to undertake an honors attachment or thesis. The proposed preparation must be approved by the Peace and Conflict Studies Committee.

Students whose honors minor in peace and conflict studies can be incorporated into the final requirements for Senior Honors Study in the major should do so. The Peace and Conflict Studies Committee will work out the guidelines for the integration exercise with the student and the major department.

Applying for the Minor

Students who intend to minor in peace and conflict studies should submit a copy of their Sophomore Plan to the coordinator of the program during the spring of the sophomore year, after consultation with program faculty members. The paper should present a plan of study that satisfies the requirements stated below, specify the courses to count toward the minor, share the student’s interest in peace and conflict studies, and identify how the program complements the student’s academic goals.

The application form for the minor may be found at: http://bit.ly/pcsprog. This form should be submitted to the Programs Office, preferably with the Sophomore Plan.

Honors students’ sophomore papers should describe and justify their proposed honors preparation in terms of its suitability for examination and its contribution to the student’s interests in peace and conflict studies. Students should obtain advance approval from faculty members who teach the courses that are to be included in an honors preparation. If the preparation involves a thesis, the student should specify a thesis topic and a thesis adviser. All applications must be approved by the Peace and Conflict Studies Committee.

Special Major

Applications for special majors are considered on a case-by-case basis. Students who wish to propose a special major should consult with the program coordinator and should identify a sponsoring faculty member in the early stages of developing the major.

Students must complete the special major form available from the Registrar’s Office, and submit it to the Programs Office along with an updated Sophomore Plan that explains in detail the rationale for a special major. For further guidance on proposing a special major, please visit the program’s special major information located at: http://bit.ly/pcsspecmaj.

If you are proposing an honors special major, please also complete the Honors Program in Peace and Conflict Studies form. This form requires that you describe your proposed preparation and explain why you believe it is appropriate, and how it is central to your study of peace and conflict. If your preparation involves two one-credit components, please explain how the components work together to constitute a cohesive preparation.

Off-Campus Study

Off-campus study is encouraged for both special majors and minors of peace and conflict studies. In particular, the Northern Ireland Semester, based in Derry/Londonderry and Belfast, focuses on ongoing efforts to understand the legacy of the Troubles and build peace. A unique feature of the semester involves placements in local community groups, which contribute to the development of a shared and sustainable democratic future in Northern Ireland.

Swarthmore students attend this program under the College’s Semester/Year Abroad Program. One credit is awarded for community placement, one credit for a required course on peace and conflict in Northern Ireland, and two credits for peace and conflict studies courses taken in Belfast at the Irish School of Ecumenics (Trinity College). Normally, no more than three courses taken outside of Swarthmore College may be counted toward the major or minor, subject to the approval of the peace and conflict studies coordinator. In the case of the Northern Ireland semester, all four courses may be applied, subject to the approval of the peace and conflict studies coordinator. Further information is available at http://northernireland.swarthmore.edu.

Possibilities exist for summer research and/or service work in Northern Ireland arising from participation in the program.

Research and Service-Learning

Internships

Student programs can include an internship or fieldwork component, and an internship is highly recommended. Fieldwork and internships normally do not receive credit. However, students can earn up to one credit for special projects that are developed with an instructor and approved in advance by the Peace and Conflict Studies Committee.

Summer Opportunities

Peace and conflict studies minors and honors minors are encouraged to apply for funding from the Julia and Frank Lyman Student Summer Research Fellowship, the Joanna Rudge Long ‘56 Award in Conflict Resolution, the Simon Preisler Student Research and Internship award and/or the Howard G. Kurtz, Jr. and Harriet B. Kurtz Memorial Fund. Applications are due in February, and information can be obtained from the program’s website.

Additional information on funding, internships, training, and career opportunities are also available on the Peace and Conflict Studies Program website at www.swarthmore.edu/peacestudies.

Life After Swarthmore

Peace and conflict studies alumni often develop or work in organizations that promote peace and justice locally and globally. Many pursue graduate work in fields directly or closely related to peace and conflict studies. You may find a growing digest of student and alumni activities on the program’s website at http://blogs.swarthmore.edu/pcsstudents/.

Peace and Conflict Studies Courses

The following courses may be applied toward a minor in peace and conflict studies. Each of the courses designated as PEAC is open to all students unless otherwise specified. In the event of an oversubscribed course, preference in enrollment will be given to declared peace and conflict studies minors. Courses that are eligible to count toward a concentration or minor in Peace, Justice, and Human Rights at Haverford College or Peace, Conflict, and Social Justice at Bryn Mawr College may also be applied toward a course minor in peace and conflict studies at Swarthmore. Student programs may, subject to prior approval by the committee, also include independent study; special attachments to courses that are not listed here; courses offered at the University of Pennsylvania; and courses taken abroad.

Courses noted with an asterisk * are eligible for a peace and conflict studies minor by obtaining written approval of the instructor and the program coordinator before the drop/add period ends. Course materials may be requested for confirmation after course completion. Course approval forms may be downloaded from the Peace and Conflict Studies Program website.

Please consult www.swarthmore.edu/peacestudies for updates, descriptions, and scheduling