College Bulletin 2024-2025
Peace and Conflict Studies
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Courses
SA’ED ATSHAN, Department Chair
ISRAA AL-HELLI, Administrative Assistant
Committee:
Nanci Buiza (Spanish)2
Sahr Conway-Lanz (Peace Collection)
Alexandra Gueydan-Turek (French & Francophone Studies)
Nina Johnson (Sociology) Nanci Buiza (Spanish)
Jen Magee (Lang Center)
Barbara Milewski (Music)
Emily Paddon Rhoads (Political Science)3
Ellen Ross (Religion)
Lee Smithey (Peace and Conflict Studies)
Andrew Ward (Psychology)2
Michael Wilson Becerril (Peace and Conflict Studies)
2 Absent on leave, Spring 2025.
3 Absent on leave, 2023-2024.
The Department of Peace and Conflict Studies 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 interdisciplinary curriculum explores the causes, practices, and consequences of collective violence as well as peaceful or nonviolent methods of conducting or dealing with conflict.
Students who major or minor in Peace and Conflict Studies at Swarthmore will:
- understand factors shaping human conflict (including psychological, social, cultural, political, economic, biological, religious, and historical factors);
- analyze specific cases of conflict, including interpersonal, inter-group, interstate, and international disputes;
- examine theories and models of peacebuilding and reconciliation, and evaluate attempts to conduct, manage, resolve, or transform conflict nonviolently;
- investigate intersectionality; forms of oppression and injustice; and conflict, locally, globally, in the United States, and abroad;
- explore topics relevant to peace and conflict through fieldwork, internships, or other experiences outside the classroom;
- demonstrate the following skills: critical thinking, analysis, research, writing, communication, and teamwork.
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The Academic Program
Peace and Conflict Studies may be a major or a minor subject in either the Course or the Honors Program. Students who intend to major or minor in Peace and Conflict Studies should consult with the department chair as they prepare to declare their intention during the spring of their sophomore year. All applications must be approved by the Peace and Conflict Studies Committee.
First Course Recommendations
Course Major
A course major in Peace and Conflict Studies consists of eight credits. Introduction to Peace and Conflict Studies (PEAC 015) is required and should be taken in the first or second year, if at all possible. All majors must also complete the PEAC Senior Capstone Seminar (PEAC 091) in the spring semester of their senior year to fulfill the College’s comprehensive exercise requirement that integrates work in the major. No more than two credits eligible for the Peace and Conflict studies major may overlap with courses in a student’s other major or minors.
All Peace and Conflict Studies majors complete at least two courses (in addition to Introduction to Peace and Conflict Studies, Senior Capstone Seminar, and any PEAC thesis) that are specifically designated as Swarthmore PEAC courses and worth no less than one credit each. Off campus study courses are not eligible to meet this requirement. We encourage students to take courses taught by different faculty members in order to broaden their exposure to the field. Honors majors alone have the option of writing a one- or two-credit thesis.
Normally, the student who applies for a major in Peace and Conflict Studies will have completed (or be in the process of completing) the introductory course and one other PEAC-designated or eligible course. An “eligible” course is offered in another department or program but can be counted toward a major in Peace and Conflict Studies. A list of eligible courses is available on the program’s website.
Honors Major
Honors majors fulfill the same requirements as course majors but must establish three two-credit honors preparations for external examination at the end of the senior year. There are four primary opportunities for students to fulfill preparations required of honors majors:
- a PEAC-designated or eligible 2-credit honors seminar
- the combination of two PEAC-designated and/or eligible 1-credit courses
- the combination of a PEAC-designated or eligible 1-credit course and a 1-credit thesis
- a 2-credit thesis
Honors majors alone have the option of writing a one- or two-credit thesis. Any thesis must be multidisciplinary.
All Honors preparations must be discussed with the Peace and Conflict Studies Chair and approved by the Peace and Conflict Studies Committee.
Special Major in Peace and Conflict Studies and Educational Studies Studies
Students who intend to complete a special major in Educational Studies and Peace and Conflict Studies (honors or course) should consult with the Peace and Conflict Studies Chair and the Chair of Educational Studies, and submit a copy of their Sophomore Plan during the spring of the sophomore year. The Sophomore Plan should present a plan of study that satisfies the requirements at http://bit.ly/swatedpeace, specifies the courses to count toward the special major, shares the student’s interest in Peace and Conflict Studies and Educational Studies, and identifies how the special major complements the student’s academic goals. The Sophomore Plan for students proposing an Honors special major should describe the proposed Honors preparation/s. All applications must be approved by the Peace and Conflict Studies Committee.
Course Minor
Students with any major, whether course or in the Honors Program, may add a course minor in Peace and Conflict Studies. Of the 5 credits required for a Peace and Conflict Studies minor, 4 may not be double counted with the student’s major or other minor. Introduction to Peace and Conflict Studies (PEAC 015) is required and should be taken in the first or second year, if at all possible.
All Peace and Conflict Studies minors will complete at least two courses (in addition to Introduction to Peace and Conflict Studies) that are specifically designated as Swarthmore PEAC courses. (Off campus study courses are not eligible to meet this requirement.) We encourage students to take courses taught by different faculty members in order to broaden their exposure to the field.
Normally, the student who applies for a minor in Peace and Conflict Studies will have completed (or be in the process of completing) the introductory course and one other PEAC-designated or eligible course. An “eligible” course is offered in another department or program but can be counted toward a minor in Peace and Conflict Studies. A list of eligible courses is available on the program’s website.
Honors Minor
Students with any major in the Honors Program may choose an Honors minor in Peace and Conflict Studies. Honors minors will fulfill the same requirements as course minors but must establish one two-credit honors preparation for external examination at the end of the senior year. A standard Honors minor preparation will consist of a seminar or a combination of two courses.
Application Process Notes for the Major or the Minor
See the Peace and Conflict Studies Department website for further guidelines and forms for applying for a major or minor in Peace and Conflict Studies (http://www.swarthmore.edu/peacestudies).
Students who intend to major or minor in Peace and Conflict Studies should consult with the department Chair, and submit a copy of their Sophomore Plan during the spring of the sophomore year. The Sophomore Plan should present a plan of study that satisfies the requirements, specifies the courses to count toward the major or minor, shares the student’s interest in Peace and Conflict Studies, and identifies how the department’s programming complements the student’s academic goals. (The department will assign advisors.) All applications must be approved by the Peace and Conflict Studies Committee.
The Sophomore Plan for students proposing an Honors major or Honors minor in Peace and Conflict Studies should describe the proposed Honors preparation/s in terms of its/their suitability for examination and its/their contribution to the student’s interests in Peace and Conflict Studies. When possible, students should obtain advance approval from faculty members who teach the courses or seminars that are to be included in an Honors preparation. If an honors major student is proposing to write a senior thesis, the student should specify a general thesis topic and a preference regarding thesis advisor. All applications must be approved by the Peace and Conflict Studies Committee.
Juniors or seniors proposing a major or minor in Peace and Conflict Studies should consult with the Program Coordinator and submit a revised Sophomore Plan.
Off-Campus Study
The Peace and Conflict Studies department faculty enthusiastically support study abroad for majors and minors. A number of study abroad programs that are approved by the Off-Campus Study Office offer appropriate coursework.
Majors may count no more than three credits from off-campus, while minors may count no more than two credits.
Research and Service-Learning
Internships
Student programs can include an internship or fieldwork component. 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 department Chair and the Peace and Conflict Studies Committee.
Summer Opportunities
Peace and Conflict Studies department majors and minors are encouraged to apply for funding from the Lippincott Fund, 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 department’s website.
Additional information on funding, internships, training, and career opportunities is available on the Peace and Conflict Studies department website.
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 department’s website at http://blogs.swarthmore.edu/pcsstudents/.
Peace and Conflict Studies Courses
The following courses may be applied toward a minor or major 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 majors and minors. Courses eligible to count toward a concentration, minor, or major 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 major or minor in Peace and Conflict Studies at Swarthmore. Student programs may, subject to prior approval by the department’s Chair and Committee, also include courses offered at the University of Pennsylvania and courses taken abroad.
* Courses marked with an asterisk (*) are eligible for credit upon prior arrangement with instructor and program coordinator. Download the appropriate form from the PCS website.
Please consult www.swarthmore.edu/peacestudies for updates, descriptions, and scheduling.
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