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Peace Studies

College of Social Sciences
Saunders Hall 723 and 523
2424 Maile Way
Honolulu, HI 96822
Tel: (808) 956-4237
MIP/PCR Fax: (808) 956-0950/(808) 956-9121
E-mail: uhip@hawaii.edu
Web: www.peaceinstitute.hawaii.edu

Faculty

*Graduate Faculty

C. Petersen, JD (Director, Matsunaga Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution)—international human rights, equality and non-discrimination, women and the law
*D. Foley, PhD (Chair, Graduate Certificate in Conflict Resolution)—deliberative dialogs, conflict resolution
*B. Barnes, JD, LLM—conflict resolution
B. Hallett, PhD—peace studies

Cooperating Faculty

*I. Aoude, PhD—ethnic studies
*D. Bangert, PhD—management
*J. Barkai, JD—law
*R. Chadwick, PhD—political science
*S. Chandler, PhD—public policy/social welfare
*A. Hubbard, PhD—speech
*M. Jones, PhD—physics
*G. Kent, PhD—political science
*K. Lowry, PhD—urban research and planning
*B. Lum, PhD—peace studies, peace education, human development
*R. Robinson, PhD—management
L. Ruby, PhD—art
*W. Sharkey, PhD—speech
*L. Sponsel, PhD—anthropology
*C. Stephenson, PhD—political science
*J. Van Dyke, JD—law

Degree and Certificates Offered: Certificate in Peace Studies, BA in interdisciplinary studies (peace and conflict studies), Graduate Certificate in Conflict Resolution

The Academic Program

The Spark Matsunaga Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution was established to carry out the vision of U.S. Senator Spark M. Matsunaga that “every student enrolled in Hawai‘i’s public university will be exposed to peace studies.” The institute is a center for education and research in peace studies and conflict resolution, honoring Senator Matsunaga’s legacy and building on Hawai‘i’s heritage to promote cross-cultural communication. It is a multi-disciplinary community of scholars, researchers, and students working in partnership with members of government, business, the educational sector, and civil society. It seeks to educate students, professionals and future leaders in peacemaking and conflict resolution skills, empowering them to better address contemporary problems within Hawai‘i, the Asia-Pacific region, the U.S. and the world.

Peace and conflict resolution is a dynamic field, one that is increasingly relevant to our graduates’ professional careers and to other fields of academic inquiry. Students from all colleges in UH Mânoa may enroll in Peace and Conflict Education (PACE) courses, either as an intellectual endeavor or to enhance their personal and professional skills. For example, the institute offers courses on the study of war and other forms of violence (both direct and structural), on nonviolent methods to prevent and resolve destructive conflicts, and on the conditions necessary for creating cultures of peace, including human rights and social justice. We believe that students who understand the causes of conflict and the methods for resolving conflicts will be better equipped for a wide range of careers, including positions in education, law, dispute resolution, industrial relations, government, foreign service, security, urban and regional planning, sociology, and social work.

For students who wish to obtain an academic qualification in peace and conflict resolution, the institute offers three programs:

  1. The Peace and Conflict Resolution major for undergraduates (a flexible inter-disciplinary program offered in cooperation with the Interdisciplinary Studies BA program).
  2. The Certificate in Peace Studies (open to undergraduate students and equivalent to a “minor”).
  3. The Graduate Certificate in Conflict Resolution (open to graduate students seeking the certificate only or concurrently with another graduate-level degree program).

Students who complete one of these three programs should gain an understanding of the major theoretical foundations of peace and conflict resolution studies. They will also develop critical and reflective thinking skills related to issues of social justice, human rights, and the conditions necessary for peace. They will also learn effective ways to identify, manage, and resolve conflict at the personal, group, and international levels. The requirements for the three programs are set forth below.

Undergraduate Study

Bachelor’s Degree in Peace and Conflict Resolution

In collaboration with the Interdisciplinary Studies program, the Matsunaga Institute for Peace offers a flexible, self-designed BA in peace and conflict resolution. With the exception of three required courses, students are free to design an academic program that is appropriate for their interests, needs, and goals. Students work closely with faculty advisors from the Matsunaga Institute and Interdisciplinary Studies to develop a coherent, multidisciplinary course of study. This gives students the flexibility to concentrate on a special area of interest or to take a broader approach to peace and conflict studies. Additional information is available at www.peaceinstitute.hawaii.edu and from Interdisciplinary Studies in the Colleges of Arts and Sciences.

Required courses for the major:

  • PACE 310 Survey Peace and Conflict Studies (3)
  • PACE 447 Mediation Skills: UH Basic (3)
  • PACE 495 Practicum and Internship (or a faculty approved substitute) (3)

The remaining credit hours, to meet the major’s minimum requirement of 36 credit hours, can be drawn from courses offered by the Matsunaga Institute (designated as PACE courses) as well as courses offered by other departments. Although a list of suggested electives is set forth below, students may also propose other courses, provided that they can achieve a coherent program of study that meets the requirements of the Interdisciplinary Studies Program. An overall GPA of 2.5, with no grade below a C, is required in the major course work.

Certificate in Peace Studies

The Certificate in Peace Studies (15 credit hours), which is equivalent to a minor, equips students with the fundamentals of peace and conflict studies, allowing them to broaden the reach of their major with insights from this multidisciplinary field. The certificate gives students a greater awareness of what can be done to remedy the social injustices of our times and to manage and resolve conflict, skills that are highly valued by employers in a wide range of professional fields.

To receive a Certificate in Peace Studies, students are required to take PACE 310, PACE 447 and PACE 495 (or a faculty approved substitute) and 6 additional credit hours selected in consultation with the student’s certificate advisor. A GPA of 2.5, with no grade below a C, is required in certificate courses.

Suggested optional courses for the major in Peace and Conflict Resolution and for the Certificate in Peace Studies.

  • PACE 247 Survey of Conflict Management
  • PACE 315 Personal Peace: Stories of Hope
  • PACE 340 Negotiation
  • PACE 345/ANTH 345 Aggression, War and Peace
  • PACE 373/POLS 396 Nonviolent Political Alternatives
  • PACE 399 Directed Reading and Research
  • PACE 410 History of Peace Movements
  • PACE 412 Gandhi, King, and Nonviolence
  • PACE 413 Terrorism
  • PACE 477 Culture and Conflict Resolution
  • PACE 478 International Law and Disputes
  • PACE 485 Topics in Peace and Conflict Resolution*
  • ANTH 423 Social and Cultural Change
  • BIOL 310 Environmental Issues
  • COM 340 Intercultural Communication
  • ECON 466 Growth and Crisis in the Global Economy
  • FAMR 350 Leadership and Group Process
  • GEOG 336 Geography of Peace and War
  • POLS 201 Problems of War and Peace
  • POLS 319 International Organization
  • POLS 375 Public Law and Judicial Behavior
  • POLS 394 Democracy in Organizations
  • SOC 433 Analysis in Law and Social Change
  • SP 455 Conflict Management
  • WS 304 Women, War and the Military

*There may be more than one section of this course offered, each focusing on different specialized topics in the field. Examples include Practices in Peacemaking, Human Rights and Peace, Indigenous Peacemaking, Ho‘oponopono, and Hiroshima and Peace. The course is repeatable one time.

Graduate Study

Certificate in Conflict Resolution

The Certificate in Conflict Resolution allows students pursuing a master’s or doctoral degree in another area to become acquainted with conflict resolution theory, practice, and activities. It is also available to students seeking the certificate only and considers unclassified students, as well as degree students, for admission. Students enrolled in public administration, education, law, urban and regional planning, political science, sociology, anthropology, geography, health, social work, environmental science, zoology, and psychology are part of the program, along with professionals in the community. Students are encouraged to use the certificate program to increase their competence in conflict resolution as it relates to their major area of study. The Certificate in Conflict Resolution introduces students to the fundamentals of conflict resolution; mediation systems; dynamics for group conflict; skills for organizing and leading group deliberations and dialogues; and culturally appropriate dispute resolution.

Students are required to complete at least fifteen (15) credits from the approved course list, including a three-credit practicum (PACE 695), which may be replaced by a course with the approval of the student’s advisor. Each student will be assigned a temporary advisor upon acceptance into the program, with the option of making an alternate choice during the first semester of coursework. Towards the end of the course of study students will complete a “capstone” paper under the supervision of their advisor, which is intended to integrate their academic and practical experiences in the certificate. Each student will also successfully complete a “skills assessment,” unless waived by the advisor, before the certificate is awarded. The graduate certificate in conflict resolution is available to students seeking the certificate only or concurrently with an MA, MPA, MSc, PhD, or professional degree. International students must have a 600 (paper), 250 (computer) and 100 (internet) TOEFL score to be admitted.

The approved list of certificate courses is divided into “core” and “elective” courses. Students are required to complete at least two courses from the list of core courses. The core courses consist of PLAN 627, POLS 633, PACE 647, PACE 668, MGT 660, PLAN 661, and SOC 730. The elective courses are multi-disciplinary in nature. The areas include Negotiation, Mediation, Culture and Conflict Resolution, International Disputing/International Law, ADR Systems Design, Conflict Resolution for Educators, International Relations and War, Political Science, and Speech.

A capstone paper is also required. It will reflect knowledge of conflict theory and analysis and the application of resolution processes. Two faculty with expertise in the subject area will evaluate whether the paper satisfactorily fulfills the certificate requirements. A practicum, PACE 695, is offered with a requirement of 100 hours. The precise form is to be determined in consultation with the advisor. The practicum may be replaced by a 3 credit hour graduate course with the approval of the advisor. Specific information about the required and elective courses, including the graduate certificate brochure, can be found at www.peaceinstitute.hawaii.edu/pages/academic/PCR_cert.html.

Upon completion of the core courses, students are expected to demonstrate their skills in facilitation, mediation, or process design. The demonstration may be either an actual mediation or a simulated mediation or other problem-solving process organized by faculty. Skill outcome areas will be observed and assessed, including: ability to develop and maintain a collaborative atmosphere and approach; ability to use communication skills such as appropriate questions, summarization, active listening, and re-framing, where appropriate; ability to clarify, analyze, frame, track, and link appropriate issues; ability to identify and use objective criteria in evaluating dispute resolution proposals; ability to use interest-based negotiation principles effectively; and ability to develop and test dispute resolution options using interests and criteria.

Successful completion of the program leads to a Graduate Certificate in Conflict Resolution and is available to students seeking the certificate only or concurrently with a masters or PhD program. Consideration for admission to the certificate program requires filing of an application form available from the department and the Graduate Division.

PACE Courses