Department of peace and conflict studies

The programmes share a common goal of providing a critical understanding and analysis of root causes of conflicts and violence in diverse local, national, global and societal contexts, while specifically focusing on various dimensions, strategies, sectors, institutions and levels of conflict resolution and transformation to build a peaceful world.

Over the past several years, Alumni have drawn upon the knowledge, skills, vision and commitment gained from these programmes to serve effectively and creatively in a wide range of peacebuilding-related roles in their societies and in the wider international community. 

https://upeace.org/department-of-peace-and-conflict-studies/

Gender and peacebuilding

The Master of Arts in Gender and Peacebuilding (GPB) offers critical knowledge and training in gender studies, which is a crucial aspect of any and all peace efforts. The programme deals in depth with the diverse and international aspects of gender as they relate to violence, peace negotiations, peacebuilding and peacekeeping in different locations on the planet. The programme also encompasses the many fields of knowledge in which gender plays a crucial role. The needs and interests of students and professionals are carefully considered in the design and implementation of the programme.

The master’s degree in Gender and Peacebuilding will allow you to delve into a rigorous scheme of studies. This programme has been designed to nurture your critical thinking abilities, foster your research skills, and to provide you with the knowledge and skills needed to be an intersectional scholar who is being mindful of the gendered dimensions of conflict transformation and peacebuilding.

Peace education 

The Master of Arts Degree in Peace Education (PE) seeks to develop and strengthen the capacity of formal and informal educators to build a peaceful world on all levels and in all dimensions of life. Through coursework and independent research or internship experiences, complemented with a unique and cooperative learning environment at UPEACE, students will enhance their values formation, knowledge and skills for living in and building cultures of peace. An understanding of the roles education, educators and institutions can play in resolving and transforming conflicts and violence towards holistic cultures of peace is explored.

International peace studies

The Master of Arts Degree in International Peace Studies (IPS) provides an interdisciplinary and critical analysis of the causes and consequences of a wide range of contemporary conflicts and violence that impact on global, international and human security. Topics to be explored include armed conflicts, violent extremism, (de)militarization, economic, social and gender injustices, cultural and religious identity conflicts, and competition over environmental resources. An in-depth understanding of conflict transformation approaches, peacebuilding and peace processes in response to these issues is built.

IPS Specializing in Media, Peace and Conflict Studies

The Master of Arts in International Peace Studies with a specialisation in Media, Peace, and Conflict Studies (IPS-MPCS) provides thorough and up-to-date knowledge of relevant research related to how media contributes to peacebuilding and conflict transformation, as well as to conflict escalation and war.

Throughout the programme, participants acquire expertise in the critical analysis of media’s role in peace and conflict; media best practices in mitigating conflict and promoting peace, including in peacebuilding and humanitarian contexts; as well as professional training for careers in research, policy-formulation, and communication.

Religion, Culture and Peace studies, Indigenous Science and Peace studies

Established by the Dr. ALISSA Fellowship Programme, the M.A. in Religion, Culture, and Peace Studies has been designed to provide the knowledge and skills necessary to engage in contexts related to peace and conflict studies that are entangled with aspects of religious and cultural traditions. Acknowledging the critical role that religion and culture play in being a motivation for or a factor in the resolution of conflicts, this programme takes an interdisciplinary and dynamic approach to deal with a range of issues, including the theoretical and practical aspects crucial to engage with the study of different traditions, and cultivating nuanced insights in the ways in which the ideal of peace can be furthered through relevant resources belonging to the domains of religion and culture. Multiple traditions from across the world will be explored throughout the year using practical cases and diverse perspectives in tandem with aspects such as race, ethnicity, class, women’s rights, and ability, among others.

This programme is co-sponsored by the Muslim World League, the Pontifical Lateran University, and the World Jewish Congress.

Indigenous Science and Peace Studies

The confluence of cutting edge Western and Indigenous science and knowledge has opened the doors to a new paradigm of peace and development. The Master of Arts in Indigenous Science and Peace Studies (ISPS) brings these two ways of knowing together to challenge a failing framework with time-tested methodologies that sustain life and create transformative opportunities amidst the global catastrophes we face right now. The transformation of policy, diplomacy, development models, and innovative technologies in ways that respect the interconnections of people and facilitate stronger and more sustainable solutions across all sectors of society, is at the core of the programme. Taught from the perspective of indigenous science and wisdom, ISPS offers students the opportunity to be immersed in exchanges with Indigenous knowledge keepers, community leaders, scholars and scientists from around the globe. They will be required to conduct research into one of their ancestral lineages to deepen the understanding of their earth-based connections. Students will learn about indigenous science methodologies, decoloniality, and the legacies of modernity and colonialism. Throughout the programme, students will be challenged to learn more about their own identity. This approach enables students to embody life-sustaining principles in their work on behalf of people’s sovereignty, self-determination, and peace. ISPS will focus students’ determination and skills, igniting a clear fire vision for Earth’s renewal.