Waging Peace: The Psychology of Peace and Conflict 

Might we be able to create a bit more peace? Each session in this course will focus on one of eight important aspects to peace and conflict: how to conceive “peace;” the human nature of violence; non-violent resistance; group identity; justice and group conflict; coping with intractable conflicts; transformative mediation; and governmental alternatives to war. Students will be asked to undertake a small action that is based on the readings. This might involve a personal negotiation, mediating a community dispute, a piece of nonviolent resistance, promoting a piece of legislation, etc. We will form our own small community to support such actions.

Reprints of required readings will be furnished and will cost about $10. 

Joseph de Rivera (PhD Stanford, 1961) served in the Navy and taught at Dartmouth and NYU before coming to Clark University where he formed its Program in Peace and Conflict Studies.