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Peace Studies / Minor

Minor Credit Hours: 22

Students must have completed their 100-level theology requirement to declare a Peace Studies Minor. Students interested in pursuing a minor must consult with one of the Peace Studies program co-directors to declare the minor and to customize their program of study. One foreign language course (3 hours) may be applied to the program requirements with the consent of a Peace Studies Co-Director. Nine credit hours (19-250 Foundations of Peace Studies, 19-450 Capstone: Peace Studies Seminar, and one other upper-division course) must apply exclusively to the Peace Studies minor and may not apply to any other minor or major that Lewis University offers.

Objectives

Rooted in Catholic social teaching and shaped by Lasallian global praxis, the Peace Studies minor is an interdisciplinary program within the College of Arts and Sciences. This program critically engages students in addressing contemporary social justice problems and building "just peace." Cooperating with a Peace Studies advisor, the student in this minor is able to design an individualized program of interdisciplinary coursework and service-learning experiences. Enriched by faculty in a variety of disciplines, this program promotes examination of calls to justice as prerequisites to peace. It investigates the social, political, cultural, social, philosophical, and theological frameworks out of which just and unjust local and global realities emerge. Program participants explore peace studies theories and practices by examining conflicts and their transformations. The minor includes course options in communications, history, philosophy, political science, psychology, social work, sociology, theology, and justice, law and public safety studies. It provides a framework for the systematic understanding of numerous contemporary social, political, religious, ecological, and economic issues. It trains students to recognize and critically evaluate roles played by governments, groups, and individuals in peaceful solutions. Students interested in international relations, criminal justice, history, pastoral ministry, philosophy, political science, pre-law, or psychology are particularly encouraged to consider adding this minor. Some careers for which a Peace Studies program prepares students are negotiator, mediator, government official, educator, activist, community organizer, human rights advocate, environmental protection agent, interfaith dialogue facilitator, international lawyer, victim/offender advocate, restorative justice practitioner.

The Peace Studies program works in collaboration with the Office of Service Learning to encourage civic engagement and community-based experiences through course-related peacebuilding initiatives.  Successful students will be able to understand just peace strategies and nonviolent conflict tactics as tools for positive social change at the local, national, and/or global level; critique sources of information about peace and justice issues; analyze and synthesize complex social issues and options for conflict resolution and transformation; interpret historical examples of U.S. and international social movements and the alternatives to violence that have been presented in troubled communities and conflict/war situations; demonstrate an understanding of philosophical, religious, and ethical perspectives on peace and justice, including knowledge of Catholic social teaching and interdisciplinary perspectives on the concept of social justice; explain the intersection of justice and diversity in U.S. culture with special focus on racism, gender issues, sexual orientation, religious tradition, and mental/physical challenges; reflect on service learning/community-based learning as a vehicle to greater understanding of social issues and diverse communities; and demonstrate the use of conflict management and dialogue skills.

Degree Requirements

I. Required Courses (10)

19-250Foundations of Peace Studies

3
19-267Practicing Faithful Justice

3
19-397Theology Workshop: Focusing the Just Peace Lens

1
19-450Capstone: Peace Studies Seminar

3
19-397 Theology Workshop: Focusing the Just Peace Lens: The primary purpose of this workshop is to reinforce knowledge and apply skills related to the just peace lens. Prerequisites include 19-100 or 19-106; 19-250; or permission of a Peace Studies advisor.

II. Electives (12)

Select an additional 12 credit hours from a variety of Peace Studies courses and workshops. Course selections must represent at least two different disciplines, in addition to Theology. The specific program of study is developed with the advice and consent of an advisor from the Peace Studies program. Please refer to the Course Schedule published each semester by the Registrar's Office for specific offerings and prerequisites.

A. Select one interpersonal, spiritual, and/or familial peacebuilding course: (3)

10-211Interpersonal Communication

3
15-225Philosophical Issues in Race and Gender

3
19-201Modern Christian Spirituality

3
26-211Infancy and Childhood

3
26-212Adolescence and Youth

3
26-215Adulthood and Old Age

3
26-240Psychology of Women

3
26-320Abnormal Psychology

3
26-420Psychotherapeutic Techniques

3
81-286Domestic Violence

3

B. Select one or two local, regional, and/or systemic peacebuilding courses: (3-6)

10-216Small Group Communication

3
10-349Organizational Communication

3
10-350Intercultural Communication

3
15-230LGBTQ Rights and Issues I

3
15-365African-American Philosophy

3
18-327Mediation

1-2
19-285Theologies of Liberation

3
19-300Lasallian Community and Social Action

3
19-461Christian Service and Society

3
20-345Juvenile Delinquency

3
20-350Criminology

3
20-360Conflict and Cooperation

3
26-238Psychology of the Minority Experience

3
26-277Workshop in Organizational Psychology

1
26-280Group Dynamics

3
26-285Cross-Cultural Psychology

3
26-360Social Psychology

3
26-365Industrial and Organizational Psychology

3
26-366Organizational Training

3
26-368Organizational Staffing

3
26-373Organizational Leadership

3
78-209Social Welfare Policy

3
78-215Cultural Sensitivity in Social Work Practice

3
78-251Human Behavior in the Social Environment II

3
81-260Juvenile Justice System

3
81-305Workshop in JLPSS: Juvenile Violence

1
81-307Workshop in JLPSS: Women on Death Row

1
81-357Victims and Victimization

3
81-385Agency-Community Relations

3

C. Select one or two national, multinational, and/or global peacebuilding courses: (3-6)

09-260African History: Ancient Times to the Present

3
09-331A History of the U.S. Military

3
09-334African-American History I

3
09-336Native American History

3
09-337Immigration, Ethnicity, and Race in American History

3
09-350History of the British Empire

3
09-353The Middle East in History

3
09-355History of the Modern Middle East

3
09-356The Vietnam War

3
09-387History of Modern Revolutions: 1789 to the Present

3
10-350Intercultural Communication

3
15-350Political Philosophy

3
15-355Philosophy of Rights

3
18-331International Relations

3
18-333International Human Rights

3
18-334Political Violence

3
18-335Latin American Politics

3
18-336American Foreign Policy

3
18-337International Topics

3
18-338International Political Economy

3
18-339United Nations and International Organizations

3
18-365Women and Politics

3
18-368Non-Western Political Thought

3
18-384Environmental Politics

3
19-268Christian Social Teaching

3
19-281Christianity in Africa, Asia, and Latin America

3
19-298Christianity and World Religions

3
26-371Negotiation and Conflict Resolution

3

III. One Foreign Language course may be applied to the minor with advisor consent.