Peace and Conflict Studies Program
S = Objectives
Since the end of World War
II, peace and conflict studies has emerged as an interdisciplinary
area of inquiry drawing on social science, the humanities, the
creative arts, and science in efforts to understand reasons for
war and possible ways of resolving conflicts without resorting
to violence. In the last few years, for many people the primary
focus of inquiry is shifting from the Cold War and the nuclear
threat to conflict resolution in small and large contexts. The
Brandeis program reflects this tendency.
This is a time to examine the many meanings of "security," to investigate the nature of power and political participation and to develop ideas and ways of addressing conflicts that honor the integrity of all parties involved. This is a time, in other words, to learn alternatives to violence.
S = How to Become A Program Member
Students who wish to take peace and conflict studies as a program in addition to their fields of concentration can construct an individually tailored program in consultation with program advisors on the Peace and Conflict Studies Committee.
S = Committee
Gordon Fellman, Chair
(Sociology)
Seyom Brown
(Politics)
Charles Fisher
(Sociology)
Reuven Kimelman
(Near Eastern and Judaic Studies)
Robert Lange
(Physics)
Richard Parmentier
(Anthropology)
John Schrecker
(History)
Silvan Schweber
(Physics)
Maurice Stein
(Sociology)
Dessima Williams
(Sociology)
S = Requirements for the Program
A.
The student must complete a minimum of six courses, at least one
from each of the five groupings listed below.
B.
One of the courses must be POL 161b (Causes and Prevention of
War), or SOC 119a (War and Possibilities of Peace).
C.
Courses must be chosen from at least two different departments.
D. Students must attend a noncredit monthly colloquium of the Peace and Conflict Studies Program.
S = Courses of Instruction
Each PAX student must take
one of the following two courses.
POL 161b Causes and Prevention of War
[ ss ]
Insights from world history, the social sciences, and political philosophy about the causes and prevention of war. Includes an examination of current conflict control issues, including controversies over the role of the United Nations. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Brown
SOC 119a War and Possibilities of Peace
[ cl29 cl40 wi ss ]
Reviews consequences of militarism for American society and issues of global interdependence, focusing on political-economic, feminist, and social psychological matters; national security, nonviolence, and international relations; and ecofeminist and environmental issues. Emphasizes the possibility of a major "paradigm shift." Usually offered every year.
Mr. Fellman
L =
Elective Courses
The following courses approved
for the program are not all given in any one year, so the Course
Schedule for each semester should be consulted. PAX program
students must take at least one course in each of the five groups.
L =
Violence and War
AMST 143A
War and the American Imagination
AMST 175a
Violence in American Life
HIST 139b
Fascism East and West
HIST 186a
The Second World War
HIST 186b
War in Vietnam
POL 128a
The Politics of Revolution:
State Violence and Popular Insurgency in the Third World
POL 161b
Causes and Prevention of War
SOC 119a
War and Possibilities of Peace
SECS 182b
The Spanish Civil War
L =
Explaining Conflict: Global
Political and Economic Dimensions
AAAS 80a
Economy and Society in Africa
AAAS 126b
Political Economy of the Third
World
ECON 33a
Business in the Global Economy
ECON 76b
Trade Unions, Collective Bargaining,
and Public Policy
ECON 175a
Introduction to the Economics
of Development
HIST 80a
Introduction to East Asian
Civilization
NEJS 147b
The Arab-Israeli Conflict
POL 15a
Introduction to International
Relations
POL 140a
Politics of Africa
POL 144a
Latin American Politics I
POL 144b
Latin American Politics II
POL 147b
Seminar: The Modern Chinese
Revolution
POL 151b
Seminar: Nationalism and Development
POL 163a
Seminar: Human Rights and International
Relations
POL 172b
Introduction to International
Political Economy
POL 178a
Seminar: International Politics
of the Pacific
SOC 157a
Sociology of the Israeli-Palestinian
Confrontation
SOC 161a
Society, State, and Power:
The Problem of Democracy
L =
Explaining Conflict: Resource
Dimensions
AAAS 60a
Economics of Third World Hunger
AMST 20a
Environmental Issues
BISC 2a
Human Reproduction, Population
Explosion, Global Consequences
BIOL 17b
Ecology
CHSC 3a
The Planet as an Organism:
Gaia Theory and the Human Prospect
ECON 57a
Environmental Economics
ENVS 11b
Water: Planning for the Future
PHSC 4a
Science and Development
POL 179a
Seminar: Politics and Hunger
SOC 174b
Nature and Technology
L =
Explaining Conflict: Social
and Cultural Dimensions
AAAS 116b
Comparative Race and Ethnic
Relations
ANTH 139b
Language, Ethnicity, and Nationalism
COML 193a
Topics in New World Studies:
The Empire Writes Back
LGLS 120a
Sex Discrimination and the
Law
NEJS 132b
Ethics and the Jewish Political
Tradition
PHIL 19a
Human Rights
SOC 107a
Global Apartheid and Global
Social Movements
SOC 112b
Social Class and Social Change
SOC 114b
Modern Capitalism: Society
and Economy
L =
Conflict Management and
Peace-building
LGLS 125b
International Law, Organizations,
and Conflict Resolution
LGLS 130a
Conflict Analysis and Intervention
PHIL 20a
Social and Political Philosophy:
Democracy and Disobedience
POL 127b
Seminar: Managing Ethnic Conflict
SOC 148a
Social Psychology of Consciousness
I
SOC 153a
Sociology of Empowerment
SOC 195b
Group Solidarity
L =
Additional courses from various
departments may be added by petition to the PAX Steering Committee.
Students should watch for special announcements.