The Peace, Justice, and Conflict Studies (PAX) Program offers students a BA major curriculum that is rooted in the values of restorative and transformative justice, principled and strategic nonviolence, and the Vincentian commitment to the common good and dignity of all. Students and faculty in Peace, Justice, and Conflict Studies question what constitutes a just society and world, and how attitudes toward social justice and violence reflect and reveal the values, beliefs, prejudices, assumptions, and perceptions of United States culture and those of other nations. The program strives to be an innovator in the field of peace studies by connecting with communities and actively seeking out opportunities for justice.
This program helps students reflect critically on the origins and causes of conflict and violence, whether direct, cultural, or institutional. It studies social injustice and other forms of systemic violence, introducing nonviolent strategies for resolving interpersonal, communal, and international conflicts in order to promote the common good and the healing needed for community work. PAX invites frank debate about the efficacy of nonviolence in comparison with violent approaches to social change. The inclusion of conflict theory and citizen-led nonviolent intervention at the core of this program is distinctive.
Along with theoretical approaches, PAX emphasizes hands-on, experiential components and skill training throughout introductory courses, seminars, service learning, tool-based workshops, and internships. The program and its faculty support students as they put into practice the skills and values necessary for peacebuilding.