no more studying war in Utah
This was news to me: the University of Utah and the Utah Valley University both offer respectively a peace and conflict studies program and a peace and justice studies program to their students. In fact, in 2006, the College of Social and Behavioral Science (CSBS) at the University of Utah announced the establishment of the Barbara L. and Norman C. Tanner Center for Nonviolent Human Rights Advocacy to offer courses through the peace and conflict studies program. Origination and funding for the center was initiated by Barbara and Norman Tanner, who have been active in peace and nonviolent conflict resolution for years, and their daughter, Deb Sawyer, President of “the Gandhi Alliance for Peace” – whose mission is to increase public awareness and understanding of Mahatma Gandhi, his unique role in world history and his commitment to truth, nonviolence, service and justice.
George Cheney and Michael Minch, two university professors currently heading their respective peace studies programs at the Utah universities, received the 2008 Gandhi peace award recognizing them for their community peace work as well as their leadership of the academic programs on peace. “Only now are we beginning to apply the same kinds of methodologies and intellectual rigor to the study of peace that we have, for thousands of years, applied to the study of war. Only now are people beginning to discover, through empirical research, that war is not inevitable and that peace is possible. Many people have long believed these things, but only now is the work of the mind beginning to run in sync with the passion of the heart, soul and spirit,” said Minch when receiving the award.
The Tanner Center’s is dedicated to providing UofU students and faculty, in a world wracked by hostility and violence, “with the inspiration and education needed to become advocates for peace, nonviolence and human rights. The center seeks to provide avenues for the open discussion of important issues dividing the community, the nation and the world”. In collaboration with the College of Humanities at UofU, the center offers an interdisciplinary undergraduate minor in peace and conflict studies. Courses focus on conflict theory, war and terrorism, just war theory, the history of peace efforts and nonviolent social movements, community-based conflict management and resolution, and human rights and advocacy.
our world is in need of peacemakers and justice-doers
The Peace and Justice Studies program of the Utah Valley University was established because of the intrinsic relationship between these two concepts and realities. Their foundational course, Introduction to Peace and Justice Studies explores the relationship between peace and justice, showing the importance of this nexus. Any given semester, there are 30 to 40 courses being taught in various departments at UVU that are available for Peace and Justice studies credit. Courses under construction include: Theories of Justice, Just War and Strategies of Nonviolence, Gandhi – King and the Prophetic Tradition, and many others.
Why is this so exciting? Well, for people like me, who studied peace and development studies and who got enthused by the potential role faith might play in the pursuit of justice and in building peace, these academic programs are timely and providing an excellent venue for young Utahns and possibly therefore also for young members of the LDS church to explore the potential connection between their faith and the positive role it may play in a globalized world towards attaining peace and challenging injustice on this side of the veil. If you are considering joining such a program, I recommend it highly. It certainly has given me a complete different perspective on life and an ability to handle conflict in a more constructive and outcome-oriented manner.
The Women’s research institute of Brigham Young University is also host of a “peace, violence and gender research program” as well as an international women and development research program. Additionally, Bonnie Ballif-Spanvill, PhD and Claudia Clayton, PhD, both leaders of the research facility, have over the last few years developed a program to help children reduce violent behavior and increase their capacity to have peaceful relationships with others. The culmination of their efforts is the PeaceAbilities program, soon to be available.
Outside of Utah, at a much warmer and friendlier (?) place, the Brigham Young University of Hawaii has also been working towards achieving peace through one of its teaching centers: the David O. McKay Center for Intercultural Understanding. Church President David O. McKay, when founding BYU Hawaii, had a vision that “from this school will go men and women whose influence will be felt for good toward the establishment of peace internationally.” BYUH exists to “assist individuals in their quest for perfection and eternal life and in their efforts to promote world peace and international brotherhood” (BYUH Mission Statement). The Intercultural Peacebuilding certificate, administered through the center, seeks to “refine and mold the divine potential of BYUH graduates to influence peace for the good at home, in the workplace, in communities and throughout the world”. The program does not only emphasize theories of harmony, cross cultural leadership, and of conflict resolution, but also highlights the spiritual components of these areas such as forgiveness and reconciliation. In any case, I think it’s a step in the right direction.
