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Peace and Justice Studies

Dr. Kevin Ahern
Director of the Program

Peace and Justice Studies is the academic program that embraces Manhattan College’s Lasallian commitment to advancing social justice.  One of the oldest programs of its kind in the United States, the Peace and Justice Studies program is interdisciplinary in nature, drawing on the strength of faculty in areas such as Communications, Economics, English, Environmental Science, History, Management, Modern Languages, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, and Religious Studies.  The program’s fundamental goal is to understand and evaluate structural injustice, the aspects of human nature that lead to violence and war, and the work of social movements that seek to realize peace, nonviolence, and social justice.

Manhattan College offers Peace and Justice Studies as a major or minor field of study leading to the B.A. degree. It is encouraged that students interested in a major in Peace and Justice Studies pair it with a major in another academic discipline.

Peace and Justice Studies is housed in the School of Liberal Arts, but is also available as a major or minor for students in the Schools of Science and Engineering, and is possible as a minor for students in the School of Business.

Goals of the Peace and Justice Studies Major

A Major in Peace and Justice Studies will be able to:

  • Identify current issues of conflict and injustice. 
    • Fulfilled by Conflicts and Injustices and Internship course requirement
  • Describe normative models about peace, nonviolence, and social justice.  
    • Fulfilled by Introduction to Peace and Justice Studies course requirement and Concepts in Peace and Justice Studies course requirement (2 courses in 2 different departments)
  • Explain how both the psychological make-up of humans and social structures promote conflict and injustice and/or promote positive peace and social justice. 
    • Fulfilled by Concepts in Peace and Justice Studies course requirement (2 courses in 2 different departments)
  • Synthesize knowledge across academic disciplines concerning the psychological and structural dimensions that promote conflict and injustice with the goal of creating blueprints to achieve negative and positive peace 
    • Fulfilled by Methods course requirement and by Capstone course requirement
  • Apply specific skills that will enable them to understand and critique problems of conflict and injustice, as well as contemplate solutions to these problems.  
    These skills may include a knowledge of quantitative and qualitative data analysis, so that one can both identify and separate accurate evidence from misinformation or poorly gathered data, and also generate accurate evidence, or conflict resolution skills that can be employed in their own lives.
    • Fulfilled by Methods course requirement, by Capstone course requirement and by Peacebuilding Skills requirement

Requirements for Majors

Majors must take 30 credits, including the following:

A. Introductory Course3
Introduction to Peace and Justice Studies
Introduction to Peace and Justice Studies
Introduction to Peace Studies
B. One of the following Methods courses3
Historical Methods
Research Methods in Political Science
Statistics and Research Methods II +
Research Methods
C. One of the following Capstone courses 3
Senior Seminar
Senior Seminar in Peace and Justice Studies
Special Topics: Senior Seminar: United States Government and Politics
Senior Seminar: Women in Politics
Senior Seminar: Conflict Resolution
Senior Seminar: The Politics of Race, Ethnicity, and Class in the United States
Seminar: European Politics
Senior Seminar: Politics of International Economics
Special Topics Senior Seminar: Comparative Politics
Seminar: Diplomacy
Senior Seminar: Contemporary Western Political Thought
Special Topics Senior Seminar: Political Theory
Senior Capstone: Advanced Research Methods
Seminar in Sociology
Another capstone course approved by the Program Director of Peace and Justice Studies
D. Two of the following Concepts in Peace and Justice Studies courses: *6
Intercultural Communication
Introduction to Critical Race & Ethnicity Studies
Literature and War
Postcolonial Literature
Philosophy of Law
Philosophies of War and Peace
Political Philosophy
Marx and Marxism
Philosophers on Race, Class, and Gender
Constitutional Law: Civil Liberties
Human Rights
International Relations
International Organizations
Social Psychology
Special Topic: in Psychology (Peace Psychology)
Cultural Psychology
Religion and Social Justice
Theologies Of Liberation
Catholic Social Teaching
Religious Dimensions of Peace
RELS 333
Race and Resistance
Social Inequalities
Activism, Advocacy, and Empowerment
Power and Conflict
E. One of the following Conflicts and Injustices courses:3
Introduction to African American History
History of the Modern Middle East
Genocide and Racism
Modern Africa
Cold War Diplomacy in Asia
Diplomatic History of the Vietnam Wars
Nazi Germany and the Holocaust
US Foreign Relations, 1900 to the Present
US Labor Patterns and Movement
Civil War and Reconstruction
Terror and Terrorism
Decolonization: The End of Empires
History of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Labor Studies Colloquium
Global Issues
Government and Politics of Russia and Selected Soviet Successor States
Government and Politics of Central and Eastern Europe
Government and Politics of Asia
Government and Politics of the Middle East
Government and Politics of the Caribbean
Government and Politics of Latin America
Government and Politics of Africa
Government and Politics of the European Union
United States Foreign Policy
Islam and Politics
Criminal Justice Ethics
Migration, Globalization, and Culture
Social Problems
Contemporary Latin American Development
Mass Incarceration and Collateral Consequences
Societies and Cultures of Latin America
Labor Studies Colloquium
Current Issues in Criminal Justice
F. One of the following Peacebuilding Skills courses3
Introduction to Public Relations
Introduction to Management
Negotiation & Conflict Mgmt **
Ethics Bowl Debate I
Ethics Bowl Debate II
Community Organizing for Social Change
Community Organizing for Social Change
A Language course in addition to the two language courses required by the Liberal Arts core.
Another course approved by the Program Director of Peace and Justice Studies
G. One field work, internship or community engaged learning3
Peace and Justice Field Project
Community Engaged Learning
Internship
Urban America and Catholic Social Teaching
H. Two Electives6
See list below.
Total Credits30
+

PSYC 214: Statistics and Research Methods is a prerequisite for this course.  Majors can use one of their electives to take this course prior to enrolling in PSYC 314.

*

Courses should be selected from different departments.

**

Requires prerequisites

Students may choose to write a senior thesis, for which they should register for PEAC 421 Independent Study or PEAC 422 Independent Studies: Peace and Justice

A minimum grade of C is required for credit toward the major.

Requirements for Minor

Minors must take 15 credits, including the following:

A. Introductory Course3
Introduction to Peace and Justice Studies
Introduction to Peace Studies
Introduction to Peace and Justice Studies
B. 12 additional credits chosen from the list of courses above in consultation with the Program Director. No more than 6 of these 12 credits can come from the same department12
Total Credits15

A minimum grade of C is required for credit toward the minor.

Elective Courses for Peace and Justice Studies Majors and Minors

BIOL 223Ecology4
COMM 217Introduction to Public Relations3
COMM 340Media Criticism3
COMM 371Intercultural Communication3
CRES 150Introduction to Critical Race & Ethnicity Studies3
ECON 334International Economics3
ECON 412Economic Growth and Development3
ENGL 265Global Literature in English3
ENGL 279Literature and the Environment3
ENGL 345Environmental Literature and Ecocriticism3
ENGL 347Literature and War3
ENGL 348Postcolonial Literature3
ENGL 380Growing Up Ethnic: The Ethnic-American Bildungsroman3
HIST 231Introduction to African American History3
HIST 306History of the Modern Middle East3
HIST 307Genocide and Racism3
HIST 312Modern China 1839 - Now3
HIST 313Vietnam to the Philippines3
HIST 314Modern Africa3
HIST 319The Crusades3
HIST 326Diplomatic History of Europe 1815-19143
HIST 328Cold War Diplomacy in Asia3
HIST 334Diplomatic History of the Vietnam Wars3
HIST 347The Sixties3
HIST 351Age Of The French Revolution3
HIST 357Nazi Germany and the Holocaust3
HIST 358The Industrial Revolution3
HIST 362US Foreign Relations, 1900 to the Present3
HIST 366US Labor Patterns and Movement3
HIST 383Civil War and Reconstruction3
HIST 389Gender and Sexuality in the Modern Middle East3
HIST 368Formation of U.S.Public Health3
HIST 390Terror and Terrorism3
HIST 391Decolonization: The End of Empires3
HIST 392History of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict3
HIST 393Global Feminisms3
MGMT 201Introduction to Management3
MGMT 309Management of International Business3
MGMT 450Negotiation & Conflict Mgmt3
PEAC 302Special Topic3
PEAC 421Independent Study3
PEAC 451Peace and Justice Field Project3
PEAC 452Peace and Justice Field Project3
PEAC 453Community Engaged Learning3
PEAC 475Internship3
PHIL 201Ethics3
PHIL 208Ethics Bowl Debate I3
PHIL 230Philosophy of Law3
PHIL 238Philosophies of War and Peace3
PHIL 275Political Philosophy3
PHIL 308Ethics Bowl Debate II3
PHIL 325Marx and Marxism3
PHIL 350Philosophers on Race, Class, and Gender3
POSC 209Comparative Politics3
POSC 222Power in the City3
POSC 223Environmental Politics3
POSC 251Global Issues3
POSC 254Global Cities3
POSC 318Community Organizing for Social Change3
POSC 324Constitutional Law: Civil Liberties3
POSC 331Government and Politics of Russia and Selected Soviet Successor States3
POSC 332Government and Politics of Central and Eastern Europe3
POSC 340Government and Politics of Asia3
POSC 343Government and Politics of the Middle East3
POSC 344Government and Politics of the Caribbean3
POSC 345Government and Politics of Latin America3
POSC 346Government and Politics of Africa3
POSC 348Government and Politics of the European Union3
POSC 351International Relations3
POSC 352International Organizations3
POSC 354Human Rights3
POSC 357United States Foreign Policy3
POSC 367Model United Nations3
POSC 368Model United Nations II3
POSC 491SUNY Washington Internship Program15
POSC 493SUNY Summer Washington Internship Program6
POSC 494American University Seminar Program15
PSYC 321Social Psychology3
PSYC 330Special Topic: in Psychology (Peace Psychology)3
PSYC 348Cultural Psychology3
RELS 204Religion and Social Justice3
RELS 205Urban America and Catholic Social Teaching3
RELS 238Theologies Of Liberation3
RELS 254Catholic Social Teaching3
RELS 310Religion & The Holocaust3
RELS 320Race, Religion & Resistance3
RELS 3333
RELS 342Islam and Politics3
RELS 362Ethics in the Workplace3
RELS 377Religion and Environmentalism3
RELS 381Religious Dimensions of Peace3
RELS 399Criminal Justice Ethics3
SOC 212Migration, Globalization, and Culture3
SOC 220Social Problems3
SOC 225Telling Stories with Maps3
SOC 250Introduction to GIS3
SOC 262Contemporary Latin American Development3
SOC 273Mass Incarceration and Collateral Consequences3
SOC 275Issues in Contemporary Policing3
SOC 290Codes of Gender3
SOC 294Gender, Crime & Justice3
SOC 295Capitalism3
SOC 296 Introduction to Human Geography3
SOC 302Race and Resistance3
SOC 304Social Inequalities3
SOC 317Anthropology of Drugs3
SOC 318Community Organizing for Social Change3
SOC 319Activism, Advocacy, and Empowerment3
SOC 324Sociological Theories3
SOC 327Power and Conflict3
SOC 328Societies and Cultures of Latin America3
SOC 332Labor Studies Colloquium3
SOC 333US Labor Patterns and Movements3
SOC 334Sustainable Development3
SOC 364Law and Society3
SOC 361Criminal Justice Administration3

Courses

PEAC 201. Introduction to Peace and Justice Studies. 3 Credits.

An introduction to the nature, scope, and methodology of Peace and Justice Studies as well as explore some major contemporary problems which threaten peaceful and just relations between groups, nations or individuals.

PEAC 302. Special Topic. 3 Credits.

Course descriptions will be announced when courses are offered.

PEAC 401. Senior Seminar in Peace and Justice Studies. 3 Credits.

An in-depth interdisciplinary analysis of specific research and practical problems. Intended to help the student integrate the various courses he/she has taken in Peace and Justice Studies.

PEAC 421. Independent Study. 3 Credits.

Available for the Peace and Justice Studies student who wishes to conduct in-depth research on a specific topic in Peace and Justice Studies. May be used for the senior thesis.

PEAC 422. Independent Studies: Peace and Justice. 3 Credits.

Available for the Peace and Justice Studies student who wishes to conduct in-depth research on a specific topic in Peace and Justice Studies. May be used for the senior thesis.

PEAC 451. Peace and Justice Field Project. 3 Credits.

Practical, off-campus training in conflict resolution, mediation and arbitration, international diplomacy, and social justice projects. Specialized work at the American Arbitration Association, the United Nations, Educators for Social Responsibility, the American Friends Service Committee, Pax Christi, and other organizations involved in peace and social justice activities. International opportunities available.

PEAC 452. Peace and Justice Field Project. 3 Credits.

Practical, off-campus training in conflict resolution, mediation and arbitration, international diplomacy, and social justice projects. Specialized work at the American Arbitration Association, the United Nations, Educators for Social Responsibility, the American Friends Service Committee, Pax Christi, and other organizations involved in peace and social justice activities. International opportunities available.

PEAC 453. Community Engaged Learning. 3 Credits.

All community engaged learning (CEL) courses offered at Manhattan College will be cross-listed with PEAC 453. Peace and Justice Studies majors can take PEAC 453 to fulfill the “Field work, internship or community engaged learning course” major requirement.

PEAC 475. Internship. 3 Credits.

Students participate in an off-campus training experience closely related to their area of study. Frequent meetings with the internship advisor and a paper are required. Internships are arranged through the Center for Career Development and must be approved in advance by the chair and the Dean of the School of Liberal Arts. Open to majors only.