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Peace and Justice Studies is a new interdisciplinary program that reflects the College's commitment to a value-based education. Drawing on the approaches and resources of many academic disciplines, the program enables people to work more effectively for peace and justice, to resist and overcome oppression and violence and to envision and build better communities. The program integrates theory and practice — combining academic study with informed practical experience and the thoughtful, lived pursuit of peace and justice.
Students who complete this major are well prepared to take jobs in domestic or international humanitarian or social change organizations or to work in government agencies. The program also provides excellent preparation for graduate or future professional study.
Program Outcomes
Students in this program gain extensive practical experience through service learning, community-based learning, internships and studying abroad to develop a range of skills for promoting peace and justice. Specifically, graduates of the program will be prepared to demonstrate:
- An understanding of peace and justice as basic human goods and as normative values, their relationship to other foundational values such as human dignity, and basic philosophical and religious perspectives on them.
- An understanding of faith-based approach to peace, justice and human flourishing.
- Knowledge of the basic types of injustice, oppression and violence in the world, with more detailed knowledge of one or more types (e.g. poverty, racism, religious violence, terrorism).
- Knowledge of various ways to promote peace, justice and conflict resolution, with more detailed knowledge of one or more approach (e.g. theory and practice of active nonviolence, economic development, intercultural and interfaith understanding, community organizing, public policy advocacy).
- An ability to analyze the efficacy of these various approaches.
- An ability to analyze the sources, dynamics and structures of injustice, conflict and violence from at least two different disciplinary perspectives.
Programs Available on Campus
A consistent ethic of peace and social justice permeates the CSS campus community. Peace & Justice Studies is central to a number of College programs, centers and organizations including:
- Dignitas First-Year Program
- Alworth Center for the Study of Peace & Justice
- Braegelman Catholic Studies Program
- Center for Just Living
- Oreck-Alpern Interreligious Forum
- Amnesty International
- Other student clubs and organizations
Formats and Locations
The B.A. and minor degrees in Peace and Justice are offered in a traditional, on-campus format at our main Duluth campus.
