Idealist Conflict Res Peace Studies

7272019 Idealist Conflict Res Peace Studies

httpslidepdfcomreaderfullidealist-conflict-res-peace-studies 112

Introduction

Conict resolution and peace studies are related multidisci-

plinary elds encompassing the practical and theoretical baseso mediation involving research education and skills-basedtraining to help build conditions necessary or peace construc-tive social change and universal respect or human rights Stu-dents learn how to analyze conict and how to uncover the un-derpinnings o conict situations Tey gain skills to deuse and prevent conict situations that arise among individuals groupsand countries

People seeking conict resolution and peace education can ndthese type o programs

Certicate programs or adult learning programs in con-bull

ict resolution lie skillsGraduate certicate programs in conict resolutionbull

MS MA in peace studies with some conict resolutionbull

MS MA PhD in conict resolutionbull

Specializations within andor joint degrees with proes-bull

sional schools (law international aairs education social work business)Conict resolution concentrations within other PhDbull

MS and MA programs

Conict resolution and peace building can take on a varietyo ocal points rom working on international human rightsthroughout the world to creating healing relationships between

Idealistorg Public Service Graduate Education Resource Center ( idealistorgpsgerc )

Degree Overview

Conict Resolution

and Peace Studies

Contents

Introduction

What is conict resolutionraquo

What are peace studiesraquo

Why a graduate degree in conict resolution andor

peace studies

Who enters this programraquo

Other names or a degree in this arearaquo

Skills you can gainraquo

What about a certifcateraquo

What can you expect to fnd in program

General structure o programsraquo

Usual coursework and concentrationsraquo

Graduation requirementsraquo

Who gets this degree and what do they go on to do

Prior experienceraquo

Career pathsraquo

What should you know about admissions Applyingraquo

Financial aidraquo

Conclusion and urther resources

About this document

This degree overview is part o a series developed or

Idealistorgrsquos Public Service Graduate Education Resource

Center available as ree PDFs at wwwidealistorgen

psgercoverviewshtml It is designed to give you a better

understanding o an academic discipline and what you can

expect i you decide to study this feld

This overview was written by Amy Potthast and reviewedand edited by Idealistorgrsquos graduate education program

sta and interns or a complete list o contributors please

visit wwwidealistorgenpsgercabouthtml

I you read the PDF on screen note that the blue text in the

document is hyperlinked Links are also spelled out in the

text i you preer to print the document All links were active

as o the documentrsquos creation in March 2010

Most but not all programs named in the text have

attended Idealist Graduate Degree Fairs or the Public

Good (idealistorggradairs ) and are intended to show a

sampling o the diversity o study options in this feld



Degree Overview Conict Resolution and Peace Studies

2

Idealistorg Public Service Graduate Education

Resource Center (idealistorgpsgerc )

victim and oender in your own neighborhood Tereore asan academic eld conict resolution and peace studies can o-cus on dierent aspects o conict and peace preparing you ordierent roles to play depending on the issue

Graduates o conict resolution and peace studies programscan become activists negotiators mediators teachers and busi-ness executives and ocus on a wide range o issue areas includ-

ing education human rights the environment internationalaairs law and economic development

What is conict resolution

Conict is dened as a serious or protracted disagreement be-tween individuals or groups Te source o conict is usually an unmet need o one or more o the parties involved in thedisagreement (A need could include anything rom sae drink-ing water or a secure home to protecting intellectual property rights or getting due respect or accomplishments)

Disagreements typically worsen when people identiy a solu-tion to the conict that works or them but which doesnrsquot takeinto consideration the needs o the opposing group Oen inconict situations opposing sides stick to their own solutionmdashor positionmdashbecause they donrsquot ully understand the needs o the other group because they donrsquot trust the other group orout o pride

For example you may want a raise at work because you eel yoursquove earned it through your dedication long hours and ac-

complishments But your boss may resist because the organiza-tion canrsquot aord it right now What you may actually need is asense that your employer really values your contributionsmdashanda eeling o security that yoursquoll earn what you deserve in yournext position as well (You also may need more money to pay your bills) On the other hand your employer needs to eel se-cure that the organization can aord payroll or all sta

Conict resolution reers to strategies that eliminate the sourceso the conictmdashand optimally that nd the best outcome orall involved o continue the example rom above through col-laborative conict resolution strategies you and your boss mayboth realize that your need or recognition can be met in other ways For example granting you a more distinctive title or oering you a new leadership role on your team Your employer maybe able to accommodate your need or higher income by oering

better benets such as tuition reimbursement vision insurancetransit passes etc You may also decide to revisit the pay raisequestion once the organization is on better nancial ooting sayin another six monthsmdashbeore your next annual review

Not all conict resolution processes seek a win-win solutionhowever Read on

Other terms used somewhat interchangeably with conict reso-lution include ldquodispute resolutionrdquo ldquoalternative dispute resolu-tionrdquo and ldquoexternal dispute resolutionrdquo

Dispute resolution oen reers to the processes ending conictthrough a judicial process ie one party ling a lawsuit againstanother Litigation as a orm o conict resolution usuallymeans that an impartial judge and jury will evaluate your caseand determine the outcome Unlike some conict resolutionmethods settling disputes through the court system does notalways result in win-win situations A lawsuit is oen settled inavor o one side or the other

Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) (or external dispute

resolution) reers to processes ending conict outside the courtsystem oen through a ormal process involving the two partiein conict having conversations with a neutral third party ADRcan be less expensive and quicker than litigation Depending onthe parties involved ADR can also bring better outcomes thattake into account diverse needs

Processes and other terms

Conict and dispute resolution rely on dierent processes

Arbitration wo parties in dispute submit their cases to aneutral third party who reviews them both and decides how toresolve it Although occurring outside the courts its outcomesare legally binding (the decision is nal)mdashpartially because the parties agree ahead o time to abide by the arbitratorrsquos opinion

Collaborative law wo parties in dispute (oen divorcing cou ples) and their lawyers hold meetings to work out a settlemen

People who look at this degree also

consider

Educationraquo

Public interest lawraquo

International aairsraquo

Economic developmentraquo

Community developmentraquo

Get overviews o some o these felds atraquo

wwwidealistorgenpsgercoverviewshtml




3



together and agree ahead o time not to go to court Whilemany conict resolution situations involve neutral third par-ties collaborative law doesnrsquot necessarilymdashbut it does strive toaccount or the needs and priorities o both parties

Conciliation Disputing parties take their issues to a neutralthird party who meets with each party separately and helpsthem work towards an amicable solution by diusing tension

opening up new options or resolution and ultimately improv-ing communication among the parties Te results o the con-ciliation process arenrsquot legally binding and may involve sacriceand compromise rom each side in the conict

Litigation One party in a dispute the plainti sues the other party or deendant in a civil (non-criminal) court o law Te plainti makes a case that theyrsquove received damages by the de-endant A judge andor jury decides the winner and may de-cide on outcomes such as compelling the losing side to take aspecic action to resolve the case including paying money

Mediation Facilitated by a neutral third-party the disputing parties enter into a dialogue that explores the sources o theirconict their unmet needs and solutions that can result in anequitable (win-win) outcome or all Te neutral third partymdashthe mediatormdashdoesnrsquot decide how to resolve the case Some-times mediation begins as litigationmdasha judge may eel thatdisputing parties could resolve their issues more successully through dialogue and order them to take part in mediation

Negotiation Representatives o disputing parties (oen called

ldquonegotiatorsrdquo) meet to work with or against each other ortheir own position or pre-determined desired outcome Oenormal negotiation proceedings take place between groups o people rather than individuals and the list o tactics that nego-tiators may use is long and varied

Diplomacy bull Negotiation among nations is called diploma-cy and may take place over issues o peace-making trade war economics and culture

Ombudsmen processes An organization or company hiressomeonemdashan ombudsmanmdashto respond to and represent con-

stituent (or consumer) views and complaints Using mediationtechniques between the organization and constituents andoroering suggestions to the organization the ombudsman at-tempts to address constituent concerns

Te scope o conict resolution studies includes learning abouttheories o conict and various approaches to ending conictmdashand also may take into account practicing conict resolution

processes in specic settings according to varying sets o rules olaws (ie laws and policies that govern school-based conict maybe very dierent rom those that govern workplace conict)

What are peace studies

Closely related to resolving conict peace studies examine the prevention de-escalation and solution o conicts by peaceul

means Oen the work o peace building begins where the worko conict resolution leaves omdashin post-conict situationsregions peace workers (including international development workers and others) look to creating sustainable utures or a-ected communities absent o violence

Peace studies sometimes distinguish between ldquonegative peacerdquoand ldquopositive peacerdquo processes Negative peace reers to practices such as peacekeepingmdashactivities that take place in a post-wasituation like monitoring peace processes and helping ormeroes implement their peace agreements Positive peace reers

to peace building and peace making activitiesmdashstrengtheningsocieties so that structures and systems are in place to make vio-lent conict less likely

Te scope o peace studies involves learning theories o con-ict and processes o conict resolution but also incorporatescountless other academic disciplines rom psychology and soci-ology to economics and international relations

Why a graduate degree in conict

resolution andor peace studies

According to the Masters Degree Program in Conict and Dis- pute Resolution at the University o Oregon (httpconictuoregonedueducational) people are applying alternative dispute resolution approaches in a wide range o settings rom the workplace to public policy decision making in community dis putes in schools in international humanitarian and relie workand within the courts and other sectors o legal practice

Increasingly nonprot government and business sector employers recognize the value o conict management expertise

and experience In addition to the usual benets o a mastersdegree education (network connections credentials training)a masters program in conict resolution and peace studies canequip graduates with

New or enhanced marketable research and skills-based abilitiebull

Mastery o skills and expanded perspectives in conictbull

resolution theoretical practical public policy ethical and proessional responsibility




4



Graduates o conict resolution and peace programs may go onto work in settings where conict resolution skills are useul suchas unions religious organizations court systems schools com-munity centers international relie and development organiza-tions and consulting rms that specialize in resolving conicts

Who enters a conict resolution and peace studies

program

Like most graduate programs proessionals enter the eld or a variety o reasons and with a range o backgrounds

Part-time programs like eachers Collegersquos Masters in Negotia-tion and Conict Resolution (httpcecolumbiaeduNegoti-ation-and-Conict-ResolutionWho-Should-Apply ) may at-tract people like human resources proessionals who are already responsible or solving conicts in the workplace and who seek ormal training to do their current jobs better Some programsalso attract people who have decided or a variety o reasons that

theyrsquod like to dedicate their careers to serving as mediators Dis- pute resolution programs that are part o law schools like theGeorge Washington University Master o Laws in Litigation andDispute Resolution ( wwwlawgwueduAcademicsFocusAreaslitigadrPagesLLMaspx) may attract practicing lawyers who want to increase their pre-trial advocacy skills in seeking alterna-tive dispute resolution when two parties can come to a better out-come through negotiation and mediation out-o-court

Some schools like University o San Diegorsquos Joan B Kroc Schoolo Peace Studies Master o Arts in Peace and Justice Studies

( wwwsandiegoedupeacestudiesprospectiveacademic_pro-gramsphp) oer programs o varying lengths depending on theamount o proessional experience an applicant has had People with three or more years o experience can apply to the schoolrsquos year-long track people with less experience apply to the schoolrsquos17-month track which includes an internship requirement

For examples o real people engaged in a Masters pro-gram in the eld o peace studies and conict resolutioncheck out the biographies o the class o 2010 at NotreDamersquos Kroc Institute or International Peace Studies

httpkrocndedupeoplestudentsmasters2010

Other names or a degree in this area

Like many proessional degrees a range o names exists In gen-eral programs use an array o related terms to describe the de-greersquos components and ocus areas like arbitration (alternative)dispute resolution conict resolution conict analysis conict

management mediation negotiation and peace

Some specic names o the degrees that schools oer includeMaster o Arts Dispute and Conict Resolutionbull

Master o Arts Ethics Peace and Global Aairsbull

Master o Arts International Peace and Conict Resolutionbull

Master o Arts in Peace and Justice Studiesbull

Master o Arts Negotiation and Conict Resolutionbull

Master o Divinity with a Peace and Justice Emphasisbull

Master o Laws in Litigation and Dispute Resolutionbull

Master o Science in Conict Analysis and Resolutionbull

Some sample joint degreesMaster o Arts International Peace and Conict Resolu-bull

tion and Master o Arts in eaching Master o Arts International Peace and Conict Resolu-bull

tion and Masters o Teological StudiesMaster o Arts International Peace and Conict Resolu-bull

tion and Masters o Business Administration

Master o Social Work and Master o Science in Conictbull

Analysis and Resolution Joint Juris Doctor and Master o Arts International Aairbull

with concentration in International Peace and ConictResolutionPhD International Relations with concentration in Inter-bull

national Peace and Conict Resolution

Skills you can gain

In addition to a strong oundation in both practical and re-

search skills this degree will provide you with tools to analyzethe roots o conict and to understand how to prevent utureconict rom arising

Some skills you can learnCollaborative approaches to responding to conictbull

Functioning as a neutral third party in a conictbull

Tinking systematically and analytically about conictbull

Communicating well especially cross-culturally bull

Creating a sae environment or dialoguebull

Facilitating agreement among diverse stakeholders inbull

community-based settingsDesigning and implementing a research strategy and alsobull

writing up research ndings

Because conict resolution is a act o everyday lie the skillsand strategies you learn over the course o your education canbecome lie tools or promoting peace collaboration and dialogue at work and home




5



What about a certifcate

A certicate in conict resolution is one valuable alternative toa graduate degree depending on your learning objectives and your circumstances such as how much time or money yoursquod liketo invest in urther education

Certicate programs may be oered as post-graduate opportuni-

ties or or graduate credit Te programs may last or a year oronly take a couple o weekends to complete Certicate programsare oered in-person as well as online Like most certicates depending on the program the credits you earn may stand alonemdashor example to demonstrate your commitment to gaining requi-site skills or a jobmdashor they may complement a graduate degree

According to the University o North Carolina at Greensbororsquos post-graduate Online Conict Resolution Certicate program(httpwebuncgedudclicampusdegreeonline-conlict-resolution-certicatehtml )

Conict Resolution is a unique and dynamic eld o study o-ering proessional training or adults eager to expand their ca-

reer opportunities Conict Resolution skills add a valuable

and timely interpersonal dimension in the areas o independent

mediation community development human resources manage-

ment social work and business consulting to name just a ew

Some examples o conict resolution certicates oeredthrough graduate schoolsGeorge Mason University Institute or Confict Analysis and

Resolution certicate oerings (httpicargmueducerti-

cateshtml)Certicate in Environmental Conict Resolution andbull

CollaborationCerticate in Conict Analysis and Resolution Advancedbull

SkillsCerticate in Conict Analysis and Resolution Collab-bull

orative Leadership in Community Planning Certicate in Conict Analysis and Resolution or Pre-bull

vention Reconstruction and Stabilization ContextsCerticate in World Religions Diplomacy and Conictbull

Resolution

American University School o International Service peacestudies certicate ( www1sisamericaneduacademicsgradu-atecerticatescpbhtm)

Certicate in Peacebuilding bull

University o North Carolina at Greensboro conict resolu-tion certicate (httpwebuncgedudclicampusdegree

online-conict-resolution-certicatehtml)Online Conict Resolution Certicatebull

Abilene Christian University graduate certicates in conictresolution ( wwwacueducatalog2007_08gradgraddegreesconictreshtmlCerticate-Conict20Res)

Graduate Certicate in Conict Resolutionbull

Graduate Certicate in Conict Resolution or Educatorsbull

Non-academic training in conict resolution

Finally i you are looking or training in a dierent setting locamediation centers throughout the country oen oer intensive proessional development training in conict resolution thacan expose you to the basic principles o mediation and oerdocumentation you can use to demonstrate what yoursquove learnedTe practical skills you can gain in such a training should touchon the basic principles o what causes conict and how to ndcommon ground in building win-win solutions Community

mediation training takes much less time than grad school (typically 24 to 40 hours o in-class learning and practice) and costless moneymdashbut also has less depth

As a result o the training you may earn some kind o certi-cation or other documentation o your achievement that youcan reer to as needed on your resumeCV or in job interviewsParticipating in such workshops also oers you a local networko people who are interested andor engaged in conict resolution o nd mediation centers near you the easiest way maybe to search the web or your location name (or example the

nearest city) and ldquomediation centerrdquo

Learn more about the benefts o a certifcateraquo

wwwidealistorgenpsgerccertifcationhtml

Learn about the benefts o a joint-degreeraquo

wwwidealistorgenpsgercjointdegreeshtml

What can you expect to fnd in a

program

Students who want to study conict resolution and peace stud

ies at an advanced level may choose rom a great variety o pro-gram designs and oerings In addition to certicate programsdiscussed above masters degree programs can be ull-time or part-time and cohort-based (where you go to classes in lockstep with other students who started at the same time as you)or individually paced

Most masters degree programs oer interdisciplinary course




6



work Depending on the program you choose the emphasismay be on

practice practical skills or resolving disputes betweenbull

two parties andor acilitating decision making among diverse community stakeholdersresearch research into the causes o conict and violencebull

General structure o programs

Both practice-based and research-based programs usually oera oundation in conict analysis as well as an introduction toconict resolution theories and ethics Very oen students mustgain eld experience (ie an internship or practicum) as part o their degree requirements For example during a ve-month eldexperience at Notre Dame University Kroc Institute or Interna-tional Peace Studies (httpkrocndeduaboutuspeacestudies)masters students ldquointegrate peace building theory with practicein institutions and communities dealing with issues o peace andconict economic development human rights and justicerdquo

Te conict resolution eld can include issues such as bullying or other school-based conicts conict in marriages and ami-lies conict within an organization violence prevention me-diation negotiation acilitation restorative justice nonviolentsocial change international conict resolution and dispute sys-tems design and evaluation Importantly the study o conictresolution and peace also includes looking at the conditionsthat can sustain peace like human rights physical and ood se-curity access to clean drinking water and education or all

Proessional versus research ocused degree programs

Among degrees that ocus on conict and peace studies twomain distinctions exist those that concentrate on practicalskills to prepare students or dispute resolution expertise andthose that ocus on research skills to prepare students or aca-demic and teaching roles

A program geared toward practical conict resolution skills prepares you to directly help others (individuals large and smallgroups businesses governments) settle disputes Coursework

may oer a oundation inraditional mediationbull

Negotiationbull

Adjudicationbull

Conict resolution models and theoriesbull

Ethical issuesbull

Cross-cultural competency bull

Te causes o conictbull

Te psychology o bargaining bull

What it means to be a third party in a conict mediationbull

setting

Other programs are more research-ocused preparing you tostudy the causes o conict and to create and test models orestablishing peaceul outcomes in a variety o settings throughbest practice and policy According to Notre Dame Universityrsquos

Kroc Institute or International Peace Studies peace scholarslargely ocus on contemporary issues like terrorism genocidecivil war and religious and ethnic violence

Programs that establish new theories in the eld oen striveto apply their theories in real-lie settings as wellmdashboth totest the theories and to contribute meaningully to the worldoutside the classroom Most programs emphasize bridging thegap between theory and practice and strive to prepare graduate students to relate disciplinary and cross-disciplinary the-ories o conict resolution and peace to real-world problem

solving

Read ldquoGoing to grad school part-timerdquo to learn more aboutraquo

some pros and cons o part-time study

wwwidealistorgenpsgercgoingparttimehtml

Usual coursework and concentrations

Graduate degree programs in conict resolution and peacestudies place a strong emphasis on conict analysis and under-standing the root causes o conict in order to resolve disputes

and prevent violence

Common core courses or conict resolution programs coverthe ollowing topics

Conict in dierent settings Grad programs oer special-bull

ized courses that ocus on conicts that occur in distinctsettings such as schools and organizationsConict related to dierent issue areas Other courses spe-bull

cialize in conicts that arise in the context o issues such asthe environment and human rightsIntercultural conict resolution Coursework explores thebull

impact o cultural views and norms on the conict resolu-tion process and helps grad students take culture intoaccount during conict resolution processesNegotiation and mediation skills and practice Studentsbull

learn how to play a neutral third party role and work onskills involving conict analysis communication creat-ing a sae environment that enables disputing parties totrust the process and move away rom their positions and




7



ensuring satisaction in outcomesPhilosophy theories and ethics o conict and conictbull

resolution Readings and discussions explore sources o conict according to dierent schools o thought as wellas responsible ways to deal with conict as a neutral third partyPsychology o conict resolution Coursework examinesbull

how individuals experience and respond to conict by

taking a look at psychological research that undergirdsconict and conict resolution theories and practicesSel-care or practitioners Depending on the gradbull

school courses may explore the intersection o maintain-ing mindulness and renewing spiritual grounding or people training to resolve conicts and create sustainable peaceTeory and practice Coursework introduces practicesbull

based on conict and conict resolution theories

Read the benefts o working part-time while studyingraquo


Read the challenges o working ull-time while studying ull-timeraquo

wwwidealistorgenpsgercworkstudythtml

Graduation requirements

Similar to other proessional masters programs in order to complete your degree you may be required to complete a capstone project culminating eld experience andor thesis

A capstone project is a chance or you to apply skills and per-

spectives acquired in your courses to a current or developing problem in the community Capstone projects oen culmi-nate in a written report andor presentation and are sometimesteam-based

A culminating eld experience may or may not be part o yourdegree requirements While internships are common optionsin a conict resolution degree program some schools requirethat students spend a minimum amount o time (a semester orlonger) engaged in conict resolution in the eld in order tograduate

A masters paper or thesis involves writing about the researchthat yoursquove conducted on a topic relevant to conict resolutionand peace studies and your area o interest A masters paper may be a shorter piece o research while a thesis is typically longerand worth more academic credit

Who gets this degree and what do they

go on to do

Prior experience

Most graduate schools in conict resolution and peace studiesstrongly recommend and some require proessional experienceandor demonstrated interest in using conict resolution skills

or in the eld o peacemaking Since conict can be ound ev-erywhere you can build skills resolving disputes in any sectorand in any job

Some grad students are motivated by a passion to end a specicconict while others are driven by an urge to increase their conict management skillsmdashbecause they are already engaged dailyin conict situations possibly playing a role that puts them in amediation role

Chana Kaunda Elections Project Ofcer with United Nations

Development Programme (UNDP Zambia) who graduatedin 2006 rom Kennesaw State Universityrsquos Master o Science inConict Management program says

With the passion I have o helping victims as a result o natu-

ral causes around the world and knowing that I originate rom

a continent (Arica) that is ooded with wars I elt the need to

study conict and peace studies in order to mitigate the eects o

conict and inculcate a culture o peace amongst my people Fur-

ther to this I had a relative working in the oreign service in the

late 90s who educated me on this degree known as conict stud-

ies and encouraged me to undertake this while he consistently

shared various papers presented by experts at symposia in Japan

over conict and peace in Arica

Julie Shedd Associate Director or Administration at the Institute or Conict Analysis and Resolution at George MasonUniversity says

For most o our students conict resolution is a eld that they

have ound based on their personal proessional or volunteer

experiences Successul students do not necessarily have a back-

ground in conict resolution What they have is lie experience

whether personal experience or career experience that has en-

gaged them in thinking critically about what is going on in con-

ict around them and utilizing problem solving and communi-

cations skills to address those conicts Many o us do lsquoconict

resolutionrsquo every day using our intuition about how the world

works to guide us What academic study in the eld does is rene

this common sense with theories and research that help us iden-

tiy why what we are doing works or doesnrsquot work Te academic

program provides the knowledge to design processes that work




8



more eectively and translate our skills rom working with one

kind o conict to working in a variety o settings with dier-

ent sizes o groups involved in conict For students considering

education in conict resolution reection on the skills abilities

and experiences the student already has is a very important part

o the application process Conict resolution is a eld o people

who have a passion and an applicant needs to be able to identiy

what their passion is and where in the experiences or education

it comes rom

Read ldquoSetting yoursel up or success Things you can doraquo

while yoursquore an undergradrdquo

wwwidealistorgenpsgercsettingyourseluphtml

Prior work experience in any sector will help dene your pro-essional interest and goals beore entering into a graduate pro-gram aecting how you approach your studies rom the classes you take to types o learning opportunities you look or bothin and out o class and ultimately help you get the most returnon investment in your education

I you have not worked proessionally using conict resolutionskills andor in the eld o peacemaking some ways to gainsignicant experience and insight into issues unique to publicservice work include

Participating in a national service program such as such asbull

AmeriCorps Full-time service is a good way to develop pro-essional skills while gaining experience in nonprots andor working with local government Te conict resolutionskills you gain may be rom working with key stakeholdersin your community to make decisions that satisy everyone

or they may be rom learning how to handle your own con-icts among your team o AmeriCorps members or at your placement site You can search AmeriCorps opportunitiesby positions that allow you to use ldquoconict resolutionrdquo skills(the positions with a star next to them are currently openor applications) at wwwamericorpsgov Participating in an international service program likebull

Peace Corps ( wwwpeacecorpsgov ) or Atlas Corps( wwwatlascorpsorg ) Long term international servicemdashregardless o your proessional role overseasmdashallows youto spend signicant time in another culture and develop

a deeper understanding o how people can develop very dierent perceptions o the exact same situation based on values cultural norms and past experience Internationalexperience also helps you understand your role as a third- party player in a conict resolution setting where youmust listen and elicit ideas rom those in conict ratherthan advisemdashsimply because advice thatrsquos appropriate in your home culture may be out o line in your host culture

Sitting on the board o a nonprot or local governmentbull

agency is an opportunity or proessionals rom any sec-tor to learn to problem-solve in a group acilitate groupdiscussion and build consensus in decision makingmdashallgreat practice or a conict resolution degree Be awarethat many boards may expect their members to contributemoney to the organization Make sure you know what theminimum expected contribution is as well as the legal

obligations o board service Volunteering your skills or special projects with nonpro-bull

its or local government is another way to explore conictresolution work eg volunteer or intern with a local me-diation center to learn about community issues that can beresolved through the process o alternative (out o courtand nonviolent) dispute resolution

Idealist Guide to Nonproft Careers Choose your preerred ver-raquo

sion and read Chapter Five (ldquoBecome a stronger candidaterdquo)

wwwidealistorgcareerguide

Learn more about service programs and their beneftsraquo

wwwidealistorgservice

Learn more about volunteeringraquo

wwwidealistorgvolunteer

Find volunteer opportunitiesraquo

wwwidealistorgiasvol

Learn more about volunteering as a board memberraquo

wwwidealistorgiienaqcat3-1

Read our series o articles oering tips on how to prepare orraquo

grad school

wwwidealistorgenpsgercpreparinghtml

Career paths

Graduates o conict resolution and peace programs may goonto work in settings where conict resolution skills are useusuch as

Unions as negotiatorsbull

Religious organizations as community builders or indi-bull

vidual and amily counselorsCourt systems as acilitators o alternative dispute resolutionbull

Schools as counselors and teachersbull

Community centers as organizers and mediatorsbull

International relie and development organizations asbull

diplomats andor liaisons to host countriesConsulting rms as experts in conict resolution hired tobull

tackle or advise on projectsNonprots government agencies and businesses as hu-bull

man resources sta policy advocates ombudsmen andcommunity relations leaders




9



And they play roles such asPlaying a neutral third-party in conict resolution process-bull

es including mediating arbitrating and negotiating eaching people at all age and grade levelsbull

Environmental consulting bull

Providing legal assistance or the poorbull

Serving as government diplomats and advisorsbull

Running nonprots and government agenciesbull

Researching and writing policy recommendations orbull

think-tanksCommunity organizing or urban planning issues likebull

economic development and aordable housing

Because conict exists everywhere that humans do one approach to thinking about careers in conict resolution is to beentrepreneurial

According to Rob Scott a 1990 graduate o George Mason Uni- verityrsquos Institute or Conict Analysis amp Resolution (ICAR)

Conict resolution is a great eld with expanding opportunitiesevery year But itrsquos still a developing eld and the advice I was

given when I started at ICAR in 1984 still applies Yoursquove got

to have an entrepreneurial and creative approach to nding and

creating post-graduate employment opportunitiesmdashyoursquove got

to be willing to create a new job develop a new program to ll

an unmet need redene your existing job to bring conict reso-

lution in as part o what your organization is already doing get

together with your classmates to build a new organization as well

as networking with alumni and others to nd lsquotraditionalrsquo con-

ict resolution jobs

Furthermore or some conict and peace studies grads the nextstep aer the masters degree is the PhD According to NotreDamersquos Kroc Institute or International Peace Studies

Approximately hal o the Institutersquos graduates continue their

graduate education in doctoral or proessional programs either

in their home countries or in the US Some return to jobs they

had beore Notre Dame bringing new perspectives while others

nd or develop work opportunities in new areas

Here are a ew sample job postings or conict resolution po-

sitions at a nonprot a government organization and a or- prot ound at Idealistorg and on the web A conict reso-lution and peace studies graduate degree would help prepare you or the ollowing responsibilities and duties (italics addedor emphasis)

Health-related Ombudsman

For-proFit business

Under the direction o the Director Consumer Aairs identifes

evaluates and resolves patient grievancesproblems in order to

support and maintain the highest quality patient standards set

by Authority X and ensure compliance to these standards Role

model or diplomacy and customer service Provides ongoing

training and support to Ombudsmen sta participates regularly

in agency-wide Ombudsmanpatient representative initiativesProvides support and training to agency departments and amily

health centers as requested Collaborates with Ofce o General

Counsel in program development Represents the Ombudsman

Department throughout the state and nationally

Requirements Bachelors Degree in communications psycholo-

gy sociology or related feld Broad general knowledge o Foun-

dation ie polices procedures personnel organizational struc-

ture etc required Understanding o administrative management

to include analysis and assessment o systems stafng data

management and supervision Role model or diplomacy Ability

to eectively develop programs to increase patient satisaction

and decrease litigation Ability to develop assumptions about

consumer dissatisaction orecast events pertaining to same

and defne courses o proactive action Excellent oral and written

communication skills Excellent analytical and problem solving

skills Working knowledge o personal computers Must have

superior customer service skills Minimum fve years extensive

public relations experience preerably in an Ombudsman capac-

ity in an interdisciplinary patient care setting

Franklin Fellows Program

us Federal government program

The Franklin Fellows Program is open to midupper-level proes-

sionals rom both private-sector and non-proft entities (including

NGOs academia oundations associations and others) Such

proessionals must be US citizens and be able to obtain a secu

rity clearance The clearance will be processed prior to the start

o the Fellowship The Department will make the fnal selection

and placement o Fellows but will take into account suggestions

rom the nominating unding entity This program is NOT open

to current US Government employees

The Department welcomes proessionals with a broad range o

backgrounds and experiences There is no fxed percentage o

nominees rom any particular sector but the Department seeks

a good mix o candidates rom both private and non-proft sec-

tors The Fellows will contribute their knowledge and expertise

to the strengthening o policy ormulation and programs within

the Department o State Further Fellows may work with other




10



government entities such as the Congress White House the

Departments o Deense Commerce Homeland Security and

other Executive Branch agencies depending on their duties

At the same time Fellows will enhance their own knowledge o

government and global issues Fellows will gain valuable proes-

sional experience and enrich their nominating organizations and

communities upon their return

Program Details Fellows will be matched with State Departmentbureaus and ofces that can utilize their expertise The expected

duration o the Fellowship will be approximately one year with a

possible one-year extension Fellows must recuse themselves

rom matters that might directly and predictably aect the

fnancial interests o their employers and must comply with other

ederal ethics regulations Applicants must submit a fnancial

disclosure orm and receive an ethics clearance prior to serving

The Department o State will cover costs associated with the

security investigation and clearance as well as transportation

and per diem necessary or ofcial travel once the Fellow begins

service

Assistant director with a conict resolution program

internationalngo

The X Center is guided by a undamental commitment to human

rights and the alleviation o human suering it seeks to prevent

and resolve conicts enhance reedom and democracy and

improve health

The Assistant Directors (2 open positions) will assist the Direc-

tor o Conict Resolution Program and the Vice President o

Peace Programs in designing implementing and evaluating the

programs mission and strategy

Designs implements and coordinates activities o the Conict

Resolution Program including projects conerences feld mis-

sions and other daily activities Tasks include project develop-

ment implementation and management grant development

budget planning program promotion report production

networking and negotiating Incumbent provides sta support

andor leadership in short-term trips to countries o potential

programmatic interest Incumbents may supervise sta interns

and volunteers

The successul candidates will have a Postgraduate degree in

confict resolution international relations area studies inter-

national law or related felds and fve years o experience in

international conict resolution preerably in the feld including

negotiation mediation acilitation and program design

Incumbent should be detail oriented and well organized as-

sertively ollowing and bringing activities to closure A high level

o personal energy and positive attitude are essential Strong

writing and communication skills and competence with compute

applications are musts

Experience working with conicts in Arica and the Middle East is

preerred Familiarity with NGOs and project-based undraising is

advantageous Foreign language skills are preerable

Explore nonproft careers in our Nonproft Career Centerraquo

wwwidealistorgcareer

What should you know about

admissions

Applying

Similar to other proessional masters degree programs conict

resolution and peace studies programs are looking or a track re-cord o academic talent as well as rich proessional and personaexperiences that can inorm your understanding o conict cul-ture communication and other relevant elds

Your application may requireTat you clearly establish your academic and proessionalbull

preparation or the programmdashthrough your essay(s) andresumeAn application orm (oen online these days)mdashthe schoobull

or department may have a separate application rom the

grad school or university as a wholeOfcial transcripts o your undergraduate degree (orbull

admission to a masters program) and possibly o mastersdegree (or admission to a PhD program) Most schools want to see transcripts o all your past academic workeven prior interrupted graduate level studies Your schoolmay ask or more than one copy o your transcript(s)Ofcial test scoresmdashusually the GRE or Millers Analogiesbull

est OEFL too i you are a non-native English speakerapplying to a school in the United States Some programsmay not require standardized test scores programs that

do require them may or may not have minimum test scorerequirements in order to admit an applicantA sharply written and well-edited essay andor lengthierbull

academic writing samplemdashcommunication is oen key both to conict resolution processes as well as or high-level academic success Yoursquoll want to demonstrate yourcapacity or communicating clearly through your writingLetters o recommendationmdashoen rom a combination obull




11



proessional and academic reerences Te school may o-er your reerences specic instructions I not in additionto evaluating your potential or success in grad schoolask reerences to speak to your diplomatic qualities yourability to see multiple sides o an issue your experience working with people rom diverse cultures and your com-munication and acilitation skillsDepending on your school an interview with someone onbull

the admissions committeeAn application eebull

Additionally schools vary in the way they expect to receive thematerials A target school may require you to submit some partso your application online and other parts in hard copy in onelarge packet via the mail system You may have to collect yourrecommendation letters and submit them altogether or youmay have to instruct your recommenders to send letters to youFurthermore you may mail some items to the department orschool yoursquore applying to and other items to a central graduate

admissions ofce or a large university Make sure you are clearon the instructionsmdashsome schools oer application checkliststo make your job (slightly) easier

Whatever you do ollow the instructions and stay organizedYour target schools should oer you explicit application instruc-tions I you are conused about what the admissions committeeis expecting andor have other questions not posted online itrsquosa great idea to call the admissions or departmental ofce andask It also might help to keep a spreadsheet o requirementsi yoursquore applying to several programs at once so you can track

whatrsquos still due and whatrsquos been submitted

Read our series o articles oering practical advice on apply-raquo

ing to grad school

wwwidealistorgenpsgercapplyinghtml


grad school


Financial aid

As with any degree itrsquos crucial toStart looking or nancial aid at the same time you startbull

looking or schools Yoursquoll give yoursel a leg up i you startboth processes earlyLook or diverse unding sources including loans grantsbull

scholarships ellowships assistantships and part-timeor ull-time workmdashrather than holding out or a singlescholarship that will cover all o your costs

O course it would be great to nd that ree ride (and itrsquos pos-sible that you will) But even a ull-tuition waiver yoursquod get roma graduate assistantship may not cover books ees transportation entertainment ood and lodging so other sources o in-come will be helpul

Note that some scholarship opportunities arenrsquot attached to

your eld o study but to your own identity For example youmay nd unding opportunities that are open to you because o your religious afliation race or ethnicity gender sexual orientation home state or some other characteristic

In the nancial aid section o your target schoolrsquos website youmay nd sources o ldquointernalrdquo unding (open to the studentsenrolling in your grad program) and sources o ldquoexternalrdquo unding (open to grad students o any program who t eligibilityrequirements) Some tips or navigating these options

Look both at your school or departmentrsquos site and at thebull

more general university or graduate school sitemdashtheirnancial aid resources may dierItrsquos also worth it to browse the websites o other gradbull

schools in conict and peace studies which may eaturetheir own lists o external unding opportunities that youcould apply or

Some students continue working proessionally in a related eldduring graduate students One anonymous survey respondent who is alumnus o a conict resolution PhD program says ldquoIhad many reasons or continuing to work while going to gradu

ate school including I enjoyed my job and did not want to giveit up there was potential cross-ertilization between my workand studies I had a good income that I did not want to losemy employer was willing to provide exibility on scheduling my work and some unding Benets included I have no studenloan debt I was eventually able to move to a new position thatis very related to my degrees I was able to bring my work ex perience to my education and vice-versa Challenges includedmy graduate school experience was mostly related to the course work with limited time or extra-curricular activities it tookmuch longer to complete graduate school and I had much less

time or other things in lie beyond work and schoolrdquo

Idealistrsquos Public Service Graduate Education Resource Center(idealistorgpsgerc) oers articles on graduate assistantshipsother on-campus jobs and the skinny on dierent types o stu-dent loans A couple articles look at working ull-time or parttime while going to schoolmdashboth o which oer nancial andother benets (and challenges)




12



Learn more about unding your graduate educationraquo

wwwidealistorgenpsgercfnancinghtml


grad school including discussions o working while studying


Read our series o articles about the variety o graduate studyraquo

options including part-time study

wwwidealistorgenpsgercstudyoptionshtml


A graduate degree in conict resolution and peace studies willgive you the theoretical and practical skills necessary to bothanalyze and understand conicts as well as to eectively medi-ate and create situations o lasting peace

Te growing eld o conict resolution and peace studies takesan interdisciplinary approach to conict mediation and coun-seling preparing graduates or careers in a number o dierentareas Depending on your ocus you will be able to use yourcerticate or degree in education and counseling settings orga-nizational and business settings and international settings

Conict resolution and peace studies

quick links

These links provide useul urther reading on this degree

area

The Association or Conict Resolutionraquo

wwwacrnetorg

Global Directory o Peace Programsraquo

wwwpeacejusticestudiesorgglobaldirectory

Listing o peace and CR journalsraquo

wwwpeacejusticestudiesorgmembershipjournalsphp

Kroc Institute ree downloadable coursesraquo

httpocwndedupeace-studies

Teachers College ICCR list o must-read books on con-raquo

ict resolutionwwwtccolumbiaeduicccrindexaspId=ICCCR+Opportunities

+and+ResourcesampIno=Resources+or+StudentsBooks


consider

Educationraquo










2



victim and oender in your own neighborhood Tereore asan academic eld conict resolution and peace studies can o-cus on dierent aspects o conict and peace preparing you ordierent roles to play depending on the issue

Graduates o conict resolution and peace studies programscan become activists negotiators mediators teachers and busi-ness executives and ocus on a wide range o issue areas includ-

ing education human rights the environment internationalaairs law and economic development

What is conict resolution

Conict is dened as a serious or protracted disagreement be-tween individuals or groups Te source o conict is usually an unmet need o one or more o the parties involved in thedisagreement (A need could include anything rom sae drink-ing water or a secure home to protecting intellectual property rights or getting due respect or accomplishments)

Disagreements typically worsen when people identiy a solu-tion to the conict that works or them but which doesnrsquot takeinto consideration the needs o the opposing group Oen inconict situations opposing sides stick to their own solutionmdashor positionmdashbecause they donrsquot ully understand the needs o the other group because they donrsquot trust the other group orout o pride

For example you may want a raise at work because you eel yoursquove earned it through your dedication long hours and ac-

complishments But your boss may resist because the organiza-tion canrsquot aord it right now What you may actually need is asense that your employer really values your contributionsmdashanda eeling o security that yoursquoll earn what you deserve in yournext position as well (You also may need more money to pay your bills) On the other hand your employer needs to eel se-cure that the organization can aord payroll or all sta

Conict resolution reers to strategies that eliminate the sourceso the conictmdashand optimally that nd the best outcome orall involved o continue the example rom above through col-laborative conict resolution strategies you and your boss mayboth realize that your need or recognition can be met in other ways For example granting you a more distinctive title or oering you a new leadership role on your team Your employer maybe able to accommodate your need or higher income by oering

better benets such as tuition reimbursement vision insurancetransit passes etc You may also decide to revisit the pay raisequestion once the organization is on better nancial ooting sayin another six monthsmdashbeore your next annual review

Not all conict resolution processes seek a win-win solutionhowever Read on

Other terms used somewhat interchangeably with conict reso-lution include ldquodispute resolutionrdquo ldquoalternative dispute resolu-tionrdquo and ldquoexternal dispute resolutionrdquo

Dispute resolution oen reers to the processes ending conictthrough a judicial process ie one party ling a lawsuit againstanother Litigation as a orm o conict resolution usuallymeans that an impartial judge and jury will evaluate your caseand determine the outcome Unlike some conict resolutionmethods settling disputes through the court system does notalways result in win-win situations A lawsuit is oen settled inavor o one side or the other

Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) (or external dispute

resolution) reers to processes ending conict outside the courtsystem oen through a ormal process involving the two partiein conict having conversations with a neutral third party ADRcan be less expensive and quicker than litigation Depending onthe parties involved ADR can also bring better outcomes thattake into account diverse needs

Processes and other terms

Conict and dispute resolution rely on dierent processes

Arbitration wo parties in dispute submit their cases to aneutral third party who reviews them both and decides how toresolve it Although occurring outside the courts its outcomesare legally binding (the decision is nal)mdashpartially because the parties agree ahead o time to abide by the arbitratorrsquos opinion

Collaborative law wo parties in dispute (oen divorcing cou ples) and their lawyers hold meetings to work out a settlemen


consider

Educationraquo










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program



























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program







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go on to do

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ict resolution jobs










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wwwacrnetorg











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4





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6













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7




















go on to do

Prior experience

































8











it comes rom



























grad school


Career paths














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ict resolution jobs










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Applying














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Educationraquo










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program



























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Resolution


















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setting




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admissions

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quick links


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Educationraquo










5




















Resolution


















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6













Negotiationbull

Adjudicationbull


Ethical issuesbull





setting




solving
















7




















go on to do

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9























ict resolution jobs










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10




















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and volunteers

















admissions

Applying














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ing to grad school



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Financial aid


















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quick links


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wwwacrnetorg











consider

Educationraquo










6













Negotiationbull

Adjudicationbull


Ethical issuesbull





setting




solving
















7




















go on to do

Prior experience

































8











it comes rom



























grad school


Career paths














9























ict resolution jobs










For-proFit business















































10




















service


internationalngo




improve health













and volunteers

















admissions

Applying














11










ing to grad school



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Financial aid


















12















quick links


area


wwwacrnetorg











consider

Educationraquo










7




















go on to do

Prior experience

































8











it comes rom



























grad school


Career paths














9























ict resolution jobs










For-proFit business















































10




















service


internationalngo




improve health













and volunteers

















admissions

Applying














11










ing to grad school



grad school


Financial aid


















12















quick links


area


wwwacrnetorg











consider

Educationraquo










8











it comes rom



























grad school


Career paths














9























ict resolution jobs










For-proFit business















































10




















service


internationalngo




improve health













and volunteers

















admissions

Applying














11










ing to grad school



grad school


Financial aid


















12















quick links


area


wwwacrnetorg











consider

Educationraquo










9























ict resolution jobs










For-proFit business















































10




















service


internationalngo




improve health













and volunteers

















admissions

Applying














11










ing to grad school



grad school


Financial aid


















12















quick links


area


wwwacrnetorg











consider

Educationraquo










10




















service


internationalngo




improve health













and volunteers

















admissions

Applying














11










ing to grad school



grad school


Financial aid


















12















quick links


area


wwwacrnetorg











consider

Educationraquo










11










ing to grad school



grad school


Financial aid


















12















quick links


area


wwwacrnetorg











consider

Educationraquo










12















quick links


area


wwwacrnetorg











consider

Educationraquo







Idealist Conflict Res Peace Studies

Documents

Transcript of Idealist Conflict Res Peace Studies