What Can We Do To Change This?\u00a0 <\/i><\/p>\n
I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 INTRODUCTION<\/b><\/p>\n
Although we have no exact figures on the number of courses in peace psychology that are taught in undergraduate and graduate psychology departments the United States, it seems to me on the basis of available materials that there it is at best a limited number. One leading figure in the field I consulted suggested there may be 30-40 courses in peace psychology currently being taught.\u00a0 However, even this person was unsure, and he concluded the number is negligible. To be sure, courses in social psychology are taught in most psychology training programs, and these courses often include material on group conflict, conflict resolution, and related peace-psychology topics; but, in reality, this constitutes minimal coverage when we consider that local, national, and global peace problems are the most pressing challenges of our times.<\/p>\n
A decade ago, Woolf & Hulsinger (2003) noted that psychology has long had an interest in peace and conflict topics, but little efforts has been made to formalize this at curriculum levels.\u00a0 They write:<\/p>\n
From the very beginning, psychology in the United States has concerned itself with issues of peace and conflict. For example, the early writings of William James included essays on peace and war. Following World War II, research on the nature of interpersonal and intergroup violence burgeoned. Much of this research was immediately incorporated into psychology courses. Indeed, all the major social psychology textbooks and many introductory psychology books contain extensive writings devoted to the antecedents of aggression. However, following World War II there was also a simultaneous increase in research devoted to the study of peace and conflict resolution. Indeed, much has been learned about the antecedents of peace and effective conflict resolution across a variety of domains. Unfortunately, much of this research has not found its way into traditional psychology textbooks and courses. For example, while all social psychology textbooks include a section on aggression, only 40% devote a chapter much space to peace and conflict resolution (it should be noted that some of these chapters on conflict are in fact mini chapters included in the appendices)<\/i> (Woolf & Hulsinger, 2003, p. 1).<\/p>\n
Further testimony to the limited interest of psychology in the topic of peace is notable from the American Psychological Association\u2019s seven volume Encyclopedia of Psychology<\/i> (Kazdin, 2000), arguably the definitive presentation of psychology\u2019s knowledge and status by the beginning of the 21rst Century, which offers a single page to the topic of peace, and some minimal citations for conflict resolution and war.<\/p>\n
The fact of the matter appears to be that until recent years, psychology has shown little interest in addressing the major global challenges of our times, including such challenges as poverty, overpopulation, environmental desecration, human rights, war, and, of course, peace.\u00a0 Today, there is a visible shift in concern for these challenges and more psychologists are becoming involved in peace studies as evidenced by the publication of the Handbook on Peace Psychology<\/i> published by Christie (2011), and some others listed in the reference section of this article. \u00a0Peace psychology courses, however, remain relatively few in number.<\/p>\n
In the remander of this article, I will offer the reader (1) speculations on why peace psychology courses are few in number, (2) a prototypical peace psychology course \u2013 18 lectures outlined, (3) course purposes and course outcomes, (4) course assignments, (5) peace psychology journals, (6) notable peace psychology people, (7) some good strating points in the literature.\u00a0\u00a0 All of these sections are open to the creative contributions of the reader and teacher.<\/p>\n
I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 SOME SPECULATIONS ON WHY SO FEW PEACE PSYCHOLOGY COURSES ARE TAUGHT\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/b><\/p>\n
Why is are so few peace psychology courses taught?\u00a0 In a world filled with violence, conflicts, andwars, why is so little attention given to developing, teaching, and even requiring, a course in peace psychology as part of the requirements for a degree in psychology at all levels? Here are some speculations:<\/p>\n
1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 We have no one to teach the course familiar with the topic.<\/b><\/p>\n
Answer:<\/b>\u00a0 The course could be team taught, and could make use of faculty from other departments and the community.<\/p>\n
2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 We barely have enough time to teach the courses that are required for a degree (e.g., intro, statistics, experimental, developmental, social, etc.).<\/b><\/p>\n
Answer:<\/b>\u00a0 The addition of another course could easily fit into the electives slots, and if necessary, peace psychology could be taught across the psychology curriculum by introducing relevant material in each psychology course offering.<\/p>\n
3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 There is the problem of enrollment.\u00a0 Few students may be interested in a course in peace psychology.\u00a0 Would we be able to cover costs?<\/b><\/p>\n
Answer:<\/b>\u00a0 I cannot give you exact enrollment figures from other schools, but I think the course would draw hundreds of students. Students are concerned with peace issues.\u00a0 The topic is appealing and relevant.<\/p>\n
4.\u00a0\u00a0 The process of getting a new course on the books is too time consuming and difficult. The process involves departmental approval, curriculum committee approval, and university administration approval for starters.<\/p>\n
Answer:<\/b> Yes, the administrative bureaucracy is a problem, and this does limit creative and timely changes because it compels request answer detailed questions regarding faculty, costs, enrollment, and needs. But, by first offering the course on an experimental basis via a senior level seminar, answers to critical questions can be provided.<\/p>\n
5.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A course in peace psychology could prove too controversial to some because it would address highly politicized topics like war, violence, intergroup conflict, corruption, and related opinion topics. <\/b><\/p>\n
Answer:<\/b>\u00a0 Yes, but these topics constitute some of the most critical challenges of our times and they dwarf in significance many of the topics that are addressed in current courses.<\/p>\n
6.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A course<\/b> in peace psychology could provoke student activism and we already have too many complaints from students. Next thing you know, they will be asking for mediation of department problems. <\/b><\/p>\n
Answer:<\/b> Yes, hopefully it will provoke student activism, and in doing so awaken faculty and student minds to the challenges we face and offer them a forum for discussion and debate.\u00a0 Is this not the purpose of education? Further, other departments offer courses related to peace issues and concerns (e.g., Political Science, Law).<\/p>\n
7.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A course in peace psychology would inevitably introduce the universal declaration of human rights (UDHR) into our department and university cultures and this could prove problematic given existing policy and practice limitations in this area.\u00a0 All of sudden you would have faculty and students citing the different articles of the UDHR as justification for ethical or moral issues. <\/b><\/p>\n
Answer: <\/b>Yes, and wouldn\u2019t that be exciting.\u00a0 And wouldn\u2019t that compel training programs to consider the UDHR as the foundation for their programs.<\/p>\n
8.\u00a0\u00a0 There isn\u2019t much \u201cevidence-based research\u201d on the topic, and we are committed to a scientific psychology training model.<\/p>\n
Answer:<\/b>\u00a0 Laughter! \u00a0\u00a0Ha, ha, ha!\u00a0 That term is abused by so many.\u00a0 If this were to be the basis of psychology . . . .<\/p>\n
9.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Is there a substantive body of organized knowledge to warrant a course in peace psychology?<\/p>\n
Answer:<\/b> Yes, there are journals, books, encyclopedias, and numerous\u00a0\u00a0 organizations related to peace psychology. There is even a United States Institute of Peace, although it does not have equal status in influence, funding, and personnel to the Department of Defense.<\/p>\n
10.\u00a0 There is some question regarding whether peace psychology is a credible specialty area in Psychology, and whether or not it is part of our cognate discipline. <\/b><\/p>\n
Answer:<\/b>\u00a0 Peace psychology draws upon many different specialty areas within Psychology and across other disciplines.\u00a0 Its concern is with those aspects of human behavior and experience related to peace, including such associated areas such as conflict, violence, anger, human relations, health and well being and even topics as the psychology of religion.\u00a0 It is obviously a topic that integrates knowledge from many areas, and in doing so, serves a useful function.<\/p>\n
11.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Okay, Okay.\u00a0 Why do we need a course in peace psychology?<\/b><\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/b>The answer is quite simple, yet profound in its implications. The world is at war.\u00a0 There are scores of low intensity and high intensity conflicts occurring across the globe.\u00a0 Nationally, we are faced with violence in our homes, workplaces, and schools.\u00a0 Crime is endemic!\u00a0 While so many of these problems are structural in nature — that is related to institutional inequities in income, opportunity, and\u00a0 hope \u2013 ultimately the challenges come down to altering human and changing human psyches to understand the roots of violence, to prize and value peace,\u00a0 and to know how to promote prevent the first, and to promote the latter.\u00a0 That is what peace psychology is all about.<\/p>\n
12.\u00a0\u00a0 Okay, okay, give me an idea what a course in peace psychology would look like in terms of different topics covered and education materials.<\/b><\/p>\n
Answer:<\/b> Okay, okay, the following are examples of some lectures that could be included in a peace psychology course.\u00a0 You can pick and choose from these fifteen examples.\u00a0 Typically, a graduate course involves 36 hours divided into 12 three hour lecture meetings.<\/p>\n
II.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 PROTOTYPICAL PEACE PSYCHOLOGY COURSE LECTURES <\/b><\/p>\n
A course in peace psychology can emphasize many different topical concerns and educational formats (e.g., lecture, seminar, applied, distance, etc.)\u00a0 The following course prototype is simply one example of what might be taught.\u00a0 You can adjust the course to faculty\u2019s and student interests and skills.<\/p>\n
1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Course Purpose:<\/b><\/p>\n
This course offers students a comprehensive overview of peace psychology, which is a specialty area within the discipline of psychology concerned with the nature, cause, intervention, and prevention of the determinants of peace and related topics (e.g., social justice, social activism, non-violence).<\/p>\n
2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Examples of Course Outcomes:<\/b><\/p>\n Lecture 1:\u00a0 Introduction:<\/b><\/p>\n A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Statement of Purpose and Learning Outcomes<\/p>\n B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Review of Course Outline<\/p>\n C.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Assignments<\/p>\n D.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What is Peace Psychology? Definitions<\/p>\n E.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Terms of Reference<\/p>\n F.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Contemporary Peace Issues and Concerns (e.g., civil wars,<\/p>\n international conflicts, domestic violence)<\/p>\n G.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Facts and Figures<\/p>\n H.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Global Peace Index<\/p>\n Lecture 2:\u00a0 History of Peace Psychology and Peace Studies: <\/b><\/p>\n Lecture 3:\u00a0 The Universal Declaration of Human Rights:\u00a0 <\/b><\/p>\n Lecture 4:\u00a0 The Psychology of Conflict<\/b><\/p>\n A.\u00a0 What is conflict?<\/p>\n B.\u00a0 Domestic, National, and International Conflicts<\/p>\n C.\u00a0 Sources of Conflict<\/p>\n D.\u00a0 War as Conflict<\/p>\n E. Intractable Conflicts (e.g., Palestine-Israel, Northern Ireland, Sri Lanka)<\/p>\n Lecture 5:\u00a0 Conflict Resolution<\/b><\/p>\n Lecture 6:\u00a0\u00a0 The Psychology of War<\/b><\/p>\n Lecture 7:\u00a0\u00a0 Psychologies of Terrorism<\/b><\/p>\n Lecture 8:\u00a0 Genocide and Mass Killing<\/b><\/p>\n Lecture 9:\u00a0 Some Special Topics:<\/b><\/p>\n A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Globalization and Psychology<\/p>\n B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Climate Change<\/p>\n C.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Torture<\/p>\n D.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Empire and Imperialism<\/p>\n Lecture 10:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Refugees and IDPs<\/b><\/p>\n Lecture 11:\u00a0 Role of Religions in World Peace:<\/b><\/p>\n A.\u00a0\u00a0 Nature of Religions<\/p>\n B.\u00a0\u00a0 Role of Beliefs<\/p>\n C.\u00a0\u00a0 Need for Certainty<\/p>\n D.\u00a0\u00a0 Violence in Religions<\/p>\n Lecture 12:\u00a0 Cultures of War<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Etc.<\/p>\n Lecture 13:\u00a0 Cultures of Peace<\/b><\/p>\n Lecture 14:\u00a0\u00a0 Social Justice and Social Activism<\/strong><\/p>\n Lecture 15:\u00a0\u00a0 Psychology and National Security<\/b><\/p>\n Lecture 16:\u00a0\u00a0 Some Biographical Studies of Peace Makers<\/b><\/p>\n \u00a0Historical<\/b><\/p>\n a.\u00a0 Mohandas Gandhi<\/p>\n b.\u00a0 Martin Luther King<\/p>\n c.\u00a0 Abraham Lincoln<\/p>\n d.\u00a0 Robert W. White<\/p>\n e.\u00a0 Buddha<\/p>\n g.\u00a0 Thomas Merton<\/p>\n h.\u00a0\u00a0 Ignacio Martin-Baro<\/p>\n h. \u00a0\u00a0Paulo Freire<\/p>\n a.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Nelson Mandela<\/p>\n b.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Howard Zinn<\/p>\n c.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0Aung san suu kyi<\/p>\n d.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0Arundhat Roy<\/p>\n e.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Mairead McGuire<\/p>\n f.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 Johan Galtung<\/p>\n f.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Glenn Paige<\/p>\n g.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0Noam Chomsky<\/p>\n h.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0Chris Hedges<\/p>\n Lecture 17:\u00a0 Some Closing Thoughts:<\/b><\/p>\n 2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 APPLIED PEACE PSYCHOLOGY LECTURES (These lectures can be inserted amidst the others or taught as a separate applied section, course, or practicum)<\/b><\/p>\n Lecture 18:\u00a0\u00a0 School Violence<\/b><\/p>\n Lecture 19:\u00a0\u00a0 Domestic and Home Violence\u00a0 <\/b><\/p>\n Lecture 20:\u00a0 International Conflicts<\/b><\/p>\n Lecture 21:\u00a0 Developing Peace Programs for Children and Youth<\/b><\/p>\n Lecture 22:\u00a0 Using the Media for Social Change<\/b><\/p>\n Lecture 23:\u00a0\u00a0 Organizing Peace and Social Justice Groups for Action<\/b><\/p>\n Lecture 24:\u00a0\u00a0 Identifying Peace and Social Justice Issues for Action<\/b><\/p>\n Lecture 25:\u00a0\u00a0 Countering Hate Groups<\/b><\/p>\n Lecture 26:\u00a0\u00a0 Acquiring Inner Peace:\u00a0 Methods and Practices<\/b><\/p>\n Lecture 27:\u00a0\u00a0 Learning Non-Defensive Communication<\/b><\/p>\n A course in peace psychology (the psychology of peace, peace studies) constitutes a meaningful and useful topic of study that should be offered in psychology department training programs. It introduces students to critical important areas of inquiry that psychology has often failed to address and it increases the possibility of research in these areas and thus expands psychology\u2019s knowledge base. Further, it introduces the possibility of developing intervention and prevention methods base don psychology\u2019s broad repertoire of skills developed in clinical, organizational, and community areas.<\/p>\n III. SOME POSSIBLE ASSIGNMENTS AND COURSE EVALUTION OPTIONS <\/b><\/p>\n \u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Typical essay or multiple choice examination\u00a0\u00a0 ;-(<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0IV.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 SOME PEACE PSYCHOLOGY ORGANIZATIONS<\/strong><\/p>\n V.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 SOME PEACE PSYCHOLOGY JOURNALS:<\/b><\/p>\n VI.\u00a0\u00a0 SOME NOTABLE CONTEMPORARY PEACE PSYCHOLOGISTS <\/b><\/p>\n IX.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Some Useful Starting References <\/b><\/p>\n Aquilar, F. & Galluccio, M.\u00a0 (Eds).(2011). Psychological and political strategies for peace negotiation. <\/i><\/b>NY: Springer SBM Publishers.<\/p>\n Christie, D.\u00a0 (Ed.) Encyclopedia of Peace Psychology<\/i><\/b>.\u00a0 <\/i>NY: John Wiley.<\/p>\n Dutton, D. (2007). The psychology of genocide, massacres, and extreme violence: Why normal people come to commit atrocities. <\/i>\u00a0Westport, CT: Praeger<\/p>\n Christie, D., & Evan, J. \u00a0(Eds.) Nonkilling Psychology <\/i><\/b>Honolulu, Hi: Center for Global Non-Violence.<\/p>\n Marsella, A.J. (2011).\u00a0 The United States of America: A \u201cculture of war.\u201d International Journal of Intercultural Research, 35, 714-728. .<\/i> <\/b><\/p>\n Marsella, A.J. (2011):\u00a0 In pursuit of peace:\u00a0 The cosmic nature of the inner and outer journeys.\u00a0 The Journal of Oriental Studies, 21, <\/i><\/b>148-165,<\/p>\n Marsella, A.J. (2012) \u00a0Globalization and psychology.\u00a0 Journal of Social Issues, 68, 454-472. <\/i><\/b><\/p>\n Solomon, G., & Cairns, E. (Eds.) (2010).\u00a0 Handbook of peace education<\/i><\/b>. NY: New York: Psychology Press,<\/p>\n \u00a0Woolf, L., & Hulsinger, M. (2003). War and peace: Curricular, classroom, and lecture incorporation strategies.<\/i><\/b> Presentation given at the 111th Annual American Psychological Association Convention, 2003 (Webster University, St. Loui, Missouri)<\/p>\n Now, there is no longer an excuse for not teaching undergraduate and\/or graduate peace psychology courses.\u00a0 You have a start!\u00a0 Make it happen!<\/b><\/p>\n ___________________________<\/b><\/p>\n Anthony Marsella, Ph.D., a\u00a0 member of the TRANSCEND Network, is a past president of Psychologists for Social Responsibility, emeritus professor of psychology at the University of Hawaii, and past director of the World Health Organization Psychiatric Research Center in Honolulu. He is known nationally and internationally as a pioneer figure in the study of culture and psychopathology who challenged the ethnocentrism and racial biases of many assumptions, theories, and practices in psychology and psychiatry. In more recent years, he has been writing and lecturing on peace and social justice. He has published 15 edited books, and more than 250 articles, chapters, book reviews, and popular pieces. He can be reached at marsella@hawaii.edu<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" What Can We Do To Change This? Although we have no exact figures on the number of courses in peace psychology that are taught in undergraduate and graduate psychology departments the United States, it seems to me on the basis of available materials that there it is at best a limited number.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[40],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24305","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-transcend-members"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24305","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24305"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24305\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24305"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24305"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24305"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
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