Making the World a Better Place: Peace and Conflict Studies as a Career Choice

The world as we know it is a conflicted place. The hope is that every thing we do makes this world slightly better, for the greater good of all. What if there is a way you can quite directly contribute to it? If resolutions and problem solving is your thing, then this is a career path worth considering.

Peace and Conflict Studies (PCS).

Peace and Conflict studies is an interdisciplinary course under the larger domain of social science. It brings in specific facets of different disciplines including history, cultural studies, political science, international relations, psychology, religious studies, gender studies and sociology

A systematic study of Peace and Conflict in Europe found its seed in when the League of Nations was established between the two World Wars. The discipline became more grounded and systematised when several institutes were established in Europe to study peace and conflict in the 1950s.

Meanwhile, the need to study peace on the other side of the Atlantic grew substantially after the Vietnam War and the nuclear arms race of the 1980s. But, if you think about it, understanding peace and conflict have been a part of religious studies since time immemorial.

Of course different university programs might have different goals but the overarching aim of PCS is to establish an acceptable definition of “peace” in any given circumstance. Think about it, peace is not just the absence of war. It is a set of conditions that is just, habitable and sustainable for all. In addition, a student of PCS will look for means to prevent conflict, and employ negotiation or de-escalation tactics to enable lasting peace in the case of conflicts.

This tells how how scalable these abilities are. Enabling peace and conflict resolution are skills we need in our homes, in organisations, local governments all the way till the United Nations.

Let’s start with the obvious. The discourse will always remain current. Conflicts abound and the world could use more intelligent, educated youth who would work towards the larger welfare of all.

But, it is more than that. The skills you learn––dealing with violent behaviour, analysis, negotiation, resolution, macro-thinking, sustainability––will be applicable in any business, organisation or even within your home. The opportunities are certainly endless.

Besides, if you get a chance to make the world a better place, wouldn’t you jump at it?

Here are some options.

• Research
• Teaching
• Diplomats at regional, national or international levels
• Ambassadors and foreign service
• Negotiators/ Conflict Resolution Specialist
• Public/ Press relationship Officers
• Communication specialists
• Policy Officer
• HR specialist
• Trauma specialist (in combination with degrees in Psychology)
• Legal advisors/ advocate (in combination with a law degree)

Some Universities that offer Peace and Conflict Studies

• University of Manchester, U.K
• University of Waterloo, Canada
• Georgetown University, U.S.A
• Columbia University, U.S.A
• University of Uppsala, Sweden
• University of Notre Dame, U.S.A
• University of San Diego, U.S.A
• University of Oslo, Norway
• University of Sydney, Australia
• Ulster University, U.K

If ideas of social justice and dignity for human life inspire you to work for the underserved, then this course might just be the one for you.