Background Information on the Field
of Peace and Conflict Studies

The field of conflict resolution (also known as dispute resolution, conflict management, Alternative Dispute Resolution/ADR, peace and conflict studies, etc.) has grown tremendously in the last decade. Bill Warters' broad overview of conflict resolution in academia might be a good place to start if you're new to the whole field.

Another more focused review on conflict studies available here on our site is the Brief History of the Development of Conflict Resolution Study in Higher Education (from The Conflict Resolution Syllabi Sampler: 1998) by Juliana Birkhoff.

In The Development of Conflict Knowledge, sociologist Paul Wehr provides a review of the human capacity over time to develop new kinds of knowledge and skills to deal with new forms of conflict and social structures.

The Consortium on Peace Research, Education and Development has maintained a directory of peace and conflict studies programs for many years. The introduction to the 2000 edition, entitled "New Directions in Peace and Conflict Studies," written by Simona Sharoni is available online.

Information on Undergraduate Academic Programs

The Undergraduate Education Guide to Peace and Conflict Studies is posted online by The Five College Program in Peace and World Security Studies (PAWSS) based at Hampshire College. It provides an overview of the field and then regional listings of available programs.

Information on Graduate Academic Programs

"Current Trends in Graduate ADR Programs: Preliminary Findings" is an article by Brian Polkinghorn and Ron Chenail that appeared in our Conflict Management in Higher Education Report.

Graduate Education Guide to Peace and Conflict Studies, also from PAWSS. Divides the graduate education field into 6 areas, briefly describing each focus area. Provides an alphabetical listing of graduate level programs, with an emphasis on peace studies.

Exploring the Contours of the Field: A group of faculty and program administrators got together in Florida and explored the contours of dispute resolution graduate studies. Some of their shared assumptions and opinions about the state of the field are reported in Graduate Studies in Dispute Resolution: A Delphi Study of the Field's Present and Future by William C. Warters. Includes a listing of key journals and books.