Austin Community College students are organizing a conference to examine the impact of violence on cultures and communities and to explore approaches to achieving peace. “Conflict and Peace: In Your Life, In Your Community, In Your World,” will be May 4 at the Eastview Campus.
Keynote speaker will be David J. Smith of the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington, D.C. The educational outreach manager for the Institute’s Global Peacebuilding Center will discuss “Survivor as Peacebuilder: Looking at the Ways that Someone Who Has Experienced Violence Can Build Peace.”
“We want to expose people to ideas of conflict transformation and peace studies,” says Dr. Shirin Khosropour, an ACC psychology professor whose students are planning the conference. Â “By learning to view things from a different lens, people on both sides of an issue can learn and grow.”
The conference is a service learning project in Khosropour’s Introduction to Psychology (PSYC 2301) honors course. In addition to planning and promoting the conference, students will lead breakout sessions on such topics as the role of language and discrimination in conflict.
“Our class goal is to create the conference, but also to discuss our piece in conflict transformation,” says student Joshua Wathen.
Students in Shirin Khosropour's psychology class are presenting topics on conflict and peace as a service learning project.
Students say the goal of conflict transformation is not to prove one side of an issue is correct. Instead, it is to recognize the background and experiences people bring to an issue and determine a mutually agreeable solution.
“Conflict doesn’t have to be a bad thing,” says student Ben Fox. “You have a legitimate reason for conflict in the world, even between students here. We realize conflict doesn’t have to go away.”
The conference is just one way Khosropour hopes to show others how they can create positive change through a better understanding of conflict. She also is part of an ACC committee exploring options for offering degree or certificate programs in conflict transformation and peace studies. And, as a recently appointed Exploring Humanitarian Law Teaching Fellow for the American Red Cross, she will help recruit and train a network of educators who will teach high school and college students about the laws that govern armed conflict. To learn more about her efforts, click here.
“Conflict and Peace: In Your Life, In Your Community, In Your World,” will be 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, May 4, in the Eastview Campus Multipurpose Room 8500. The conference (see schedule below) is free and open to the community.
“It really just takes one person to get that concept,” says student Fatti Bajo. “Every person in here can be the candle that spreads the light to the next person.”
“Conflict and Peace: In Your Life, In Your Community, In Your World”
| 10:00 – 10:15 | Introduction to Conflict Transformation |
| 10:15 – 11:15 | Keynote presentation: “Survivor as Peacebuilder: Looking at the Ways that Someone Who Has Experienced Violence Can Build Peace,” David J. Smith, Outreach Director, U.S. Institute of Peace |
| 11:15 – 11:45 | Break with light refreshments |
| 11:45 – Noon | Introduction to Psychology curriculum |
| Noon – 1:30 | Student Lectures
|
| 1:30 – 2:00 | Closing Remarks and Q & A |
By Laurie Bertolett April 23, 2012 - 1:16 pm
Hello; I would like to attend the workshop- sounds very interesting. I teach PSYC 1300, and teach on Diversity, and Communication. Is there a way to get professional development hours? I would like to come no matter. Just checking. Thank you, L. Bertolett
By Shirin Khosropour April 25, 2012 - 8:23 pm
Hello Laurie,
Thanks for your interest! We would love to have you. In fact, David Smith of the U. S. Institute of Peace will be holding a workshop for faculty from 8:30 to 10 at EVC. Below is information about the workshop.
Your department chair can tell you if you can get professional development credit. I know some department chairs have already announced to their faculty they can get FD credit.
Here is the workshop announcement:
ACC faculty and staff are invited to a morning faculty workshop. USIP’s David Smith will be conducting a workshop for educators where he will discuss how college faculty from all disciplines can integrate conflict and peace topics into our classes. He will show us the online resources USIP has provided and guide us through one of the units. His workshop is from 8:30 to 10 in the same location as the conference and is entitled: Exploring Your Conflict Style: How Knowing It Will Make You a Better Peacebuilder.
By rozanne yousef May 3, 2012 - 2:15 pm
anyone from RGC campus going =) , Was wondering if I could carpool. coming in all cases god willing
By Shirin May 3, 2012 - 9:25 pm
Hello Rozanne,
Some of us are meeting at RGC in front of Bldg. 3000 at 7:10–but I’m guessing that will be way too early for you!
I look forward to seeing you at the conference!
By susan May 6, 2012 - 7:38 am
this sounds so interesting and worth while will there be more in the future since I missed this opportunity? I teach young children and would enjoy learning and understanding more ways to help these little guys think of peace.
By Jerry May 9, 2012 - 1:47 pm
Susan (and others), you may be interested in USIP’s Resources for Educators offered through the Global Peacebuilding Center (at http://www.buildingpeace.org/educators) in addition to ACC’s resources. Our site offers a Peacebuilding Toolkit for Educators and stand-alone lessons and activities for classrooms.
-Jerry, Webmaster, Global Peacebuilding Center