Author Archives: Kate Lindfors

Peace as a Profession

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The concept of peace as a profession is a broad and multifaceted subject, however it is clear that it is a possibility. Peace is a complex subject in itself, yet its importance is increasingly relevant within our society, indicating the need for individuals who are interested in pursuing careers that relate to its implementation and preservation. Throughout my time as a Peace Studies student, I have learned about many ways that peace may be incorporated into our career paths. Initially, I assumed that all careers within this discipline would include some form of diplomacy or political work, and I was concerned about whether my interests would be compatible with my passion for this field. However, I have come to understand that this is not the case. Careers that are centered around or that interact with peace can take on a wide variety of forms, and while many of these career paths may be challenging, they are highly valuable as well. 

Peace as a profession can have direct manifestations within various career paths. The most predominant fields that I have learned about include those that uphold, promote, and protect human rights and combat injustice. This may be done through working with the law, with governments or non-governmental organizations, and with non-profits. Throughout my time as an undergrad, I have learned about these fields in my classes and through conversations with a variety of esteemed and accomplished experts. I have learned that law can be central to peace due to its role in upholding justice and protecting human rights and liberties. In particular, I have learned about the work of the ICC and the ad hoc tribunals, including the ICTY and the ICTR, which have actively contributed to addressing violence and promoting justice within national and international systems. Working with the government, the UN, or other non-governmental organizations can also be effective pathways to getting involved in this field. Some notable organizations I have learned about include Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. Additionally, it is clear that the work of nonprofits, both big and small, is highly valuable in promoting peace and justice. One example of a nonprofit that has made significant contributions to this field within the U.S. is the ACLU. In this sense, there are many ways that peace can become a profession through engaging in work that protects and promotes human rights and justice. 

However, I have also learned that many of these career paths can be difficult. In a recent interview with Dr. John Hall from Chapman’s Fowler School of Law, he emphasized the financial burdens and high cost of entry as prominent obstacles to working in these fields. It is also clear that many of these careers can be taxing on your personal life and mental health. That being said, many of the experts I have heard from have also placed a strong emphasis on the value of this work and its importance to local, national, and international communities. 

Cat Bolten teaches for the Kroc Institute
Photo by Matt Cashore/University of Notre Dame

It is also important to note that not everyone is interested in these kinds of career paths and that peace-related work can be incorporated into many other professions. This discipline is very broad, and efforts to uphold the values of peace and justice are crucial, no matter how big or small. One example of a possible incorporation of peace into other professions is through using teaching as an outlet to educate others on the importance of these fields. One can also incorporate peace into their profession by working for an organization that does not engage directly with this field yet upholds the same values, or through engaging in volunteer work within their community.  

In short, professions in peace can take many forms, and all are relevant and valuable to this discipline. Although careers that work directly in upholding peace and justice at national and international levels may be challenging, they are also rewarding and highly important professions. However, one should not limit their understanding of careers in peace and justice to those professions. Individuals can engage with and promote peace and justice through a wide variety of career paths, and each one is uniquely important. In this sense, peace, which is a broad and multifaceted concept in itself, can foster many potential professions for those who are interested. 

Interview with Dr. John Hall

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I recently spoke with Dr. John Hall regarding his experience working in the Peace and Justice field. Dr. Hall is a professor at the Chapman University Fowler School of Law, where he currently teaches a range of subjects, including International Law and Human Rights. Dr. Hall has had an impressive career in the Peace and Justice field. Following a hitch-hiking trip in South East Asia, he became inspired to shift his professional focus from American history to Human Rights Law. He earned his J.D. in law from Stanford University and has participated in extensive human rights fieldwork in Cambodia and the Philippines. Due to the fact that I am interested in a potential career in international public law and human rights, I felt that Dr. Hall would be an excellent person to speak to. We talked about his experiences working in a global arena, studying and practicing law, and building a career in the human rights field. Throughout our conversation, Dr. Hall was able to use his personal experiences to offer valuable insight and advice for myself and other students who may be interested in pursuing a career in this field.

Dr. Hall earned his J.D. from Stanford Law School

One crucial point that Dr. Hall emphasized was the importance of fieldwork. He stated that he views the opportunity to do fieldwork as the most important aspect of his work in human rights. Participating in fieldwork offers valuable opportunities to build connections and gain experience in this field. Dr. Hall also explained that working abroad can assist with building language skills, which can prove to be highly valuable for those who are interested in international law or human rights work. Additionally, fieldwork can provide young professionals with a more robust understanding of how other countries, as well as the international community as a whole, function and interact. Dr. Hall illustrated the importance of building an understanding of a variety of cultures and norms by reflecting on his own experiences while providing legal aid in Cambodia and emphasized the fact that it is essential to understand how to adapt and adjust your practices in order to effectively conduct work abroad. In this sense, fieldwork is valuable because it is the most effective way to provide professionals with opportunities to further the knowledge and skills that are necessary to succeed in this field.

Dr. Hall also emphasized the importance of planning ahead and being strategic and adaptable. Because it may be challenging to find a paying job in human rights work as a young professional, it is important to keep financial restrictions in mind, particularly concerning educational and living costs. Additionally, he explained that diligence and perseverance are highly valuable to securing a job in this field. Dr. Hall recounted times near the beginning of his career in human rights, during which he had to fight hard to secure a position with organizations in order to do the work he was interested in. He underscored the importance of being assertive and taking advantage of the opportunities that are thrown your way. The importance of fieldwork is also relevant in this regard due to the fact that many jobs are based on recommendations or connections, meaning that it may be necessary to engage in volunteer work in order to secure a paying job. Finally, adaptability is vital because of the high level of uncertainty associated with doing work in this field. Dr. Hall stated that this is especially relevant when working with NGOs, which may shift their interests based on new causes or the interests of the international community. Because of this, professionals must be able to adapt to the ever-changing dynamics of this field and the interests of the organizations they work with.

This conversation with Dr. Hall provided me with further insight into the complexities, but also the importance and value, of working in the Peace and Justice field. Due to the fact that this field can be so challenging to get into, I appreciate the immense value of learning from the experiences and advice of professionals. Throughout Dr. Hall’s career, he has clearly gained incredible knowledge, experience, and insight, and I am immensely grateful for the time that I was able to spend with him and for the advice and recommendations he provided.  

Reflection – “Continuing to Learn & Educate for Shared Humanity”

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Professors Omar Dajani and Mira Sucharov provided an informative discussion on the Israel/Palestine conflict that upheld the importance of protecting humanity and understanding different perspectives. Although this talk was valuable in many ways, I appreciated how they acknowledged Palestinian suffering without engaging with the argument that doing so is insulting to Jewish people. I found it interesting that Professor Sucharov began this discussion by articulating her experience of watching attention shift from Israel on October 7th to Gaza in the following days and months as Israel began to unleash attacks. I felt that this perspective was important because it highlighted the importance of both events without legitimizing the extremity of Israel’s actions in the following months.   

I also found Professor Dajani’s discussion on Jewish attachment to the land to be an important point in their conversation. Professor Dajani explained that a recognition of this importance is crucial, however it does not legitimize an acceptance of Jewish supremacy in Israel. In other words, acknowledging the importance of this region to Jewish people is not intrinsically linked to the preservation of Jewish supremacy. I found Professor Dajani’s statement to be a well-articulated argument for the importance of providing a safe space for Palestinians to live and tell their own stories while still upholding the fact that this does not deny the right of Jewish people to exist in this region. I appreciated the openness that both professors brought to this discussion, as well as the depth of information that was used in their analysis and explanations.  

Along a similar line, I found Professor Sucharov’s explanation of her understanding of Jewish privilege in Israel to be particularly interesting. She explained that, in the past, because many Palestinians in Israel speak Hebrew, she used interactions in Hebrew to attempt to establish a common ground. However, she did not account for the fact that speaking in Hebrew to Palestinians in Israel is a form of “othering” them because they are required to speak Hebrew as a result of Jewish supremacy. In this sense, Professor Sucharov explained how she began to understand what it means to hold Jewish privilege in Israel and how it is vital to acknowledge the impacts this structure has on the lives of Palestinians. I felt that this was a valuable example of the importance of dismantling structures of Jewish supremacy in Israel to promote a space that also protects the lives and rights of Palestinians. I also appreciated how this segment of the conversation reiterated the importance of acknowledging the experiences and humanity of both parties, and that it reemphasized the fact that acknowledging Palestinian suffering is not an attack on Jewish people or their existence in Israel. 

I found this event to be incredibly valuable not only because of the depth of information provided, but because it discussed the importance of understanding and acknowledging Palestinian experiences in a way that I previously struggled with communicating to others. Within my own interactions with this subject, I have found that many individuals are reluctant to accept or realize that arguing for the rights of Palestinians to live safely in this space does not imply a delegitimization of Jewish existence within the region, and that denouncing Jewish supremacy is not promoting their removal from the land. I felt that I left this event with a more robust understanding of how to continue to advocate for Palestinian rights and safety in a way that does not delegitimize Jewish experiences or allow for the argument that protecting both groups and their existence in this space is wrongful.