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Peace as a Profession

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Anyone in this major has probably been faced with a “what is that?” in response to stating they are a Peace Studies major. Now that the major has been changed to Peace and Justice, I haven’t had as many questions, but interestingly, many people have to stop and inquire about what Peace Studies actually is. Answering that is the key to whether Peace can be a profession. 

So, what is Peace? Because it is so much more than the absence of arguments or conflict. Peace studies is an interdisciplinary field that explores the causes of conflict and violence and strategies for promoting peace, reconciliation, and social justice at local, national, and global levels. It emphasizes the interconnectedness of our world and how you must consider various disciplines, such as political science, sociology, psychology, anthropology, and international relations, to understand the dynamics of conflict and develop effective methods for conflict resolution, peacebuilding, and sustainable peace. It aims to foster a deeper understanding of how to address these underlying issues and build a more peaceful and just society by examining the root causes of violence, including issues related to inequality, discrimination, human rights abuses, environmental degradation, and political instability.

I declared the major not even halfway through my semester in the intro course. Shifting from Business Administration into a social science was eye-opening but also exciting. There are so many ways to view the world and explore the things around us, how they happen, and why they happen, and Peace Studies held the answers, or at the very least, the lessons necessary to discover those answers ourselves.

I’ve been lucky enough to be able to meet people from a vast selection of backgrounds and professions throughout my time at Chapman, and it’s so very interesting to see the role that peace plays in them all. From economics to health, there are identifiable factors for decisions, news stories, and policies that can be better understood through peace studies. The addition of justice to the major doesn’t detract from that. If anything, it places a greater emphasis on studying the why behind conflicts, as it allows us to better understand the different sides of conflicts and fosters a greater joint empathetic and compassionate outlook for the people around us.

There are more obvious fields in which peace acts as a profession, as we’ve seen by the emergence of fields such as peacebuilding, conflict resolution, and mediation. Professionals in these fields work towards preventing and resolving conflicts, promoting social justice and human rights, and establishing sustainable peace in communities, regions, and globally. We’ve witnessed professionals work in various capacities, including mediators, negotiators, diplomats, humanitarian workers, researchers, educators, and policy analysts. These peace professionals utilize various skills and knowledge, which are things we’re being taught in the major. Through their efforts and contributions, we might someday have a world where conflicts are managed more constructively and peaceful coexistence is prioritized. All of these factors make peace a viable and essential profession.

Peace As A Profession

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My journey in the field of peace studies began my freshman year at Chapman when I decided to take Introduction to Human Rights (PCST 200). My intention was for this class to fulfill a GE credit but I ended up being deeply inspired to dive deeper into the field and was captivated by the dialogue involving war and violence. 

I began as an environmental science and policy major and political science minor, but after taking another peace studies course the following year, I knew I needed to find a way to incorporate peace studies into the rest of my college experience. Therefore, although I knew it was going to be much more academically strenuous to do so, I declared a second major in peace studies.

What interests me the most about peace studies is the intersection of environmental justice and peace, which are concepts that I find to be lacking in both fields. Therefore, I would like to pursue a profession that focuses on this intersection in order to address global issues that we face today. While I remain unsure about the specific profession I would ideally like to pursue, I know that there are many opportunities available to me in this day and age where there is such a high demand for peace and justice workers. 

There are so many routes to consider when deciding on a career in peace studies. The more “common” or well known routes include diplomacy, law, non-profits, and social work. These are all options that I really take interest in, it is difficult to see myself actually in these positions and don’t necessarily spark as much inspiration as other endless options. I do worry about what direction I want to take in my career after graduating and despite the fact that I have considered law and research, I find a particular interest in developing environmental policy on a federal level. Positions in this field such as a policy analyst would ideally fulfill my passion for protecting the planet and people on a larger scale. 

Actually pursuing this specific career option would require me to obtain at least a masters degree and gain experience in or specializing in policy development. I could see myself stepping my foot into the door by beginning at a local level as a policy analyst and serving local representatives. Additionally, my experiences at Chapman 

working on relevant projects and as a student researcher has helped me gain necessary skills for this type of work. 

While I am nervous and a little sad about the idea of graduating and no longer attending Chapman, I am excited about what is to come in this next chapter of my life after undergrad. 

In Between by Between East Event

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BETWEEN EAST Events and Tickets | Eventbrite

Last month I attended “In Between: A Cultural Creative Experience” by Between East which is “an entertainment company and community that celebrates Middle Eastern & North African art, creativity, music, and culture to reveal a new global identity.” Below is their mission described on their website: 

Between East“Hollywood and the media have created extreme and often dangerous stereotypes about people from the MENA region and Arab world. Therefore, we choose to highlight stories and work with creators or brands who are actively breaking these stereotypes by diversifying the range and perception of Middle Eastern and North African people. Our goal is to be a bridge between cultures by honoring the complexities, betweenness, and humanity of people from the MENA regions or diaspora.” 

I stumbled upon this event after researching Franco-Algerian content makers and singling in on Lina Soualem, a panelist at In Between. Soualem created the touching film “Leur Algérie,”  which documents the story of her paternal grandparents who came to France from Algeria. This film discusses their experiences with French colonization, immigration, and their ties to Algeria today. Just last year, Soualem released a new movie called “Bye Bye Tiberis,” which is about her Palestinian mother, famous French actress Hiam Abbass. Because of this Palestinian film’s relevance at this time, much of the content of her panel was centered around this aspect of her identity. However, much of what she talked about was very insightful and helped confirm the direction of my capstone project. She spoke about how her experiences as Palestinian-Algerian-French are different from the experience of the MENA diaspora in the US because of the other standards in French society regarding national and ethnic identity. It helped me to hear her state her point of view directly rather than just deducing it from her work in films, podcasts, etc. Overall, this event was really inspiring and made me really grateful to live so close to L.A. where such amazing cultural events occur so often.

Through Lina, I have found numerous resources and figures to utilize as data in my capstone project. Additionally, I found out that she helped organize an event celebrating Algerian independence right across the street from where I lived in Paris at La Fleche d’Or. Even though I wasn’t in Paris at the time of this event, it is kind of wild to me that we could have easily crossed paths at some point. It excites me a lot to do this research when I know that it isn’t something entirely distant or out of reach for me. I could go back to Paris and know where to find the sort of hubs for the communities I am really interested in learning more about.

Shared Humanity with Sonia Buolos and Tamir Sorek

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Sonia Buolos and Tamir Sorek’s discussion about the conflict between Israel and Palestinians made me hopeful about the future and showcased the inspiring efforts of individuals to come together. Sonia first discussed the events of October 7th, and she emphasized that although the atrocities committed by Hamas were awful and unjustifiable, they demonstrated the prejudice and heightened emotions that Palestinians have experienced. Furthermore, she asserted that the creation of Israel and the Palestinian suffering that followed are the root causes of the war itself. Sonia and Tamir then discussed the idea that the ‘international community’ caused the war, as Britain and France’s occupation of Palestine and the UN’s subsequent partition plan caused already heightened tension to escalate into war. They maintained that the cycle of violence and hopelessness is sustained by the absence of international involvement or the use of international law to hold Israel responsible.

However, Sonia and Tamir discussed that it is crucial to acknowledge the underlying factors contributing to the adoption of self-destructive measures without hope. They asserted that addressing the injustices experienced by Palestinians is not just vital for their well-being but also plays a role in ensuring the safety and security of Israelis. They furthered their point by saying that a system that subjects humans to oppressive means ultimately leads to greater suffering for all parties involved. This was incredibly powerful as it made me realize that the solution to the Israel/Palestine conflict could be solved by consulting the Palestinians and addressing their needs. I am aware that it won’t be easy to come to a compromise, but the conflict will never end if the international community continues to ignore Palestinians’ concerns. Sonia and Tamir also highlighted the concept of settler colonialism, shedding light on the power dynamics and regime of domination that characterize the situation. The exclusive entitlement to self-determination for Jewish people outlined in the national state law raises concerns about the inherent inequality and denial of rights to Palestinians. Tamir argued that a peaceful form of decolonization, based on equality and justice, offers the potential for a way forward that avoids further destruction and fosters genuine coexistence. This made me question what exactly peaceful decolonization would look like.

Next, Dr. Klein asked Sonia and Tamir if Israel was committing genocide against Palestinians. While there are currently differing opinions on the matter, Tamir and Sonia’s arguments underscored the urgency of preventing further harm and ensuring the protection of vulnerable populations, as the ICJ has ruled that genocide is plausible. The interdependency and intertwined nature of Israel and Palestine were then emphasized by both Tamir and Sonia, challenging the notion of studying them as separate entities. They argued that recognizing this interdependency is crucial in understanding the root causes and finding sustainable solutions. This was incredibly eye-opening as I had never considered Israel and Palestine as interdependent until now. This discussion shed light on the enormous challenges and intricacies of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. From this talk, I learned that a comprehensive strategy that tackles historical injustices, opposes repressive structures, and promotes equality, justice, and the inherent rights of all parties involved is necessary to recognize the shared humanity inherent in this scenario. Only then can we pave the way for a peaceful and inclusive future.