Prompt: You are asked to reflect on our course learning and its implications for you as individuals who are capable of constructive conflict resolution and contributing to peacebuilding. Look through the prompts and take some “personal inventory” (maybe j

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Having studied conflict and conflict resolution, what do you see as the most valuable awareness, knowledge, and/or skills that you have acquired or honed this term? What has changed for you? How would you like to put that change into practice – and to what impact for yourself and others? In other words, what – and how – do you imagine you can contribute to building peace in the world? Note: Answers will surely vary from person to person. Some of us are born activists. Some of us undertake training to learn how to speak out. Some of us seek to educate and shape thought. Some of us strive to raise children (our own and/or those of others) empowered to resolve conflict constructively. Some of us have our sights set thousands of miles away. Some of us seek to shape our workplace or learning environment or community. From a peacebuilding standpoint, all of these efforts, and others, to “be the change you seek in the world” are important and worthwhile.
(2) Please also select two items from the list below and discuss concretely from these areas something new you have learned this term. What, specifically, does it matter to you and how you will live your life – relationships, plans, activities, goals, self-understanding, etc.?
– Interpersonal communication
– Nonviolent communication
– Empathy and compassion
– Personal orientation to conflict
– Personal facility with conflict resolution skills and processes
– Personal orientation to negotiation
– Positions vs. interests
– Interest-based negotiation
– Constructive vs. destructive conflict
– Formal and informal conflict resolution processes
– Restorative justice
– Identity (ascribed and avowed) and Microaggression
– Race and the criminal justice system
– Structural violence & complicity vs. Social justice & commitment to “be the change”
– Negative peace vs. positive peace
– National and international conflict
– Human rights and international law
– Crimes against humanity (incl. genocide) and human insecurity
– Nonviolence
– Peacebuilding