Four new students in four disciplines recently began the Kroc Institute’s interdisciplinary doctoral program in peace studies. The program is a partnership with the University of Notre Dame Departments of Anthropology, History, Political Science, Sociology, Psychology, and Theology.
“The Ph.D. program in Peace Studies addresses the desire of many students to center their graduate studies—in whatever their discipline—around a normative commitment to the dignity of humanity and the importance of using knowledge to reduce suffering around the world,” said Catherine Bolten, associate professor of anthropology and peace studies and director of the Kroc’s Institute’s doctoral program. “This year’s first-year class brings exciting new dimensions of inquiry to the program. From the role of education to promoting peace domestically, to the place that grief has in reconciliation, I am thrilled with the diversity and dynamism of their areas of study."
Incoming students for fall 2019 include:
Joel Devonshire (psychology and peace studies) is interested in psychological disarmament, and his areas of interest include the psychology of nonviolence and the development and control of moral identity and narratives, among other topics. His research will focus on mediation and nonviolence.
Diana Isabel Güiza-Gómez (political science and peace studies) is interested in the interactions among constitution-making, peacebuilding, and broad political inclusion in transitional societies. She plans to study how post-conflict constitution-building and political inclusion transform the initial peace agreement forged by political elites into long-lasting commitments and a stable, broad-based participatory political system.
Amaryst Parks (sociology and peace studies ) will study education as a mechanism of peace and explore how educational alternatives combat and address systems of oppression in popular education systems. She is interested in paths to liberation (especially for young people) and intergenerational, learning- and learner-centered education spaces.
Alyssa Paylor (anthropology and peace studies) will build upon her master’s research that examined conceptions of reconciliation in a community of Israeli and Palestinian peace activtists. Her research will include examining spaces and practices of solidarity, activism, and care in conditions of asymmetry.
Created in 2008, the Kroc Institute’s Ph.D. program in peace studies offers six distinct, yet related, degrees. Peace studies doctoral graduates are prepared for a wide range of scholarly, teaching, and professional positions.
The application deadline for the Ph.D. program is December 15. If interested, please apply now.
Contact: Kevin Vaughn, Assistant Director for Doctoral Studies, krocphd@nd.edu
Originally published by at kroc.nd.edu on September 16, 2019.