In the fall of 2019 Park is reintroducing Peace Studies as a minor to all students who are interested.

“Peace Studies is broad, and includes a number of sub topics–nature of peace and war, gender and peace, poverty and peace, reconciliation,  racial and economic justice and peace journalism,” wrote Steven Youngblood, associate professor of communication.

There is a difference between peace studies and peace journalism.

“Peace journalism is specifically focused on media and peace,” stated Youngblood.

By definition, peace journalism is when editors and reporters make choices that improve the prospects for peace. These choices, including how to frame stories and carefully choosing which words are used, create an atmosphere conducive to peace and supportive of peace initiatives and peacemakers, without compromising the basic principles of good journalism, according to Youngblood’s book titled, Peace Journalism.

The minor is offered within the School of Humanities and is ideal for students studying humanities, social work, psychology, sociology, international relations, international development or political science. Students will have hands-on experience in a peace journalism preparation through a seminar and attain in-depth knowledge of the field through an integrative and interdisciplinary learning capstone in peace journalism.

“We feel that students will benefit from a very multidisciplinaryapproach to peace studies to look at the way peace manifests its self in many different areas,” said Youngblood.

“I think the peace journalism minor is something that can benefit any student,” he said. “For social work I think it’s very obvious thing; what they are doing is building peace.”

There are five core classes offered like Intro to Peace Studies, Peace Journalism and Strategic Peacebuilding. There are four elective courses to choose from including International Relations, Race and Ethnicity, Human Diversity and Social Justice, and Interpersonal Conflict Resolution. For more information and how to sign up for one of these minor programs, contact Youngblood at [email protected]or drop by you success adviser.

“The good thing about this minor is that students can take these classes and kill two birds with one stone,” Youngblood said. “So they can take their peace studies course and also dispense with some of their general education requirements.”

“Regardless of your major, there are issues that are going to confront us as professionals and citizens, certainly it is reflected in our politics,” he said.

The minor aids with ways to find a better way to show how to report or help with situations of a violent and/or non-peaceful nature.