Peace, Conflict and Justice


Faculty List

Associate Professors
N. Bertoldi, MESc, MA, PhD 
C. Jung, MA, PhD (George Ignatieff Chair of Peace and Conflict Studies)
T. Kramarz, MA, MSc, PhD

Assistant Professor
P. Salardi, BA, MA, PhD

Introduction

The Trudeau Centre for Peace, Conflict and Justice houses the Peace, Conflict and Justice program at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy.

The Peace, Conflict and Justice program provides undergraduates with an interdisciplinary education covering three central pillars: the meanings and causes of conflict, peace, and justice; the lived experiences of living in the context of conflict and struggles for peace and justice; and approaches to resolving conflict and producing peace and/or justice. The topics of study are wide-ranging, including the study of peacemaking and peace-building, interstate war and intrastate conflicts, insurgencies, revolutions and rebellions, ethnic strife, global justice, and negotiation theory. In doing so, we address some of the world’s most urgent humanitarian problems, and train students to deeply analyze these issues across several levels of analysis, from the local through the national and the global. Students interested in this program are strongly encouraged to consider pursuing a double major in related fields, especially International Relations. Other related fields include Economics, Political Science, Sociology, Psychology, Anthropology, Geography, History, Diaspora and Transnational Studies, Ethics, Society and Law and Women and Gender Studies.

Contact Information

Simone DeFacendis, Program and Events Coordinator
Email: pcj.program@utoronto.ca
Phone: 416-946-0326
https://munkschool.utoronto.ca/trudeaucentre/

Peace, Conflict and Justice Programs

Peace, Conflict and Justice Specialist (Arts Program) - ASSPE1228

The Peace, Conflict and Justice at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy is an interdisciplinary academic program that focuses on conditions, causes and effects of conflict, peace, and justice. In this program, students analyze socio-political conditions and policies, economic and cultural phenomena, historical events, and empirical research related to peace, conflict, and justice. Students also have opportunities to assess, conceptualize, and generate solutions that pave the way for conflict resolution, promote peace, and achieve greater justice. The topics of study are diverse, including the study of peacemaking and peacebuilding, human rights, legacies of war, interstate war and intrastate conflict, violence in protests and collective action, ethnic conflict, inequities in social policies such as health, gender, and education. Students select from a wide range of core and elective courses related to PCJ. The program has a strong emphasis on collaboration and teamwork through involvement in hands-on, real-life experiential learning. Moreover, students strengthen their research skills through training in various research methodologies. Our academic program allows students to understand issues of peace, conflict, and justice at multiple levels - local, national, regional, and global. Students interested in this program may consider pursuing a double major in related fields, such as International Relations, Political Science, Economics, Geography, Sociology, Anthropology, History, Environmental Studies, Indigenous Studies, Diaspora and Transnational Studies, Ethics, Society and Law, and Women and Gender Studies.

Enrolment Requirements:

While we welcome students with diverse experiences, this is a limited enrollment program that can accommodate a limited number of students. Admission is determined by a range of criteria, including the student's academic records from their first year of studies, short essays, a writing sample, a resume, and a video submission. In the past, enrollment in Peace, Conflict and Justice has proven to be extremely competitive across all of these dimensions, and an applicant's success in any one of these dimensions does not necessarily guarantee admission to the program in any given year.

Completion Requirements:

(12.0 credits)

1. 1.0 credit from gateway 100-level courses. Possibilities include but are not limited to: ( MUN100H1 and MUN110H1) or ( CAS100H1 and MUN120H1) or ( AMS100H1 and MUN120H1) or ( ECO101H1 and ECO102H1) or ECO105Y1 or HIS101Y1 or ( POL107H1 and POL109H1) or AFR150Y1 or WGS160Y1 or TRN152Y1 or ( SOC100H1 and SOC150H1).

Other introductory courses in relevant disciplines are also eligible to meet this 100-level course requirement; please contact the program director for discussion and approval.

2. 3.5 credits of the following core PCJ courses, all of which are required: PCJ200H1, PCJ210H1, PCJ310H1/​ PCJ260H1, PCJ350H1/​ PCJ261H1, PCJ362H1, PCJ410H1, MUN200H1.

3. 2.5 additional credits in Peace, Conflict and Justice courses (i.e. PCJ prefix classes) at the 300 or 400 level, including at least 1.0 at the 400 level.

4. 5.0 credits of complementary courses, i.e., courses relevant to PCJ and offered by other programs. Of these 5.0 credits, at least 2.0 must be at the 300-level or above.

Complementary courses include but are not limited to the following. Other courses are also eligible to meet this requirement; please contact the program director for discussion and approval.

AFR298H1, AFR460H1, AMS320H1, CAR324H1, CAS310H1, CJS220H1, CSE240H1, CSE342H1, CSE346H1, DTS200Y1, EAS315H1, ECO200Y1, ECO202Y1, ECO220Y1, ENG273Y1, ENV101H1, GGR240H1, GGR419H1, HIS231H1, HIS397H1, HIS401H1, INS201Y1, INS352H1, JAH350H1, JPR364H1, JPS315H1, LAS310H1, MUN101H1/​ MUN102H1, MUN200H1, PHL373H1, PHL378H1, POL201H1, POL212H1, POL353H1, POL412H1, POL417H1, RLG309H1, SDS465H1, SOC210H1, SOC249H1, SOC367H1, TRN250Y1, TRN312H1, WGS273H1, WGS340H1.

5. Within the 12.0 credits required for the specialist program, 3.0 credits must focus on a particular global region and 3.0 credits must focus on a theme related to peace, conflict and justice.

Regional Studies Focus:
3.0 credits focused on a particular global region. Examples include Africa, Asia, Canada, the Caribbean, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, Slavic countries or the United States. This is not a complete list. Other regions are also eligible to meet this requirement; to propose an alternative, please contact the program director for discussion and approval.

Thematic Focus:
3.0 credits focused on a particular theme related to peace, conflict and justice. Examples include negotiation and conflict resolution, peacemaking and peacebuilding, environmental justice, diplomatic history, reparation and reconciliation, colonialism and decolonization, economic development, interstate war, intrastate conflict, legacies of war and conflict.

This is not a complete list. Other themes are also eligible to meet this requirement; to propose an alternative, please contact the program director for discussion and approval.

Peace, Conflict and Justice Major (Arts Program) - ASMAJ1228

The Peace, Conflict and Justice at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy is an interdisciplinary academic program that focuses on conditions, causes and effects of conflict, peace, and justice. In this program, students analyze socio-political conditions and policies, economic and cultural phenomena, historical events, and empirical research related to peace, conflict, and justice. Students also have opportunities to assess, conceptualize, and generate solutions that pave the way for conflict resolution, promote peace, and achieve greater justice. The topics of study are diverse, including the study of peacemaking and peacebuilding, human rights, legacies of war, interstate war and intrastate conflict, violence in protests and collective action, ethnic conflict, inequities in social policies such as health, gender, and education. Students select from a wide range of core and elective courses related to PCJ. The program has a strong emphasis on collaboration and teamwork through involvement in hands-on, real-life experiential learning. Moreover, students strengthen their research skills through training in various research methodologies. Our academic program allows students to understand issues of peace, conflict, and justice at multiple levels - local, national, regional, and global. Students interested in this program may consider pursuing a double major in related fields, such as International Relations, Political Science, Economics, Geography, Sociology, Anthropology, History, Environmental Studies, Indigenous Studies, Diaspora and Transnational Studies, Ethics, Society and Law, and Women and Gender Studies.

Enrolment Requirements:

While we welcome students with diverse experiences, this is a limited enrollment program that can accommodate a limited number of students. Admission is determined by a range of criteria, including the student's academic records from their first year of studies, short essays, a writing sample, a resume, and a video submission. In the past, enrollment in Peace, Conflict and Justice has proven to be extremely competitive across all of these dimensions, and an applicant's success in any one of these dimensions does not necessarily guarantee admission to the program in any given year.

Completion Requirements:

(7.5 credits)

1. 1.0 credit from gateway 100-level courses. Possibilities include but are not limited to: ( MUN100H1 and MUN110H1) or ( CAS100H1 and MUN120H1) or ( AMS100H1 and MUN120H1) or ( ECO101H1 and ECO102H1) or ECO105Y1 or HIS101Y1 or ( POL107H1 and POL109H1) or AFR150Y1 or WGS160Y1 or TRN152Y1 or ( SOC100H1 and SOC150H1).

Other introductory courses in relevant disciplines are also eligible to meet this 100-level course requirement; please contact the program director for discussion and approval.

2. 2.0 credits comprised of the following core PCJ courses, all of which are required: PCJ200H1, PCJ210H1, PCJ350H1/​ PCJ261H1, PCJ362H1.

3. 2.0 additional credits in Peace, Conflict and Justice courses (i.e. PCJ prefix classes) at the 300 or 400 level, including at least 0.5 at the 400 level.

4. An additional 2.5 credits of PCJ-coded courses or complementary courses offered in other programs. Of these 2.0 credits, at least 1.0 must be at the 300-level or above. Complementary courses include but are not limited to the following; other relevant courses are eligible on the approval of the program director:

AFR298H1, AFR460H1, AMS320H1, CAR324H1, CAS310H1, CJS220H1, CSE240H1, CSE342H1, CSE346H1, DTS200Y1, EAS315H1, ECO200Y1, ECO202Y1, ECO220Y1, ENG273Y1, ENV101H1, GGR240H1, GGR419H1, HIS231H1, HIS397H1, HIS401H1, INS201Y1, INS352H1, JAH350H1, JPR364H1, JPS315H1, LAS310H1, MUN101H1/​ MUN102H1, MUN200H1, PHL373H1, PHL378H1, POL201H1, POL212H1, POL353H1, POL412H1, POL417H1, RLG309H1, SDS465H1, SOC210H1, SOC249H1, SOC367H1, TRN250Y1, TRN312H1, WGS273H1, WGS340H1.


Peace, Conflict and Justice Courses

PCJ200H1 - Introduction to Peace, Conflict and Justice

Hours: 24L/12T

This course introduces students to the theories, concepts, histories, and actors that are fundamental to the field of peace, conflict, and justice. Students will discuss meanings, causes, obstacles, and sustainability of peace and justice through the discussion of historical and contemporary cases from around the world. Stemming from the interdisciplinary aspect of the field, students will learn a wide range of theoretical, empirical, and policy-oriented perspectives on thematic topics such as protection and violation of human rights, social and economic inequalities, and causes of violence and oppression. This course is intended for first year PCJ students and it serves as a gateway for all other courses offered in the PCJ program. This course is a requirement for PCJ majors and specialists.

Prerequisite: Admission to PCJ
Breadth Requirements: Society and its Institutions (3)

PCJ210H1 - Research Methods in Peace, Conflict and Justice

Hours: 24L/12T

This course introduces students to key research methods employed in the study of peace, conflict and justice. It considers both qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods research frameworks prominent in PCJ research drawn from a range of disciplines and approaches. Some methods explored in this course might include: descriptive analysis, correlational studies, bivariate or multivariate regression models, surveys, interviews, focus groups, and country case studies. The class teaches students how to read, understand and critique these frameworks and the scholarship they influence/produce. Concepts of internal and external validity, inductive and deductive reasoning, and ethics in research will also be covered. This course is a requirement for PCJ majors and specialists.

Prerequisite: Admission to PCJ
Breadth Requirements: Society and its Institutions (3)

PCJ260H1 - Introduction to Peace, Conflict and Justice I

Hours: 24L/12S

This course introduces students to reading, interpreting, and communicating data relevant to issues in peace, conflict and justice. Students will develop concrete skills such as understanding data sources in conflict and justice, exploring applications of data, and methods of data collection. They will reflect on how social constructs can be operationalized into variables that can be employed for qualitative and quantitative analysis in research and policy, and learn how to use visualizations and descriptive statistics to support arguments and research. Through this course, students will develop a set of essential skills to work on real-world questions related to issues in peace, conflict and justice, while engaging with existing data and their applied research findings to understand their policy relevance. Students must be enrolled in either the PCJ Major or PCJ Specialist program to take this course.

Prerequisite: 4.0 credits
Breadth Requirements: Society and its Institutions (3)

PCJ261H1 - Introduction to Peace, Conflict and Justice II

Previous Course Number: PCJ260Y1

Hours: 24L/12T

The course reviews theories exploring the causes of conflict, the possibilities for the pursuit of peace, and the role of justice in both. Drawing on a wide range of disciplines and perspectives, it offers an introduction to diverse approaches to conflict resolution and peace-building. Case studies and examples are used to help students apply the conceptual tools they acquire to prominent world conflicts. Students must be enrolled in either the PCJ Major or PCJ Specialist program to take this course.

Prerequisite: PCJ260H1
Exclusion: PCJ260Y1
Breadth Requirements: Society and its Institutions (3)

PCJ299Y1 - Research Opportunity Program

Credit course for supervised participation in faculty research project. Details at https://www.artsci.utoronto.ca/current/academics/research-opportunities/research-opportunities-program. Not eligible for CR/NCR option.

PCJ310H1 - Data and Applications in PCJ

Hours: 24L/12T

The goal of this course is to introduce students to data literacy and applications in the topics of peace, conflict, and justice. The course is broadly divided into two parts. The first part will introduce data in the context of peace, conflict, and justice studies and outline the research process. Students will learn advanced quantitative research designs and will work with fundamental descriptive statistics tools. Students will work with different datasets, learn how to summarize data for different types of variables through graphs and tables, and explore measures of association between variables. In the second part of the course, students will work on data projects related to peace, conflict, and justice. Students will also design their own research relevant in PCJ. This course is a requirement for PCJ Specialists.

Prerequisite: PCJ200H1, PCJ210H1
Exclusion: PCJ260H1
Breadth Requirements: Society and its Institutions (3)

PCJ350H1 - The Violence of Inequality: Conflict Dynamics and Power Asymmetries

Hours: 24L/12T

This course builds on various multi-disciplinary approaches to explore how inequalities shape violence, conflict, and post-conflict dynamics. It teaches students to understand and engage critically in debates in the field and to discover connections between the power structures that shape the emergence of violent conflicts, their dynamics, and their legacies. In addition, this course will offer students practical tools to analyze the intersection of conflict and inequality, as well as the implications of that intersection for pursuing peace. This course is a requirement for PCJ majors and specialists.

Prerequisite: PCJ200H1, PCJ210H1
Exclusion: PCJ261H1
Breadth Requirements: Society and its Institutions (3)

PCJ360H1 - Topics in Peace, Conflict and Justice

Hours: 24L

This course explores selected issues in the field of Peace, Conflict ands Justice. Topics may vary from year to year. Through a suite of recent readings, students will strive to critically examine implications and challenges of, and solutions to the issues being studied. Please visit the Trudeau Centre for Peace, Conflict and Justice website for current offering information.

Prerequisite: PCJ260Y1/ ( PCJ260H1, PCJ261H1)
Recommended Preparation: POL208H1
Breadth Requirements: Society and its Institutions (3)

PCJ361H1 - Special Topics in Peace, Conflict and Justice Studies

Hours: 24S

An exploration of selected issues in the field of Peace, Conflict and Justice involving an overseas and/or practicum component.

Exclusion: PCS361H1, UNI361Y1
Recommended Preparation: POL208Y1

PCJ361Y1 - Special Topics in Peace and Conflict Studies

Previous Course Number: PCS361Y1, UNI361Y1

Hours: 48S

An exploration of selected issues in the field of Peace, Conflict and Justice involving an overseas and/or practicum component.

Prerequisite: PCJ260Y1 or permission from the Program Director
Exclusion: PCS361H1, PCS361Y1, UNI361Y1
Recommended Preparation: POL208Y1/ POL208H1
Breadth Requirements: Society and its Institutions (3)

PCJ362H1 - Experiential Learning in PCJ

Hours: 12T/24S

This course provides students an opportunity to learn by providing valuable services to local, national, or international organizations. This model of experiential learning is called organization partner experiences, in which students work in teams on a project that is of relevance to the partner organization. The overarching theme in this course is inclusion through access to public services. Access to public services such as education, health, and public provision of services is one of the most important ways in which disadvantaged populations experience upward socioeconomic mobility. Students will gain insights about inequality of access to public service, conduct critical analysis of current issues, and produce deliverables to understand issues of socio-economic inequality in societies around the world.

Prerequisite: PCJ200H1, PCJ210H1, PCJ350H1
Breadth Requirements: Society and its Institutions (3)

PCJ380H1 - Justice Institutions: Crime, Violence, and Insecurity

Hours: 24S

This course examines the role of institutions that respond to crime and violence. We study the role of institutional actors centering on criminal justice: we focus in particular on criminal justice institutions, but also community organizations, government agencies, international organizations, journalists, and others–in identifying, naming, and acting upon crime and violence. We also study the strategies these institutions adopt in responding to crime, violence, and insecurity, along with evidence about how they do so and outcomes of their interventions. Finally, we attend to the relationship between criminal justice and other social outcomes, including health and well-being, collective memory, skepticism, social movements, and civic participation. Throughout the course we rely on a wide range of materials, so that in most weeks students will engage with a combination of perspectives, including social science research, legal materials, testimonies, official documents, and journalistic accounts.

Prerequisite: PCJ200H1, PCJ210H1
Corequisite: PCJ350H1
Breadth Requirements: Society and its Institutions (3)

PCJ399Y1 - Research Opportunity Program

Credit course for supervised participation in faculty research project. Details at https://www.artsci.utoronto.ca/current/academics/research-opportunities/research-opportunities-program. Not eligible for CR/NCR option.

PCJ410H1 - Research Paper Seminar in PCJ

Hours: 24S

This course guides each student through their own individual research project, embedded in an interactive group learning process, to offer an applied introduction to research methods for peace, conflict and justice studies. Students work through the research in the field of peace, conflict and justice studies, such as: identifying a research question, learning how to write a critical literature review, developing a rigorous research design, and applying quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods to answering research inquires. The final deliverable is a draft of a research proposal or an empirical research-based paper. This course is a requirement for PCJ Specialists and open to PCJ Majors with approval from the Director.

Prerequisite: PCJ200H1, PCJ210H1, PCJ350H1
Breadth Requirements: Society and its Institutions (3)

PCJ444H1 - Special Topics in Peace and Conflict Studies

Previous Course Number: PCS444H1

Topics vary annually. The objective of the course is to explore emerging issues in Peace and Conflict Studies. The focus of the course will be on a specific topic, rather than a broad survey of the field.

Prerequisite: PCJ260Y1, PCJ360Y1 or permission of the instructor
Exclusion: PCS444H1
Breadth Requirements: Society and its Institutions (3)

PCJ460H1 - Advanced Topics in Peace, Conflict and Justice

Hours: 24S

This course explores selected issues in the field of Peace, Conflict and Justice. Topics may vary from year to year. Through a suite of recent readings, students will strive to critically examine implications and challenges of, and solutions to the issues being studied. Please visit the Trudeau Centre for Peace, Conflict and Justice website for current offering information.

Prerequisite: PCJ360H1, PCJ362H1
Breadth Requirements: Society and its Institutions (3)

PCJ461H1 - Research Methods in Peace, Conflict and Justice

Hours: 48S

This course guides each student through their own individual research project, embedded in an interactive group learning process, in order to offer an applied introduction to research methods for peace, conflict and justice studies. Students work through the full research process, including: identifying a research question, learning how to conduct effective literature reviews, developing a rigorous research design, and applying quantitative and qualitative methods to answering questions. Rather than conducting research independently or studying research methods in isolation, the course combines the two: students learn collectively about the different steps in the research process while simultaneously applying those steps to their own research project. This is then complemented by presenting that research and discussing different research projects in class, so as to receive continuous feedback and be exposed to a variety of research methods and approaches.

Prerequisite: Enrolment restricted to students enrolled in the Peace, Conflict and Justice Specialist program
Corequisite: PCJ460H1
Breadth Requirements: Society and its Institutions (3)

PCJ499H1 - Peace and Conflict Studies Independent Study Course

Previous Course Number: PCS499H1

This course is designed to provide students with the opportunity to explore topics not covered in the curriculum, or to develop a more detailed focus on topics covered. Approval of the program director is required. The student must obtain written agreement of the instructor who will supervise the independent study, submit the proposal to and obtain approval from the director and program administrator, who will then add the student to the course. Not eligible for CR/NCR option.

Applications are due two weeks before course enrolment deadlines.

Prerequisite: PCJ260Y1/ ( PCJ260H1, PCJ261H1)
Exclusion: PCS499H1
Recommended Preparation: For students enrolled in the Peace, Conflict and Justice Major or Specialist program.
Breadth Requirements: Society and its Institutions (3)

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