The Peace & Conflict Studies Center at ACC fosters the development of positive conflict transformation skills in students, faculty, and community members. Through its interdisciplinary course offerings across different disciplines, special events, conflict resolution training, and service work, the Center provides opportunities for participants to expand their understanding and engagement with conflict in a variety of ways. 

The Center promotes critical thinking about the individual’s role in their community to envision conflict positively. As John Paul Lederach (2003) explains in The Little Book of Conflict Transformation, this process provides an opportunity “for creating constructive change processes that reduce violence and increase justice.” In other words, conflict transformation involves imagining positive futures arising from complex problems in our societies.

Through avenues of academic study, professional development training, community events, service learning, and travel abroad opportunities, the Peace & Conflict Studies Center maintains its commitment to establishing frameworks for nonviolent conflict transformation at the intrapersonal, interpersonal, local, national, and international levels.

Link to the ACC Catalog for a list of course descriptions in the degree plan.