PACS 101
Peace is Everybody’s Business
Winter 2015
Co-instructors:
Lowell Ewert, Director of Peace and Conflict Studies
Room 2103 C
Conrad Grebel University College
Phone: 519-885-0220 ext. 24380
e-mail: [email protected]
Paul Heidebrecht, Director, MSCU Centre for Peace Advancement
Room 4203
Conrad Grebel University College
Phone: 519-885-0220 ext. 24225
e-mail: [email protected]
Classroom:
Class meeting times:
Office hours:
Room 1111, Great Hall, Conrad Grebel University College
Monday and Wednesday, 11:30 am – 12:50 pm
For Lowell Ewert, by appointment is always best, but usually Monday,
1 – 2 pm
For Paul Heidebrecht, by appointment is always best, but usually
Wednesday, 3 – 4 pm
Course description
This course explores ways in which individuals and groups from multiple sectors of society have
contributed to peace by engaging conflict constructively and advancing social justice. Attention
will be given to the diversity of peacemaking approaches, and to interpersonal and intergroup as
well as international application.
Context for PACS 101 Peace is Everybody’s Business
Peace is fragile. While challenging to build, and often requiring conscious, intentional and
tenacious work, it can easily be destroyed. The creation of, and necessary rebirth with every
generation, of a more fully peaceful, stable, and democratic society is a never-ending task, and it
requires the collective efforts, energies, and imaginations of every sector of society, working
together on manifold levels, in thousands of jobs, in innumerable ways both large and
small. Only when each person and each sector contributes appropriately to this effort can a more
genuinely peaceful society result. This introductory course will explore the complex and
multifaceted nature of everyday, practical peace, by analyzing the core values that lead to peace
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and ways in which diverse actors can embrace the challenge of building of a society in which the
needs of most are addressed justly. Particular emphasis will be given to the roles and
responsibilities of business, government, and civil society, as well as many of the disciplines and
professions represented at the University of Waterloo, in fostering comprehensive and
sustainable peace.
Concept Map
Learning outcomes
By the end of the term, students should be able to:
• Clearly articulate why peace is everybody’s business
• Critique, evaluate, and augment the core concepts, terms, and values that undergird
PACS
• Summarize how their chosen vocation or discipline, as well as that of their classmates,
collectively contributes to building sustainable peace
• Examine their own role and responsibility in contributing to a more peaceful and just
community, nation, and world
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Course teaching methodology
This is a lecture course that will include significant class discussion in order to emphasize critical
analysis and discussion. It will not assume that there is one “right” answer to questions posed or
issues discussed, but rather that there are ways of thinking that will enable students to develop
their own personal philosophy. It will be assumed that students learn best and internalize lessons
learned most effectively in a process of dialogue with each other, the instructor, and other
resource materials utilized in class. Students must therefore personally wrestle with concepts
discussed in order to benefit from the course. Teaching methodologies that will be used will
include:
• Student questions posed in class
• Small group discussions during class
• Videos clips
• Exercises that challenge students to apply theory to practice
• Discussion of current events relevant to course topics
Required Readings
The assigned readings are given primarily to provide background to the issues to be discussed in
class. It is anticipated that students will be expected to grapple with the themes of the required
readings, not be expected to recall specific facts. Students will be expected to be able to compare
and contrast the differing perspectives contained in the readings and understand how they may
differ.
At the start of each class, and before any discussion takes place, students may submit to the
instructors a 7.6 x 12.7 cm (3 x 5 inch) note card that contains any notes from the course
readings that the student may want to use for the mid-term or final exam. These note cards will
be returned to the student as they enter the mid-term or final exam, and may be freely referenced
during the exam. No late note cards will be accepted.
Course Assessment
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Class participation – 15% in total
o In-class assignments – 10% in total
o Media minute – 2%
o Event report – 3%
Reflection papers – 25% in total:
o Peace autobiography – 10%
o Closing reflection – 15%
Mid-term – 25%
Final – 35%
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Assignment details and instructions
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In-class assignments (10% of overall grade):
In ten classes, students will be asked to reflect on some aspect of the course, make notes
of the discussion, or do a brief reflection on an activity after it is completed. The marks
of the highest eight will be recorded. This assignment will generally be graded on a
pass/fail basis. The notes handed in will receive a pass if they indicate a reasonable
amount of discussion of the topic. More detail about expectations for this assignment will
be given in class prior to the activity. No make-up assignments will be given.
•
Media minute (2% of overall grade):
Throughout the semester, you will be made aware of issues in the news that highlight the
contemporary relevance of this course. Students will be required to highlight a relevant
and current issue themselves on (at least!) one occasion over the semester by uploading a
copy on Learn, and submitting a hard copy of a media report to the instructors before the
start of the class period. You should also be prepared to summarize the story in no more
than one minute. The last class that media minute submissions will be accepted is March
11. Be sure to write your name on the document you turn in. The target length for this
assignment is a maximum of 250 words.
•
Event report (3% of overall grade):
Throughout the semester, you will also be made aware of on-campus or local events that
highlight the contemporary relevance of this course. Students are required to attend and
report on one of these events or any additional event that is related to the learning
outcomes of this course, by March 9,
Your report must describe the setting of the event, including when and where it took
place, and the approximate number of people in attendance. It should also explain why
you chose to attend the event you did, and summarize what you observed. For example, if
the event was a public lecture, tell us what the main point of the talk was. If the event
required your participation, tell us what you did.
The target length for this assignment is a maximum of 250 words. An electronic copy
must be uploaded to the appropriate Learn dropbox no later than one week after the event
you attended occurred.
•
Peace autobiography (10% of overall grade):
Before you can begin to come to terms with, much less explain or counter other
perspectives, you need to recognize your own starting point. As one thinker has put it:
“we do not begin with the fiction of starting from scratch with a blank mind that needs to
be convinced. There are no blank minds.”
Your task for this assignment is to demonstrate how and why your mind is not a blank
slate when it comes to peace, even though peace and conflict studies as an academic
subject may be new to you. You will do this by writing a reflective essay that articulates
three central convictions about peace that you bring to this course. For the purposes of
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this assignment, convictions are defined quite loosely as anything that helps you answer a
question that pertains to peace. In order to achieve the objective of this assignment you
will need to explain both what your convictions are, and, just as importantly, the process
by which you arrived at them. Thus you need to reflect not only on what you believe (or
do not believe), but on the life experiences and influences that led you to these
convictions.
You should assume a sympathetic, interested, and non-academic audience. You should
not assume that your readers share your background. Imagine you are writing for your
classmates, not your parents or your instructor! The style of this essay should be
informal, and as such it does not require footnotes or citations. You can (and should)
name significant influences in your life, but quotations should be kept brief, if used at all.
The target length for this assignment is a maximum of 750 words. An electronic copy
must be uploaded to the appropriate Learn dropbox by 11:30 AM on Monday, January
12.
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Closing reflection (15% of overall grade):
Students must submit a final reflection paper in which they are expected to discuss
whether “peace is everybody’s business.” This reflection paper must demonstrate a good
working understanding of the course topics, principles discussed in class, an awareness of
the various disciplines taught at the University of Waterloo as well as the vocations that
grow out of these disciplinary areas of study. Students will be expected to clearly
articulate their perspective on this topic and how this may impact their future educational,
vocational and avocational career choices.
The target length for this assignment is a maximum of 1,250 words. An electronic copy
must be uploaded to the appropriate Learn dropbox by 11:30 AM on Wednesday, April 1.
Late assignments
Late written assignments will be assessed an automatic penalty of 15% and will only be accepted
within one week of the due date. A valid medical document is required for medical excuses.
Additional course policies
Turnitin: Plagiarism detection software (Turnitin) will be used to screen assignments in this
course. This is being done to verify that use of all materials and sources in assignments is
documented. Students will be given an option if they do not want to have their assignment
screened by Turnitin. In the first week of the term, details will be provided about arrangements
and alternatives for the use of Turnitin in this course.
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Excused absences: In accordance with University of Waterloo guidelines, students who desire
an excused absence for an assignment or exam must provide a note from a health care worker
documenting justification for the absence.
Academic Integrity: In order to maintain a culture of academic integrity, member of the
University of Waterloo community are expected to promote honesty, trust, fairness, respect and
responsibility. Refer to Academic Integrity website (https://uwaterloo.ca/academic-integrity/)
for details.
Grievance: A student who believes that a decision affecting some aspect of his/her university
life has been unfair or unreasonable may have grounds for initiating a grievance. Read Policy 70
(https://uwaterloo.ca/secretariat/policies-procedures-guidelines/policy-70) Student Petitions and
Grievances, Section 4. When in doubt, please contact the department’s administrative assistant
who will provide further assistance.
Discipline: A student is expected to know what constitutes academic integrity to avoid
committing an academic offence, and to take responsibility for his/her actions. A student who is
unsure whether an action constitutes an offence, or who needs help in learning how to avoid
offences (e.g. plagiarism, cheating) or about “rules” for group work/collaboration should seek
guidance from the course instructor, academic advisor, or the undergraduate Associate Dean.
For information on categories of offences and types of penalties, students should refer to Policy
71 (https://uwaterloo.ca/secretariat/policies-procedures-guidelines/policy-71) Student Discipline.
For typical penalties check Guidelines for the Assessment of Penalties
(https://uwaterloo.ca/secretariat/policies-procedures-guidelines/guidelines/guidelinesassessment-penalties).
Appeals: A decision made or penalty imposed under Policy 70 (Student Petitions and
Grievances) (other than a petition) or Policy 71 (Student Discipline) may be appealed if there is a
ground. A student who believes he/she has a ground for an appeal should refer to Policy 72
(Student Appeals) www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/Policies/policy72.htm.
Note for Students with Disabilities: AccessAbility Services (http://uwaterloo.ca/disabilityservices/), located in Needles Hall, Room 1132, collaborates with all academic departments to
arrange appropriate accommodations for students with disabilities without compromising the
academic integrity of the curriculum. If you require academic accommodations to lessen the
impact of your disability, please register with the office at the beginning of each academic term.
Course Schedule
The following course schedule may change from time-to-time to reflect the actual pace of class
discussion and movement through course topics. As this is the first time this course has ever
been offered, there may also be periodic adjustments to the assigned readings to better tailor the
readings to the course content. Any changes to this course schedule will be announced in class at
least a week in advance, and an announcement circulated on Learn about changes.
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January 5: Course Introduction
• No Reading assignment
Core Principles
January 7: Peace (lead instructor Lowell Ewert)
• President Franklin Roosevelt. “State of the Union Speech to Congress,” 1941.
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=16092
• Lester Pearson. Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech, December 10, 1957.
http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1957/pearson-acceptance.html
• Martin Luther King. Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech, December 10, 1964.
http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1964/king-acceptance_en.html
• Barak Obama. Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech, December 10, 2009.
http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2009/obama-lecture_en.html
• Malala Yousafzai. Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech, December 10, 2014
http://nobelpeaceprize.org/en_GB/laureates/laureates-2014/yousafzai-2014/
January 12: Justice – Domestic (lead instructor Lowell Ewert)
• Michael J. Sandel. “Doing the Right Thing.” Chapter 1 in Justice: What’s the Right
Thing to do? New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2009. Pp 3 – 30.
• Abraham Lincoln. “Emancipation Proclamation,” January 1, 1863.
http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/emancipate.htm
• Abraham Lincoln. “Gettysburg Address,” November 19, 1863. Read the “Bliss”
version. http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/gettysburg.htm
January 14: Justice – International (lead instructor Lowell Ewert)
• Rebecca Wittmann. “Pretrial History.” Chapter 1 in Beyond Justice: The Auschwitz
Trial. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2005. Pp.15 – 53.
January 19: Rights (lead instructor Lowell Ewert)
• French Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man.
http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/d/298/
• U.S. Declaration of Independence.
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration_transcript.html
• Universal Declaration of Human Rights. http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/
• Excerpts from the American Convention of Human Rights, Articles 1 - 25.
http://www.oas.org/dil/treaties_B-32_American_Convention_on_Human_Rights.htm
• Eleanor Roosevelt. “On the Adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,”
delivered to the United Nations General Assembly, December 9, 1948.
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/eleanorrooseveltdeclarationhumanrights.htm
January 21: Power (lead instructor Paul Heidebrecht)
• Malcolm Gladwell. “Goliath.” Introduction in David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits,
and the Art of Battling Giants. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2013. Pp. 3-15.
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Brian Resnick, “How Power Corrupts the Mind,” The Atlantic (July 2013). 2 pp.
http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/07/how-power-corrupts-themind/277638/2/
Duncan Green, “Robert Chambers on the fifth power (the power to empower),” Oxfam’s
From Poverty to Power blog (29 November 2012). 2 pp.
http://oxfamblogs.org/fp2p/robert-chambers-on-the-fifth-power-the-power-to-empower/
January 26: Leadership (lead instructor Paul Heidebrecht)
• Richard Reeves, Review of The Myth of the Strong Leader by Archie Brown, in The
Guardian (2 July 2014). 3 pp. http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/jul/03/mythstrong-leader-political-leadership-modern-age-archie-brown-review
• Ira Chaleff, “Courageous Followers, Courageous Leaders,” Ideas for Leaders (December
2001). 3 pp. http://www.courageousfollower.net/wp-content/uploads/CourageousFollowers.pdf
• Jim Collins, “The Death of the Charismatic Leader (And the Birth of an Architect),” Inc.
(October 1997). 2 pp. http://www.jimcollins.com/article_topics/articles/the-death-of-thecharismatic-leader.html
January 28: Belonging (lead instructor Paul Heidebrecht)
• Jean Vanier. “Belonging.” Lecture 2 in Becoming Human. Toronto: House of Anansi
Press, 1998. http://www.cbc.ca/ideas/massey-archives/1998/11/09/1998-massey-lecturesbecoming-human/
• Adrianne Clarkson. “The Circle Widens.” Lecture 1 in Belonging: The Paradox of
Citizenship. Toronto: House of Anansi Press, 2014.
February 2: Denial (lead instructor Lowell Ewert)
• Stanley Cohen. “Knowing and Non-Knowing: The Psychology of Denial.” Chapter 2 in
States of Denial: Knowing About Atrocities and Suffering. Polity Press, 2001. Pp. 21 –
50.
February 4: Accountability (lead instructor Lowell Ewert)
• Martin Luther King. “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.”
http://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/documents/Letter_Birmingham_Jail.pdf
• “Universal Declaration of Human Responsibilities.”
http://globalethic.org/Center/unesco.htm
• Father Winston Rye, S.J., on behalf of the Jesuits in English Canada. “Statement of
Reconciliation: The Jesuits in English Canada.”
http://www.anishinabespiritualcentre.ca/statement-of-reconciliation-the-jesuits-inenglish-canada
• Mike Duffy. Speech to Canadian Senate, October 24, 2013.
http://www.citynews.ca/2013/10/22/transcript-of-sen-mike-duffys-speech-in-the-senatechamber-on-tuesday/
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President Bill Clinton. “Statement concerning Monica Lewinsky,” August 17, 1998.
http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/clinton/clintonstatements.html
February 9: Forgiveness (lead instructor Lowell Ewert)
• James Marcus Howe, Homicide Report, http://homicide.latimes.com/post/james-marcushowe/
• “True Christmas spirit, from a slain man’s grieving parents,”
http://articles.latimes.com/2013/dec/23/local/la-me-banks-reality-tv-director-killing20131224
• “Forgiveness: Letting go of grudges and bitterness,” http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthyliving/adult-health/in-depth/forgiveness/art-20047692?pg=1
• “What is forgiveness?” http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/topic/forgiveness/definition
• Izzeldin Abuelaish. “Sand and Sky.” Chapter 1 in I Shall Not Hate: A Gaza Doctor’s
Journey. Vintage Canada, 2010. Pp. 1 – 16.
February 11: Mid-term
February 16 and 18: Reading Week
February 23: Pain (lead instructor Lowell Ewert)
• “In Honor of…” http://www.madd.org/about-us/history/cari-lightner-and-laura-lambstory.pdf
• Andrea Malin. “Mother Who Won’t Disappear,” in 16 Human Rights Quarterly,
February 1994, Vol. 1. Pp. 187 – 213.
http://search.proquest.com.proxy.lib.uwaterloo.ca/docview/1297955386/fulltext/1?accou
ntid=14906’
February 25: Third Party (lead instructor Lowell Ewert)
• William Ury. “The Third Side.” Chapter 1 in The Third Side: Why We Fight and How
We Can Stop. Penguin Books, 2000. Pp. 3 – 26.
Models – Applying Theory to Practice
March 2: Peace and Arts (lead instructor Paul Heidebrecht)
• Noah Richler. “War Games.” The Walrus (April 2012). 10 pp. http://thewalrus.ca/wargames/
• John Paul Lederach. “On Pied Pipers: Imagination and Creativity.” Chapter 13 in The
Moral Imagination: The Art and Soul of Building Peace. Oxford University Press, 2005.
Pp. 151-162.
• Brian J. Grim. “Four ways businesses can help to build peace.” World Economic Forum
Blog (9 October 2012). 4 pp. https://forumblog.org/2014/10/businesses-help-build-peace/
March 4: Peace and Environment (lead instructor Paul Heidebrecht)
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The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. “Rio Declaration on
Environment and Development” (14 June 1992). 4 pp.
http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?documentid=78&articleid=11
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United Nations Environment Programme. “From Conflict to Peacebuilding: The Role of
Natural Resources and the Environment” (2009). 28 pp.
http://www.iisd.org/sites/default/files/pdf/2009/conflict_peacebuilding.pdf
Mark Notaras. “Building Peace Through Environmental Conservation.” Our World (26
July 2010). 5 pp. http://ourworld.unu.edu/en/building-peace-through-environmentalconservation
March 9: Peace and Applied Health Sciences (lead instructor Paul Heidebrecht)
• James Orbinski. Nobel Lecture on behalf of Médecins Sans Frontières. Oslo, Norway (10
December 1999). 6 pp.
http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1999/msf-lecture.html
• Neil Arya. “Peace Through Health?” Chapter 24 in The Oxford International
Encyclopedia of Peace (Oxford University Press, 2010): 367-388.
http://www.neilarya.com/wpcontent/uploads/2012/01/AryaPeacethroughHealthWebelandGaltungchap24.pdf
March 11: Peace and Science (lead instructor Paul Heidebrecht)
• John P. Holdren, Nobel Lecture: “Arms Limitation and Peace Building in the Post-ColdWar World,” on behalf of Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs. Oslo,
Norway (10 December 1995). 9 pp.
http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1995/pugwash-lecture.html
• John Horgan. “No, War Is Not Inevitable.” Discover Magazine (June 2012). 2 pp.
http://discovermagazine.com/2012/jun/02-no-war-is-not-inevitable
• The European Organization for Nuclear Research (CER). “CERN: Sixty Years of Science
for Peace and Development.” United Nations Economic and Social Council (UNESCO)
event, United Nations Headquarters, New York (20 October 2014). 3 pp.
http://www.un.org/en/ecosoc/CERN60/pdf/conceptnote.pdf
March 16: Peace and Engineering (lead instructor Paul Heidebrecht)
• Dean Nieusma and Ethan Blue. “Engineering and War.” International Journal of
Engineering, Social Justice, and Peace 1/1 (2012): 50-62.
http://library.queensu.ca/ojs/index.php/IJESJP/article/view/3519/4320
• Dylan Love. “Here’s The World’s First Robotics Company To Pledge Not To Make
‘Killer Robots.’” Business Insider (12 August 2014). 3 pp.
http://www.businessinsider.com/clearpath-robotics-joins-campaign-to-stop-killer-robots2014-8
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Robert J. Muscat. “Peace and Conflict: Engineering Responsibilities and Opportunities”
International Journal of Engineering, Social Justice, and Peace 2/1 (2013): 3-9.
http://library.queensu.ca/ojs/index.php/IJESJP/article/view/3661/4710
Peter Kelly-Detwiler. “The Upcycle And Waging Peace Through Commerce: William
McDonough Wants Us To Design Our Way To Abundance.” Forbes (12 November
2013). 2 pp. http://www.forbes.com/sites/peterdetwiler/2013/11/12/the-upcycle-andwaging-peace-through-commerce-william-mcdonough-wants-us-to-design-our-way-toabundance/2/
March 18: Peace and Mathematics (lead instructor Paul Heidebrecht)
• David Wagner. “Another Look at Relevance: Teaching Mathematics for Peace.”
Unpublished paper (2005): 7 pp. http://andromeda.rutgers.edu/~powellab/docs/gcedmcmesg/wagner2005.pdf
• Ubiratan D’Ambrosio. “Mathematics and Peace: Our Responsibilities.” ZDM: The
International Journal on Mathematics Education 30/3 (1998): 67-73.
http://www.emis.de/journals/ZDM/zdm983a2.pdf
• Deandrea Murray. “Making Numbers Count.” Teaching Tolerance 33 (Spring 2008): 3
pp. http://www.tolerance.org/magazine/number-33-spring-2008/feature/making-numberscount
Making it Personal
March 23: Die Empty (lead instructor Lowell Ewert)
• Todd Henry. “Die Empty.” Chapter 1 in Die Empty: Unleash Your Best Work Every
Day. New York: Portfolio/Penguin, 2013. Pp. 1 – 13.
• On one hour reserve in the Grebel Library:
o Todd Henry. Die Empty: Unleash Your Best Work Every Day. New York:
Portfolio/Penguin, 2013. Pp. 14 – 44.
 Chapter 2: “Your Contribution.”
 Chapter 3: “The Siren Song of Mediocrity.”
• “You’ve got to find what you love,” by Steve Jobs,
http://news.stanford.edu/news/2005/june15/jobs-061505.html
March 25: Breaking the Silence (lead instructor Paul Heidebrecht)
• Stephen Lewis. “Dallaire’s Inferno: The Rwandan genocide retold.” The Walrus
(November/December 2003). 6 pp. http://thewalrus.ca/2003-11-books/
• Romeo Dallaire. Speech on the Prevention and Elimination of Mass Atrocities to the
Senate of Canada (9 May 2012). 4 pp. http://romeodallaire.sencanada.ca/en/p102936/
March 30: Legacy (lead instructor Lowell Ewert)
• Nelson Mandela. “An ideal for which I am prepared to die.”
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/apr/23/nelsonmandela1
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Rachel Naomi Remen. “Introduction.” Taken from My Grandfather’s Blessings: Stories
of Strength, Refuge and Belonging. New York: Riverhead Books, 2000. Pp. 1 – 13.
April 1: Conclusion (lead instructor Paul Heidebrecht)
• No Reading assignment
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