The College of Law’s new International Peace and Security Initiative fosters an understanding of the drivers of insecurity and paths to peace.  It trains future advocates and leaders and supports global organizations and institutions dedicated to human rights, women, peace, and security.

Taking a rights-based multidisciplinary approach, the Initiative examines the drivers of insecurity, conflict, and displacement; the laws and policies to address them; effective peacebuilding strategies; and a framework for changing the traditional paradigms of peace and security to better reflect the challenges of today’s world.

It also centers women in peace and security.

Transforming theory into practice, the International Peace and Security Initiative gives students the opportunity to engage in some of the most challenging issues facing the world – and our communities - today.  It also engages the broader community in important conversations.

The Initiative will produce passionate prepared peacebuilders and advocates for rights-based and human focused security who can join governmental, nongovernmental, and other organizations here and abroad where they are needed now more than ever.

The Center for International Peace and Security will focus on practice and impact. It will:

• Provide thought leadership
• Offer real world learning opportunities for students
• Expand opportunities for students to directly support the work of global partners
• Support women peacebuilders
• Teach conflict resolution, peacebuilding, and social cohesion strategies with lessons learned from peacebuilders around the world
• Increase student exposure to government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and international institutions
• Engage students in policy
• Foster student leadership
• Provide internship opportunities
• Increase post-graduate employment opportunities in the field
• Connect students regionally, nationally, and globally and foster cross-cultural education

It will not only focus on global instability and foreign conflicts but will create a network and learning environment in which peacebuilding success abroad can be understood and adapted to address challenges that exist here in the U.S and in our communities.

The world is facing security threats and unprecedented displacement, massive human rights violations, gender-based violence, and technology-facilitated violence. There is increasing instability and insecurity due to extremism, cyber insecurity, health crises, and climate emergencies. And the tactics of war have changed. 90% of casualties in today’s conflict are civilians, and 70% are women and children. We also see increasing instability, threats to democracy, and political violence in the U.S.

Nations cannot be secure if their people are not secure. 

Today’s conflicts are not just about protecting governments and borders and winning wars.  Human security is critical to prevent and resolve conflict and achieve global stability.  It is also imperative to change traditional power structures and address the root causes of conflict.  Human focused processes that include women are proven to have a better chance at sustainable peace.

True peace requires understanding what conflict means beyond wars, what security means beyond the State, what peace means beyond lack of violence, and what effective strategies are for peacebuilding at home and abroad.