Peace Studies and Community Networks

Peace Studies is part of our Community Network Information Framework.

Since 1994 we have been building Peace Studies resources and hosting a yearly Peace Poems Project which has students from around the world sharing poems about Peace.

What does a Community Network have to do with Peace Studies?

First, and perhaps most importantly, we provide an online resources center and learning campus that can be used by anyone. We also teach Technology Literacy classes which focus on learning about the “Framework” which goes to make up our Communities idea, (or Ideal), of what everyone should expect as far as easily available learning tools and resources, (like schools, libraries and parks and online web sites that link small business, local government and health resources together in one place). We study ways in which a communities "technology framework" or "technology plan" can include Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution Studies, for young students, High School classes and adults.

Community Networks are always working to find ways to make use of new technology in order to help strengthen local communication and learning, to help re-weave the fabric of the Community in a ways that ensure sustainability and communication.

We have seen many times how important it is that we help create an expectation of “sustainability” and an expectation of “peace” when we discuss plans and ideas about the future of our “community”. 21st Century Community Planning and Design must include these kinds of ideas.

We created both peace studies and conflict resolution study units for our Smithsonian Award winning Camp Internet online program and our online HomeSchool program.

Here is a part of the Introduction to the Peace Studies online campus:

Throughout history People have always had to deal with problems of war and violence.

Today we deal with these kind of problems not only between Countries around the world but also in our neighborhoods and schools.

The Camp Internet Peace Studies Class will give you the Background, Vocabulary and Historical Insight to understand that peace is possible. To understand that Peace has often been the normal condition of things.

During our study we will work to build skills which we can apply, in our classroom or homeschool, Tools which will help make each of us better able to facilitate or make possible Peaceful Communication and Interaction, (between different peoples and between people and the earth they walk on).

Your study of Peace this year is divided into 2 main units.

First is "Peace Studies". This unit involves history, art and literature, economics and agriculture.

The second part of your Peace Studies is called "Conflict Resolution".

This unit involves the study of why and how to engage in Consensus decision making as well as how and when to engage in conflict resolution or mediation. Useful skills at school, in the community and at home.

Some of the vocabulary, (words) in our Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution classes will be complex words like "consensus". We’ll learn how important “words” can be in building peace. During our studies we will all learn "new words".

Our “Vocabulary of Peace” related words will increase and with the new vocabulary / new words will come an important growth in our ability to "talk about" and "ask questions" about Peace.

The Peace Studies class goes on to teach students about the History of the Peace Movement, about the importance of Transcendentalism in American history and much more.

To explore our Peace Studies online campus go to http://www.rain.org/peace-studies