Peace, Justice, and Conflict Studies and Indiana Libraries

Abstract

Peace, Justice, and Conflict Studies (hereafter referred to simply as peace studies) is one of the younger academic disciplines having its origins in the aftermath of World War II. And, believe it or not, it has many of its roots right here in Indiana. In 1948 Manchester College pioneered the first undergraduate peace studies program in America followed closely by Goshen and Earlham Colleges. These three programs now cooperate in the Lily-funded Plowshares project. (Details of this innovative initiative are available at its website http://www.plowsharesproject.org/) Indiana is such a magnet for peace studies as a discipline and profession that both the Peace and Justice Studies Association and the Historic Peace Church conferences were held in Goshen and Indianapolis respectively in 2005.