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SOCIETY FOR THE STUDY OF PEACE, CONFLICT, AND VIOLENCE: PEACE PSYCHOLOGY DIVISION OF THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION DIVISION 48 |

The Division of Peace Psychology, established within the American Psychological Association (APA) in 1990, is a growing organization consisting of psychologists, students, and professional affiliates from diverse disciplines.
In all of its activities, the division attempts to draw on the talents that exist in its members, those that exist in various divisions of the APA, in international professional organizations, and in related disciplines. The division is a young organization that welcomes professionals and students who wish to contribute to peace. It welcomes diverse international perspectives and ethnic and gender orientations to peace.
The purpose of the division is to increase and apply psychological knowledge in the pursuit of peace. Peace here is defined broadly to include both the absence of war and the creation of positive social conditions which minimize destructive conflicts and promote human well-being.
The specific goals of
the Peace Division are:
1) to encourage psychological research, education, and training on issues concerning peace, nonviolent conflict resolution, reconciliation, and the causes, consequences and prevention of war and other forms of destructive conflict;
2) to provide an organization that fosters communication among researchers, teachers, and practitioners who are working on peace issues; and
3) to apply the knowledge and the methods of psychology in the advancement of peace, non-violent conflict resolution, reconciliation, and the prevention of war and other forms of destructive conflict.
![]() The Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict, and Violence: Peace Psychology functions as Division 48 of the American Psychological Association (APA). It is not necessary to belong to the APA in order to be a member of the Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict, and Violence. Click here for more information regarding Membership in the Society.
Under the leadership of Susie McKay, president during 1995-96, the following Division 48 vision statement was developed:
![]() Resources concerning the use and effects of torture The Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict, and Violence: Peace Psychology Division of the American Psychological Association (APA) concurs with the policy of the APA in condemning the use of torture wherever it occurs. This web page includes the text of the APA policy statement, an annotated bibliography of relevant resources, and a listing of Internet resources. Click here for more information. Peace Psychology Resource Project, a Division 48 new initiative! The Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict, and Violence: Peace Psychology is launching this new initiative to facilitate the teaching of peace psychology. The Peace Psychology Resource Project consists of a web site with syllabi, unique class assignments, and valuable links to additional materials. If you have a unique assignment, would like to your syllabus included, have developed peace psychology curriculum resources, or want to participate in the project as a reviewer, please contact Linda M. Woolf at woolflm@webster.edu. Peace Education information from Psychologists for Social Responsibility
The Peace Education Action Committee has provided a number of links to committee projects and reports. These reports include:
Graduate Level Curriculum for Trauma Intervention and Conflict Resolution In Ethnopolitical Warfare Authored by the Ethnopolitical Warfare Curriculum Conference Planning Task Force of the Steering Committee of the Joint Initiative on Ethnopolitical Warfare of theAmerican and Canadian Psychological Associations. Secretariat of the Task Force: Psychologists for Social Responsibility, National Office, Washington, DC, May 1, 2001. Click here for more information. Who Does What?
Division 48's Journal and Newsletter
Membership dues include a subscription to Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology. Members also receive The Peace Psychology Newsletter. Student and Early Career Working Group Want to more about the Student and Early Career Working Group? Visit the S-EC web site! Division 48's E-Mail Discussion Lists For those interested, the Division operates two e-mail discussion lists or listservs. Guidelines for all Society listservs are available here.
Division bylaws were last amended by a membership vote in 2006. Click here to download a copy of the bylaws in PDF format: 2006 Bylaws.
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Boston College Center for Human Rights and International Justice
Christie, D. J., Wagner, R. V., & Winter, D. D. (Eds.) (2001). Peace, Conflict, and Violence: Peace Psychology for the 21st Century. Available for Free Download in PDF format! |
APA Annual Convention!
Peace Psychology Book Available for Free Download!Christie, D. J., Wagner, R. V., & Winter, D. D. (Eds.) (2001). Peace, Conflict, and Violence: Peace Psychology for the 21st Century. Available for Free Download in PDF format! 2008 Election Candidate StatementsStatements by the candidates for: Monitor on Psychology: Humanitarian HeroesVisit the December 2007 issue of the Monitor on Psychology. Several members of the Society for the Study of the Peace, Conflict, and Violence are featured!
Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology highlighted!The Society's journal, Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology (Vol. 11, No. 1) is highlighted in the June 2005 issue of the Monitor on Psychology in an article entitled, "Peace psychologists, military leaders highlight soldiers' ethical dilemmas." To read the article online, Click Here.Archived Announcements
Executive Committee Call for an APA Moratorium ResolutionThe Executive Committee of the Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict, and Violence: Peace Psychology Division 48 of the APA (American Psychological Association) calls on the APA to adopt a Moratorium Resolution on Psychologist's Involvement in Interrogations at US Detention Centers for Foreign Detainees and Individuals Identified as "Enemy Combatants" under the Military Commissions Act of 2006. Click here for more information! . 2007 APA Reaffirmation of the American Psychological Association Position Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and Its Application to Individuals Defined in the United States Code as "Enemy Combatants"2006 APA Resolution Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or PunishmentThe American Psychological Association 2006 Resolution Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Executive Committee Responds to Queries regarding the Statement Concerning the Use of Torture with PrisonersThe Executive Committee of the Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict, and Violence: Peace Psychology Division 48 (APA) was recently asked by Dr. Gerald Koocher to provide clarification concerning the use of the term "coercive interrogations." Click here to read the Executive Committee's response concerning the issue of "coercive interrogation." Executive Committee Statement Concerning the Use of Torture with PrisonersThe Executive Committee (EC) of the Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict, and Violence: Peace Psychology Division 48 of the APA (American Psychological Association) reaffirms its position denouncing the use of torture in the interrogation of prisoners. Click here for more information! .Resources concerning the use and effects of torture
The Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict, and Violence: Peace Psychology Division of the American Psychological Association (APA) concurs with the policy of the APA in condemning the use of torture wherever it occurs. This web page includes the text of the APA policy statement, an annotated bibliography of relevant resources, and a listing of Internet resources. Click here for more information. Preamble to Terrorism StatementIt is the intention of the Division 48 Subcommittee on Terrorism that this statement should supplement the APA Resolution on Terrorism (adopted 12/08/01) and in so doing extend the ongoing dialogue. Preamble to Terrorism Statement Division 48 Revised Terrorism StatementTerrorist acts do not occur in a vacuum, but in a context so multidisciplinary as to summon the cooperative efforts of expertise in a large variety of academic disciplines including psychology, political science, economics, international and cultural affairs, military studies, technology, and theology. We first list psychology, the study of human behaviour, as the overarching discipline that can expand its scope while learning from other disciplines. There is much that psychology in general and peace psychology in particular can contribute to the current debate on terrorism. Three key issues merit our attention: defining terrorism, understanding what motivates terrorist acts, and deciding how psychology can best offer advice on how to respond to these acts. Read Interpreting and Responding to Terrorism APA Presidential Task Force on Psychological Ethics and National SecurityAPA President Ron Levant has put together a Task Force on Psychological Ethics and National Security. Members of the Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict, and Violence: Peace Psychology Division have been appointed to the Task Force. A complete list of Task Force members and their biographical information can be found here and the Final Task Report can be downloaded here. Additionally, President Levant has issued a Call for Questions and Comments in relation to the report. More information can be found here. ![]()
2006 APA Address by Spoma Jovanovic, Ph.D.Dr. Jovanovic spoke at the 2006 APA Annual Convention and discussed her work with the Greensboro Truth and Community Reconciliation Project. Click here to read Dr. Jovanovic's talk, The Greensboro Truth And Community Reconciliation Project: Communication For Community Change Or Communication For Reconciliation: Grassroots Work For Community Change.
Presidential Address by Dr. Eileen Borris, 2005 APA ConventionEileen Borris' Presidential Address, Political Forgiveness and International Affairs was given at the 113th Convention of the American Psychological Association: Peace Division (48) in Washington, D.C. Click to read Dr. Eileen Borris' Presidential address Political Forgiveness and International Affairs.
First Annual Morton Deutsch Conflict Resolution Award Address by Johan Galtung, 2002 ConventionJohan Galtung's Acceptance Speech for the Morton Deutsch Conflict Resolution Award was given at the 110th Convention of the American Psychological Association: Peace Division (48) in Chicago on the 25th of August 2002. Click to read his address Exiting from the Terrorism-State Terrorism Vicious Cycle: Some Psychological Conditions.
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This page is maintained by Linda M. Woolf. Please direct questions and comments to her.
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