Carter School News

As hip-hop celebrates its 50th anniversary, many people are discussing how the art form has influenced culture, but few know about its role in conflict resolution and diplomacy.

The Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution has launched a new website: “Conflict Resolution Resource Hub for Teachers” (https://teach.conflictresolution.gmu.edu). Designed for high school teachers, this site provides free resources and activities to help teachers include non-partisan conflict analysis and resolution tools into their lessons regarding historical and contemporary real-world problems.

Recent graduate Yong June Kim (CONF, ’23) epitomizes the essence of a well-rounded scholar. Having made the most of his Mason experience, he now embarks on an exciting journey to Europe for his next chapter.

In an interview with the Portuguese newspaper Expresso, Alpaslan Özerdem, dean of the Carter School, identified the critical components of a successful reconstruction of Ukraine. According to Özerdem, the legitimacy of reconstruction rests upon including the needs of the Ukrainian population as a whole. He warned that focusing on the investment priorities of the funding parties, at the expense of the needs of the people who will live in the reconstructed zones, is a recipe for failure. Mental health, culture, and interpersonal connections in divided front-line communities should be priorities when planning reconstruction.

The Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University and Restorative Arlington, a local 501(c)(3) non-profit that provides restorative justice services to the schools, legal system, and communities of Arlington County and the City of Falls Church, have signed an affiliation agreement that would facilitate collaboration between the two organizations and further cement the Carter School’s profile as a key resource in alternative dispute resolution in the DMV.

In an earlier piece we discussed how Ukrainians living in front-line areas, the great majority of whom are Russian speakers, see their own nation and how they perceive Russia and Russian citizens. This blog addresses their opinions regarding war and a path to victory and peace.

The Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution provides critical learning opportunities for Myanmar students as they search for solutions to Myanmar’s tumultuous state.

A lengthy and comprehensive reconstruction effort will be needed to raise Ukraine from the rubble and provide a peaceful living environment for its displaced people. Before postwar reconstruction planning can start in earnest, however, international donors and Kyiv should have a clear understanding of the challenges that may be expected.

Hannah Adamson knew after an 8th-grade trip to Washington, D.C., that the capital region was the place for her. She is graduating this May with a bachelor of arts in conflict analysis and resolution.

Dr. Borislava Manojlovic, assistant professor of conflict analysis and resolution at Mason Korea, has been awarded a Fulbright award to conduct research in Serbia.

Dr. Roland B. Wilson, Program Coordinator, Associate Professor, and faculty advisor at the Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at Mason’s Korea campus, has been appointed as an Advisor on the Board of Directors at the  US-Korea Alliance Foundation headquartered in the state of Virginia.  

On February 24, the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, George Mason University’s Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution hosted “One Year After: Ukraine War Analysis and Prospects,” an all-day virtual event to discuss the effects of the war and potential post-war contexts. The event featured Romantsova Oleksandra, executive director of the Center for Civil Liberties, the first Ukrainian organization to win a Noble Peace Prize. The recognition, which the human rights organization received in 2022, was due in part to their work documenting war crimes against civilians in occupied areas of Ukraine.