Peace and Justice Studies Minor

Are you interested in exploring social, cultural, political, economic, and other issues that impact peace and justice? Do you want to help relieve human suffering?

This minor will give you greater awareness, deeper perspectives, and critical insight about the ways inequality and injustice causes damage to communities and cultures around the globe.

Why choose a minor in peace and justice studies at Marian?

Help make the world a better place! As a minor in peace and justice studies, you'll explore the origins, histories, concepts, theories, and ethical debates surrounding inequality and injustice.

Develop and deepen your understanding of and empathy for individuals and groups of individuals who have been hurt by inequality and injustice. Explore current social initiatives, public policies, and efforts to promote peace, equality, and justice.

Expect a rigorous academic experience in the classroom and a dynamic interpersonal experience outside of the classroom. You will:

• Engage with  peers, faculty, community members, and civic leaders to promote peace and justice throughout greater Indianapolis.
• Participate in immersion trips, experiential learning opportunities, and internships with top Indianapolis organizations, including nonprofit groups and social service agencies.
• Explore and reflect on the spiritual relevance of Franciscanism and how it informs and supports peace and justice efforts.

You may also choose to participate in a special residential learning community. You'll live with like-minded peers who want to practice the Franciscan values upon which Marian University was founded in their daily lives.

• The Dorothy Day House is a faith-based living space modeled on principles embraced by the influential activist. Dorothy Day was a journalist widely recognized for her work promoting social causes, like women's suffrage and pacifism. She converted to Catholicism and infused her faith with activism. A key figure in the Catholic Worker Movement, Day worked tirelessly to uplift women and relieve the suffering of children and adults impacted by the Great Depression.
• The Peter Maurin House for Peace and Justice is built on the principles of the Catholic Worker Movement which Maurin co-founded with Dorothy Day in 1933. A French Catholic social activist inspired by the life of Francis of Assisi, Maurin is credited with creating houses of hospitality for the poor, rural farming communities to teach city dwellers agrarianism and encourage back-to-the-land movements, and round-table discussions and lectures about transforming the social order for the betterment of the poor at colleges, parish churches, and civic meetings across the U.S. 
• The PJS Floor in Clare Hall is for Marian students who are interested in peace and social justice issues and/or those who minor in peace and justice studies.

What will you study?

To earn a minor in peace and justice studies, you'll complete at least 18 credits of sociology, political science, communication, environmental, philosophy, and theology courses.

With just two required three-credit courses (POL 155: Introduction to Peace Studies and SOC 145: Introduction to Social Justice), you'll have a great deal of flexibility to tailor your studies according to your interests and career goals. These are just a few of the course topics from which you might choose:

• Conflict management
• Social and political philosophy
• Causes of war and peace
• Education and social inequality
• Race and ethnic relations
• Gender studies
• Social movements
• Communication for international communities
• Social class, power, and inequality
• Identity and popular culture

For a comprehensive list of courses from which you can choose, please review our undergraduate course catalog.

When you've finished your courses, you will be able to demonstrate your:

• Ability to analyze and recognize the impact of social, cultural, economic, and political forces and value systems on contemporary peace and social justice issues.
• Knowledge of the global dimensions of contemporary peace and justice issues.
• Expertise in generating constructive arguments, relevant research questions, and critical reviews of pertinent literature related to peace, social justice, public policy, and legislation.
• Active and reflective participation in endeavors that promote peace and social justice.

What are your career paths?

Upon completing required and elective coursework, you'll have a deep understanding about the need for socially conscious leadership and how you can promote peace and justice as part of your life's work.

This minor complements a range of bachelor's degree programs, including:

• Catholic studies
• Communication
• Education (elementary and secondary)
• History
• Nursing
• Pastoral leadership
• Political science
• Public health
• Psychology
• Sociology
• Theology

 Among the career paths that you might choose:

• Teacher in elementary, middle, or high schools
• Program administrator, associate, or analyst for local, state, or national government agencies
• Manager of immigration, civil rights, agriculture, environmental, or health programs for nonprofit organizations
• Psychologist or counselor specializing in trauma therapy or victim support
• Pastor or minister leading diverse, multicultural congregations
• Economic or community development specialist for affordable housing or employment agencies
• Healthcare or humanitarian worker, including public health specialist, nurse, or doctor
• Attorney specializing in human rights, immigration, labor and employment, environmental issues, or human trafficking
• Law enforcement officer
• Human resource manager specializing in mediation or conflict management
• Writer or public relations coordinator

You'll also have a sound professional and ethical foundation for advanced study in graduate programs, including law, public policy, environmental affairs, and the social sciences.