Peace and Conflict Studies: Scope and Prospects

Satyabrat Sinha
This essay intends to create awareness about the discipline of Peace and Conflict Studies and generate an interest in what is a widely applicable Social Science. Very few of us have any idea of Peace and Conflict Studies. It is a Social Science discipline dealing with the issue of Peace and Conflict in all aspects of human sphere - international, national, local as well as individual. Much like all aspects of commercial activity falls within the sphere of Economics, similarly, all aspects affecting Peace is the concern of Peace and Conflict Studies.

Let me begin with a brief description of the two important terms –‘Peace’ and ‘Conflict’ as they are central to the discipline. ‘Peace’ evokes different meanings for each of us. One conception of ‘Peace’ dominant in Asian civilisations and therefore in Sikkim is internal Peace, for instance, the Peace of mind. However, for many of us, ‘Peace’ is something external, often understood as the opposite of war and violence.
The discipline of Peace and Conflict Studies is concerned with the external aspects of ‘Peace’, freedom from war and violence. The subject further conceptualises, ‘Peace’ in two ways, a minimalist i.e. negative peace and a maximalist i.e. positive peace.
The former refers to a peace, where there is an absence of war and violence. It is with positive peace, that we agree, as it refers to an absence of war and violence plus the presence of justice and rights.  The emphasis on the presence of justice and rights in positive peace propels us right into the heart of the issues in contemporary times.
Having said so, let me explain the other term i.e. ‘Conflict’. For most laymen, Conflict is a bad word, it evokes images of violence, war and fights and therefore we believe conflict is an undesirable aspect of human lives. Nothing could be further from the truth, as we have only a partial understanding of Conflict. One can take various examples as to how conflict is integral to our lives and is in fact a progressive force of social change.
When one buys vegetables from a shop, the grocer quotes a specific price, let say, Rs. 60 for a kg of onions. For the customer, it is in his interest to buy the Kg of onions for as low a price as possible, however, for the grocer, it is in his interest to sell the onions as high as possible to make a profit.
The interest of the customer is at odds with the interest of the grocer. This is an example of a conflict, where there is incompatibility of interests and both parties try to strive towards their respective goals, the grocer to get as high a price as possible and the customer to pay as low a price as possible. In most usual situations, we bargain/negotiate with the grocer to reduce the price and arrive at a mutually acceptable price for the sale to be made.
Similarly, we are constantly negotiating conflict in various relationships in the family, among colleagues and the social world around. Conflict is, thus, an indispensable part of our lives.
Let us take another example to illustrate conflict as a progressive social force. We all know the role of Mahatma Gandhi in the Indian National Movement. Gandhiji’s actions can be seen as causing conflict as it challenged British rule in India and led to mass protests against the British.
The interests of the British Empire were at odds with the interest of the Indians, who wanted to be in charge of their own destiny. But Gandhiji’s actions paved the way for an independent India. This example explains how conflicts empower and results in desirable social change.
I hope both these examples have made us understand the concept that we call ‘Conflict’.  In both these instances, conflict does not mean violence, fight or war, though in some circumstance, they can be so. Gandhiji’s use of non-violent means to express opposition to British rule, while being a great strategy also expressed conflict constructively, without violence and war. But what is destructive is when a conflict is expressed violently, let’s say, that instead of bargaining with the grocer, we kill him for disagreeing with our quoted price.
Peace and Conflict Studies seeks to analyse conflicts and provides tools and techniques for expressing them without war or violence.
In many aspects of our local, social, regional and national lives, individuals and societies have similar disagreements and seek to resolve those, using tools of war and violence.
Peace and Conflict Studies tries to resolve such disagreements in a constructive manner. This is not merely a theoretical idea in Universities; it has been, practically demonstrated to us in many different contexts and countries by towering figures like Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela and the Dalai Lama.
Historically, the discipline grew out of efforts by students during the American Civil war in the 19th Century and its immediate need was felt during the bloodiest 20th century. We have already experienced two world wars and the threat of human annihilation with the presence of nuclear weapons. Today, most of the conflicts are internal and civilians like you and me bear the brunt of violence.
The first academic program in Peace and Conflict Studies began in 1948 in the United States and today, it remains an extremely thriving and popular discipline through the world.  In India, however, Peace and Conflict Studies is only now, catching the imagination of our educators as a worthy effort, to apply academic training to the various conflicts raging across the nation. It is now taught in six Universities across India and is expected to be part of many existing and new curricula.
The department of Peace and Conflict Studies and Management in Sikkim University is one of the pioneering departments across India and in North East India, which has a two year MA program as well as a six year integrated M.Phil/ Phd program. A primary strength of the Department is our location, in the 'periphery' of India, and in close proximity to many conflict areas including (Bangladesh, Nepal, Naxalite movement, insurgencies in the North East, Illegal Immigration, Refugees, Demands for Autonomy) on both sides of the inter-state and intra-state divide.
Any student studying Peace and Conflict Studies has a wider career choice. The discipline provides the same professional opportunities of traditional social sciences in addition to newer avenues with its specific training on various issue areas. The Masters program offers courses on Refugee, Media, Development, International Organisations, Gender, Borders, Migration, Environment and similar issues that affect Peace and Conflict.
The students can avail various career opportunities in teaching (schools and colleges), journalism, research institutes, publishing industry, NGO’s, International organisations as also in the government sector and Human Resource departments of all organisations.
(The writer teaches in the Department of Peace and Conflict Studies and Management, Sikkim University.)