SHSS hosts Peacebuilders from Zimbabwe on Sept. 21

The African Peace and Conflict Network (APCN) with the Department of Conflict Analysis and Resolution (DCAR) at the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences (SHSS) is hosting an interactive discussion with Merwyn and Kirstin De Mello, peacebuilding practitioners from Zimbabwe, on Sept. 21. Their talk entitled, Zimbabwe in Transition - A peacebuilder/ peacebuilding response and strategy will take place at 4 p.m. in room # 2045 of the Maltz Building and is open to the NSU and local community.

A Global Political Agreement (GPA) was signed in September 2008 by the three major political parties in Zimbabwe. National Healing has been officially mandated by Article VII of this agreement. Zimbabwean society has been plagued through its pre and post liberation history by cycles of violence. Organized violence and torture are endemic and have impacted election processes, the effects of which have pervaded the psyche of the nation. If the resultant symptoms are not addressed, the country’s troubled society may continue with its destructive social and political patterns. The De Mellos’ discussion will take a look at some of the grassroots peacebuilding initiatives in a highly politicized and economically depressed environment and answer questions such as, “What would peacebuilding strategies look like in this environment?” and, “What impact would a process of healing have in a politically unstable environment characterized by mistrust and fear?”

For further information, please contact Mark Davidheiser at davidhei@nova.edu. DCAR offers graduate level degrees (M.S. and Ph.D.) in both residential and distance learning formats. For further information about the department and other programs in our graduate school, please visit http://shss.nova.edu/.