Peace and Conflict Studies - Grebel & UWaterloo

08/26/2026

Curious about the foundational courses in Peace and Conflict Studies, enroll in PACS 201: Roots of Conflict, Violence and Peace, one of the four foundational courses [including PACS 101, PACS 202, and PACS 203). In this video, a PACS Minor student, Beth, is sharing about their experience in PACS 201.

PACS 201 introduces students from a variety of backgrounds to the study of conflict, violence and peace. It is the first of three preliminary core courses in the Peace and Conflict Studies Program at the University of Waterloo. Like peace and conflict studies, this course draws on works that synthesize insights from various academic fields in the humanities and social sciences, as well as those produced outside of the university. As such, it engages with works that offer not only different ways of understanding and dealing with conflict and violence but also differing methodologies and styles.

Among the questions we will explore in this course are:
1. What do we mean when we speak of “conflict,” and “violence” and “peace”? Are there different kinds of violence? Is peace simply an absence of conflict or violence, or is it something more than that? What is the relationship between peace and justice?

2. How is warmaking perpetuated? What are the ways in which individuals and groups have responded to warmaking?

3. What role does power play in conflict, violence and peace?

08/11/2026

It is a course add period, and we are pleased to let you know that there are some new, exciting PACS courses you may find really interesting beyond the regular courses. These include:

PACS 490: Communication and Social Justice (this one you get to take it with Communication Studies students, which gives you a whole new experience) - it is cross-listed with COMMST 430.

PACS 302: Relational Aesthetics Towards Dialogue (this one you will take it with theatre performance students, and you get to learn how to act; it is really cool and fun) - it is cross-listed with THPERF 490.

PACS 313: Community Conflict Resolution (this one is with communications studies students as well) - it is cross-listed with COMMST 302.

We will not be offering these courses in the winter term of 2026.

Please reach out if you have any questions to the PACS Academic Advisor.

07/30/2026

Please note that PACS 331: Trauma Healing and Social Transformation will not be offered in the winter term of 2027. Going forward, we will be offering the course once a year. This means students who are working towards completion of the Restorative Justice Specialization or Diploma need to plan to take the course whenever it is offered.

If you are planning to graduate in June 2027 with the RJ Specialization or Diploma, you must enroll in PACS 331 in the fall term of 2026 if you have not taken the course. There is no way around graduating with the Specialization or Diploma without that course. It is one of the core courses for that academic plan.

If you have any questions, connect with the PACS Undergraduate Academic Advisor.

07/17/2026

Join us this Fall term in PACS 302/THPERF 490 class on Relational Aesthetics towards Dialogue.

This course invites students into a collaborative and curiosity-driven exploration that fosters meaningful conversation and connection amongst University of Waterloo students.

Through the creation of multi-media presentations and/or performances, students will develop practical skills in active listening, perspective-taking, and dialogue, with attention to experiences of marginalization and its impact on belonging.

The course add period begins next week from July 23 to July 28, 2026. If you are looking for an interesting and engaging course for an elective as a second, third or fourth year student, this might be a great course for you!

06/18/2026

Congratulations to all the PACS graduates who participated in today’s convocation ceremony at the University of Waterloo!!

We are all very proud of your achievements and dedication towards building a more equitable, just, and peaceful world!



🎓📚✏️

06/17/2026

At each spring Convocation, the University of Waterloo honours the top graduating scholar with the highest cumulative average in each honours program of study. Chiara McLean has combined strong scholarship and dedication to Peace and Conflict Studies throughout her degree and is the winner of the PACS Departmental Award for Distinguished Academic Achievement.

“I was drawn to Peace and Conflict Studies as I was always interested in what drives conflict and division in our world and wanted to learn more about the opportunities and work that can bring forth peace,” Chiara recalled. In her first year of university, she enroled in Peace is Everybody’s Business, quickly followed by Roots of Conflict, Violence, and Peace. Her interest was piqued, and she went on to earn a joint BA in Political Science and PACS with a minor in Communications Studies. …

Congratulations to you, Chiara, and to all PACS students who are graduating this spring. This is a significant achievement and is well-deserved.

Read the full article using the link in our Instagram bio.

06/15/2026

We are hiring!

Application deadline: July 6, 2026

Conrad Grebel University College seeks to hire an instructor for the following in-person course in Fall 2026: PACS315 - Engineering and Peace

Course Delivery:
Day and Time: Wednesdays 7 pm to 9:50 pm
Mode of Delivery: In-person

Description:

This course is built on the conviction that the kinds of problems engineers seek to address, and the ways they seek to address them, should matter for anyone interested in advancing peace in the world. Topics include historical connections between the discipline of engineering and warfare, understanding the engineering method and mindset, and technological frontiers for peacebuilding.

More details about the role, please visit the link in our instagram page Bio.

05/11/2026

What happens when a university course invites students to produce creative works that engage difference constructively? “Arts-based approaches allow people to explore issues and concerns in ways that are embodied, fluid, and metaphorical," explained PACS Professor Reina Neufeldt. "Performances can tap into an emotional registry as well as creativity and play. In these spaces, people hear and see perspectives differently, often with greater empathy and openness.”

Read more about PACS 302/THPERF 490: Relational Aesthetics Towards Dialogue, which combines arts-based approaches to dialogue with performance studies.

new interdisciplinary course, PACS 302/THPERF 490: Relational Aesthetics Towards Dialogue.

04/16/2026

This week at Peace and Conflict Studies Department:

Appreciation post for some of this year’s PACS undergraduate students, who participated in Conrad Grebel’s Convocation celebration at the Humanities Theatre on Sunday, April 12th, 2026. Thank you all for your hard work and dedication throughout your years in the PACS program, and congratulations on your many accomplishments.

Wishing you all the best in your future endeavors as you continue to work for equitable peace, social justice and community transformation wherever your journey takes you.

03/25/2026

The C. Henry Smith Peace Oratorical Contest is taking place TODAY from 7 - 8:30 p.m. in the Grebel Gallery (fourth floor).
Come check out the contestants and take part in an active listening experience.
You can find out more at the link in our bio.