Center for Peace, Democracy, and Development

08/31/2026

Can a wrestling match help prevent violent extremism? Center for Peace, Democracy, and Development’s (CPDD) Fellow Dominic Offei’s newest piece on PaxBlog says: maybe.

He takes us inside "Wrestling for Peace," an initiative in northern Benin where traditional wrestling tournaments — cheered on by thousands — have become a way to build trust between communities and give young people a peaceful, culturally rooted alternative to extremist recruitment.

Dominic doesn't shy away from the hard questions either: who gets left out (mostly women), and what happens to these programs when outside funding disappears. It's a thoughtful, clear-eyed read on what peacebuilding can look like when it starts from culture instead of policy.
Give it a read: https://blogs.umb.edu/paxblog/2026/08/31/wrestling-for-peace-can-culturally-rooted-sports-help-prevent-violent-extremism-in-west-africa/

When we think about preventing violent extremism, images of military patrols, surveillance systems, and border security often come to mind. But what if one of the most effective tools isn’t the use of military/force—or even policy—but a sporting activity rooted in local culture? In parts of no...

08/25/2026

📘 CPDD’s 2025–26 Annual Report is here!

Take a look at the Center for Peace, Democracy, and Development’s latest annual report highlighting the exciting research, events, publications, podcasts, and other work of their Fellows and affiliates.

Explore their work across four key impact areas: peacebuilding & conflict resolution, democratic development, global health & development, and security & human security.

Read the full annual report and learn more about what CPDD has accomplished this year—and what’s ahead! 🌎

https://sites.google.com/umb.edu/cpdd/home?authuser=0 .tv2n0d8uf6vl

08/20/2026

Center for Peace, Democracy, and Development (CPDD) Fellow Sahar Badiezadeh l had an exceptional publication year: five peer-reviewed articles across the Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, Urban Science, the Journal of Hydrology, the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, and Health Care Analysis, spanning migration health, disaster planning, climate policy, and family therapy.

Badiezadeh also secured a $12,000 Restorative Justice Commission Transformative Equity grant from UMass Boston as principal investigator for “Restorative Pathways for International Graduate Students at UMass Boston,” running across the 2025–2026 academic year. Congratulations, Sahar, on a remarkable year of scholarship.

08/19/2026

Back in April, the Center for Peace, Democracy, and Development (CPDD) brought two U.S. Foreign Service officers to campus for “Pizza with Diplomats” — a relaxed, pizza-fueled conversation about careers in public diplomacy.

Students got to hear directly from Brian Gibel of the State Department and Jenny Palmer, Cultural Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, about what the work actually looks like day to day.

This is exactly the kind of event we love hosting: real practitioners, real conversations, no lecture hall required.

08/13/2026

Big congratulations to Center for Peace, Democracy, and Development’s (CPDD) Senior Fellow— Nkasi Wodu on his newest piece for New Security Beat: "Lessons from the Niger Delta: What Awaits U.S. Oil Companies in Venezuela?" Drawing on years of research in the Niger Delta, Nkasi looks at what happens when oil companies move into fragile, high-risk political environments — and how the responsibilities they inherit go far beyond the usual corporate playbook.

The piece caps a busy year for Nkasi, who also presented related research on Nigeria's Petroleum Industry Act at the International Studies Association's Annual Convention and the ISA Northeast Conference. Give it a read:

When the executive branch of the United States government authorized the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in early January, it was the latest turn in a series of escalating events [...]

08/12/2026

A powerful new read on PaxBlog from Dr. Debidatta Aurobinda Mahapatra, a member of Center for Peace, Democracy, and Development’s (CPDD) Nonviolent Action & Social Change lab: the story of India's "Cockroaches" movement — a protest that started with one dismissive remark and one viral post, and ended with an education minister's resignation and real reform.

What stood out to Debidatta: the young protesters leaned on Gandhi's playbook — fasting, peaceful marches, discipline under pressure — to win. A reminder of how much power organized, peaceful protest still holds.

Read it here:

Few imagined that a movement generated on social media would gain global attention. Even fewer, perhaps, imagined that this movement of disparate youth would result in concrete action. Thousands of young activists gathered in the Indian capital and protested to reform the Indian education system, su...

08/11/2026

Fresh off the stage at the 2026 Asian Leadership Conference in Seoul, Senior Fellow Jay Jang (co-leader of CPDD's Human Security & National Security lab) shared his vision for the U.S.–Korea alliance alongside senior fellows from the Heritage Foundation.

Jay’s message: this partnership runs deeper than politics — it’s built on decades of shared history and sacrifice. Earlier this year, he also spoke to nearly 300 students, veterans, and community leaders at Andover Public Schools about the legacy of the Korean War. Great year, Jay!

08/10/2026

One of Center for Peace, Democracy, and Development’s four focus areas and one of its labs is Global Health and Development — research that looks at how health, policy, and violence intersect in people’s everyday lives.

A great example is Courtenay Sprague’s ongoing partnership in Bogotá, Colombia, which just published its first paper examining the paths available to women survivors of violence in the city.

The team had returned to Bogotá for a second round of fieldwork, working alongside local doctoral students and researchers. This is the kind of long-term, on-the-ground work CPDD is proud to support.

08/06/2026

Congratulations to Center for Peace, Democracy, and Development Fellow Samantha Lakin. In July, she headed to Ile-Ife, Nigeria as an invited faculty instructor at the Ife Institute of Advanced Studies.

This was the latest step in a year that also included two conference presentations in Johannesburg, a panel at Harvard’s Kwibuka commemoration, and a new book chapter on women’s political leadership in post-conflict Iraq. Wishing her more giant strides.

08/05/2026

What if one successful rescue operation tells us something much bigger about the future of Nigeria's security strategy?

In a new article for PaxBlog, Center for Peace, Democracy, and Development Fellow— Omowon Adebobola argues that the recent rescue of abducted pupils and teachers in Oyo State may represent more than a tactical success. It may signal an important evolution in Nigeria's counterterrorism approach—one that prioritizes intelligence, coordination, patience, and civilian protection.

As security threats continue to evolve, understanding what works, and why has never been more important.

Read the full article here:
https://blogs.umb.edu/paxblog/2026/08/04/the-oyo-rescue-and-nigerias-emerging-counterterrorism-doctrine/

After reading, we'd love to hear your thoughts. Do you think Nigeria is witnessing the emergence of a new counterterrorism doctrine?

For more than a decade, Nigeria’s fight against terrorism and kidnapping has been measured largely by statistics: the number of people abducted, the number eventually released, the amount reportedly paid in ransom, and the number who never made it home. Every successful rescue has understandably b...