Learning Peace
Academic programs in the world
How can we create a peaceful world where human beings are able to live free from the fear of war and terror? The opportunity to reflect on this question exists everywhere, including Hiroshima, but exploring it in an academic way is possible at many universities. Although there is a lack of programs in Peace Studies at universities in Japan, a number of institutions overseas offer such programs.
For this issue, we first set out to define the field of Peace Studies by interviewing an expert in Hiroshima. Then we sent a questionnaire to several universities and asked alumni about their experiences. We were rather shocked to discover that "peace" doesn't always equal "no war"; in fact, some people argue that there are times when war is needed to achieve peace. We also learned that a lot of practical research in this field is being carried out around the world.
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Interview with Mitsuo Okamoto, Professor Emeritus at Hiroshima Shudo University, Poverty and arms control can be topics of study |
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 Professor Okamoto (left) discusses the field of Peace Studies. (photo by Kotaro Tsuchida, 15) |
We paid a visit to Mitsuo Okamoto, Professor at Hiroshima Shudo University and a trustee of The Peace Studies Association of Japan. We asked him to explain the field of Peace Studies.
Peace Studies is often thought of as an area of research which involves strategies to root out war from the world, but this is not the field's only theme of study. In fact, a wide range of topics is addressed, including poverty as a catalyst of conflict, the connection between religion and war, and arms control.
In Japan, Peace Studies is based on the experience of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In the United States, though, there is a strong focus on conflict resolution, not only at the state level but also between individuals. There is also the notion of "good wars" and "bad wars" with the view that dropping the atomic bombs can be justified from the standpoint of "ending the war more quickly." In England, which once had a number of colonies in the world, peace issues involving developing nations is an active subject of study.
Professor Okamoto's research related to the Vietnam War explores the question of how peace can be achieved through non-violence as opposed to "peace through force." In 1976, he taught the first course in Peace Studies at a Japanese university and similar courses are now offered at more than 50 schools.
The Peace Studies Association of Japan (Seiji Endo, Professor at Seikei University, is the Chairman) has about 1000 members. They are involved in researching politics, law, and education and strive to provide useful information to groups engaged in peace-building activities. The organization's research, by subcommittees and regional chapters, is issued annually. (Minako Iwata, 14)
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Click to watch our interview with Professor Okamoto. |
Japan 
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A lack of programs in Peace Studies We looked into the programs of study at Japanese universities. According to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, there have been no programs in Peace Studies to date, but this will soon change. Starting this spring for the new academic year, International Christian University, located in Tokyo, will revamp its academic structure and begin offering 31 majors, including a program in Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution. This program, which is taught in both Japanese and English, will feature opportunities for experiential learning, too, such as a study tour to Okinawa. At Hiroshima University, which maintains a "spirit of pursuing peace" as part of its mission, the administration is planning to implement peace-related classes as a core subject across the liberal arts curriculum. Since 2003, Hiroshima City University has offered a short intensive course called "Hiroshima and Peace" for Japanese students and students from abroad to explore nuclear issues and conflict resolution. Held annually, the purpose of the course is to inspire the participants to share what they learned in Hiroshima once they return to their own countries and communities. Meiji University, which houses the Institute for Disarmament and Peace Studies, has been conducting a course in peace-building for first-and second-year students of all departments since last April. Institute staff and outside lecturers teach such subject matter as "reconstruction in post-conflict areas." The cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are working in tandem to encourage universities to integrate "The Hiroshima-Nagasaki Peace Study Course." This program is currently used at 18 universities in Japan and 12 universities in two other countries. (Kotaro Tsuchida, 15) |
Overseas
Overseas, there are a fair number of universities that offer programs in Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution. We sent questionnaires to six universities in three countries and received responses from two of them: The University of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England, and the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution (ICAR) at George Mason University in the state of Virginia in the United States. The University of Bradford has a program in Peace Studies at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The program includes study tours to areas of conflict, such as Sri Lanka, Sierra Leone, and Northern Ireland, as well as the opportunity to visit local areas with sizable immigrant populations and interview the residents. Professor Peter van den Dungen, a specialist in Peace History, has been researching nuclear disarmament since the time the program was established. He commented, "I have taken a great interest in the issue of how to raise the awareness of the general public as regards the nature of nuclear weapons, the devastation caused by their use in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the urgent need for nuclear disarmament." Near the University of Bradford campus is The Peace Museum and the headquarters of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, the most important British organization opposed to nuclear weapons. Professor van den Dungen summed up by saying that "Bradford is a great environment for Peace Studies." The Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University offers a program that includes training overseas in cooperation with international organizations and NGOs. For instance, a team from the university conducted research on trauma in post-conflict Bosnia and Herzegovina under the supervision of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). The program also provides internships, ranging from three months to one year, at the Department of Defense, the Department of Justice, and local NGOs. About 30% of the students at the Institute come from abroad. (Yutaro Honkawa, 18) |
We spoke with Yuji Uesugi about his experience as a student at The Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University. Mr. Uesugi is now an Associate Professor of the Graduate School for International Development and Cooperation at Hiroshima University and his specialty is conflict resolution. He became interested in the field of Conflict Resolution when he was watching TV during the Gulf War in 1991 and saw shocking scenes of the bombing. At the time, he was an undergraduate at a university in Tokyo. However, he was unable to find an academic program for this field in Japan so he decided to go abroad in 1994 and study in the United States for about two years. The classes in his program emphasized practical experience. For example, in one class, students were given the challenge of creating a solution for a conflict between different ethnic groups at a local high school. The project produced fruitful results, such as a sports festival that everyone could take part in, but Professor Uesugi also recalls accidentally offending a certain ethnic group. "It was an intense experience," he said. "You can't get such an experience by just reading textbooks." Such experiences were helpful to him when working with people on reconstruction efforts in the post-conflict areas of East Timor and Cambodia. Even now, for his research and for his teaching, he makes an effort to go into the field so he can understand the feelings of people who are suffering from conflict. Last year, he coordinated a training program in peace-building for about 30 participants from Japan and overseas. Professor Uesugi also spent five years at the University of Kent, in England, from 1998. It was a training course for researchers and he studied theories of conflict resolution. He was surprised when he heard the idea that some wars may be necessary to prevent genocide, based on England's experience of World War II. (Kyoko Niiyama, 18)
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Tetsushi Ogata doctoral student at George Mason University Researching conflict resolution 
Tetsushi Ogata, who is studying for his doctorate at The Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University, shared his experience with us. After graduating from high school in Tokyo, Mr. Ogata moved to the United States. He first studied English at a language school and completed his undergraduate degree. Then, in September 2005, he entered ICAR. Mr. Ogata said that he finds his research on conflict resolution in such fields as politics, economics, and international relations very stimulating. His courses feature discussion among the participants and fellow students come from all over the world, including people from countries that struggle with militant groups or guerrillas. Before a class, the students read materials related to the topic of discussion and submit their written reactions. During the class, which lasts 2 hours and 40 minutes, they energetically voice their opinions. By discussing these issues with people from other countries, the participants are able to broaden their views. When he first arrived in the United States, Mr. Ogata had difficulty communicating in English, but he persevered and improved. Offering encouragement to people who want to study abroad, he said, "The different language might be a challenge, but do your best and hold onto your dream." (Yutaro Honkawa,18) |
Yumiko Nogami graduate of the University of Bradford Taking action to advance peace 
Yumiko Nogami, who was born in Hiroshima, went to England in 2003 to study in the Peace Studies program at the University of Bradford for two years. After completing this course, she helped with the reconstruction that took place in Indonesia after the major earthquake in that area. Since last September, she has worked at a foundation in Tokyo, training industrial engineers from developing countries. As a child of parents who experienced the atomic bomb, Ms. Nogami has been involved in peace issues since high school. One year after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, she joined a campaign that visited the United States to convey the reality of nuclear attack. During their activities, she was asked, "If you were attacked, wouldn't you retaliate?" This question prompted her to contemplate the idea of peace more deeply in an academic program abroad. At the University of Bradford, other students came from countries in conflict and one classmate told her, "My mother was shot dead and I was the only one who escaped." These interactions led her to feel that "Just thinking 'peace is important' isn't enough. I was forced to also think about what actions can be taken in such cases." In one class, Ms. Nogami took part in a discussion on "Can the dropping of the atomic bombs be justified?" and discovered that many students didn't know the facts of the bombings. This, plus the fact that her classmates said the bombings "must not be forgotten," made her feel that it was vital to convey the tragedies wrought by the atomic bombs more widely. (Moeko Takagi,13) |
A new program in Peace Studies and a course for youth
We were disappointed to discover that Japan, the only country in the world to have suffered an atomic bombing, has such a lack of programs in Peace Studies. We propose to set up a program in Peace Studies in Hiroshima.
The people of the world naturally have different ideas when it comes to war and peace. We believe Hiroshima would be a fitting place for students from around the world to study peace issues and engage in discussions about what peace really means.
We also feel a course should be established to train young people in conveying the reality of the atomic bombings to the next generation so that the experiences of the A-bomb survivors can be passed on. It seems natural that youth can play an important role in sharing this history with other youth.
In addition, students who are studying at universities in other countries could come to Hiroshima for practical internships with international organizations and NGOs as they complete their dissertations. When these students return to their own countries, they would be better able to convey the wish for peace that Hiroshima seeks to transmit to the world. (Daishi Kobayashi, 15)
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