A new book published in July and co-edited by EMU professors Ji Eun Kim (political science) and Timothy Seidel (peacebuilding, development, and global studies) aims to provide a broader, more inclusive understanding of peace and conflict by intentionally integrating voices and perspectives from the Global South/majority world.

The Sage Handbook of Peace and Conflict Studies (Sage Publishing), which was also co-edited with three professors from the U.S., Canada, and Ecuador, features contributions from more than 40 authors around the world who are working on these issues in their contexts, including current and former EMU faculty members: Center for Justice and Peacebuilding Professor Paula Ditzel Facci (she wrote a chapter on “Decolonial Possibilities in Arts and Peacebuilding”) and CJP alumni and former professors Florina Xavier MA ’04 and Ashok Xavier MA ’04 (they wrote a case-study chapter on “Preschool Intervention in Sri Lanka”). 

“In seeking contributors, we reached out to scholars and practitioners from around the world as widely as possible,” Kim said. “Given ���ѱ�’s longstanding commitment to peace and justice, it’s perhaps not so surprising that several of the experts who joined the project have, or once had, ties with EMU.”

The 592-page handbook explores the evolution of the field of peace and conflict studies and offers a critical overview of theoretical approaches. “Additionally, it examines how cultural and disciplinary assumptions shape peacebuilding and conflict transformation, and it critiques traditional global narratives on issues like governance, climate change, and human rights,” according to a description from the publisher. “Finally, the handbook presents real-world case studies that integrate themes of decoloniality, race, gender, and power inequalities across diverse global contexts.” Some of those case studies examine peace and conflict in regions including Ukraine, Palestine, Libya, and Afghanistan. 

“We dig into political economy and histories of colonialism and the sorts of things that don’t always get as much attention in peace and conflict studies,” Seidel said. “One of the goals of this handbook was to not only expand the scope of what we study, but also to expand the range of voices included in that study—something of critical importance in a historical moment defined by rising authoritarianism close to home and genocide in Gaza.”

The book is structured in the following five sections:

• History, Knowledge, and Power in Peace and Conflict Studies;
• Theory and Analysis in Peace and Conflict Studies;
• Practices and Approaches in Peace and Conflict Studies; 
• Global Issues, Institutions, and Change in Peace and Conflict Studies; and 
• Case Studies in Peace and Conflict Studies.

Seidel said the process in completing the book took about two years from start to finish. “It’s an interesting and impactful book,” he said, “and you can see ���ѱ�’s fingerprints all over it.”

The Sage Handbook of Peace and Conflict Studies is available to through ���ѱ�’s Sadie Hartzler Library. An online webinar on the book, sponsored by the Peace Studies Section of the International Studies Association, will be held on Friday, Oct. 24, at 8:30 a.m.

About the professors

Kim is an associate professor of political science at EMU, where she teaches courses on human rights, political reconciliation, genocide and mass atrocity prevention, and East Asian security. Her research lies at the intersection of International Relations, Comparative Politics, and Peace Studies, and her areas of specialization include transitional justice processes after large-scale political violence and international institutions and norms. She holds a PhD in Political Science and Peace Studies from the University of Notre Dame.

Seidel is associate professor of peacebuilding, development, and global studies at EMU. His writing has appeared in various journals including Postcolonial Studies, International Politics, Journal of Peacebuilding and Development, and Third World Quarterly. He is co-editor of Resisting Domination in Palestine: Mechanisms and Techniques of Control, Coloniality and Settler Colonialism (2024) and Political Economy of Palestine: Critical, Interdisciplinary, and Decolonial Perspectives (2021).

The “All God’s Children March for a Ceasefire,” organized by , included participants ranging in age from 11 to 74 years old. Marchers left from Community Mennonite Church in Harrisonburg on July 18, walking about 13 miles each day on their journey before arriving at the White House on July 28. Between 35 and 125 marchers took part in the action each day, with some devoting a day and others completing the entire route.

Watch a shot and edited by EMU student Micaiah Landis,
offering a behind-the-scenes look at the march.

Together, the group braved the heat, humidity and rain, climbed into the Blue Ridge Mountains and through the Shenandoah National Park, and walked down quiet country roads, along busy highways and through suburban neighborhoods and parking lots. They slept in churches and camped in open fields. They listened and watched as passing drivers honked and waved in support of their cause. They marched while singing hymns and held evening worship services along the way.

You can read daily dispatches from the group’s journey
on the Mennonite Action website .

When they arrived in D.C. the marchers joined an protesting the annual conference of Christians United for Israel (CUFI). On July 30, members of the group protested inside the halls of the Hart Senate Office Building. Capitol Police made 47 arrests in the peaceful protest.

The march and arrests received a flurry of national media coverage. Outlets including , , , and highlighted Mennonite Action and its cause.

We spoke with EMU senior and nursing major Jenna Weaver, sophomore and computer engineering major Renae Benner, and Tyler Goss, director for student engagement and leadership development, about their experiences.

How did you participate in the march and D.C. actions?
Weaver: I walked the first nine days of the march, almost making it to D.C. I also was a medic for the march, which mainly involved tending to people’s blisters, helping remove hundreds of ticks, calling the paramedics when needed, and watching out for dehydrated folks as we walked during several very hot days!
Benner: I participated in the entire march from Harrisonburg to Washington, D.C. On July 28, I joined the service of lament held outside the White House. The next day, I joined an interfaith chorus that sang songs calling for peace at the conference center hosting the CUFI summit. On July 30, I joined another rally with speakers and singing and helped on the jail support team for those arrested for peacefully protesting.
Goss: I was fortunate enough to attend the whole march and time in D.C. So, any of the good trouble Mennonite Action was up to over those days, I was there. Specifically, I helped to coordinate the programming during the march. From daily devotional-style gatherings, to yoga, to game nights, and evening prayer, I was the one tapping shoulders and connecting people’s gifts with the various programming leadership.

What were the most memorable or impactful experiences from your participation?
Benner: The day we marched into D.C. was full of energy. Lots of people joined us in the morning and more joined in as we walked. As we neared the bridge to cross the Potomac River, I was overwhelmed by the significance of what we were doing. It felt like such a powerful political action to enter the city by foot, in a line of over a hundred people, carrying the banners we had carried across Virginia. The entire two weeks felt this way: I knew I was experiencing something remarkable, and all I could do was try to take it in.

What drew you to get involved? Why is it important to participate in actions like these?
Weaver: I barely knew of the ongoing violence in Palestine until my intercultural to Israel-Palestine last summer, led by Tim and Chris Seidel. I learned so much history of native people being removed from their homes, and created relationships with people that I am still in contact with. When the Hamas attacks occurred in October, and then the extreme violence by Israel, it stirred so much anger and sadness in me. I was a part of various local protests, , and was a part of the on EMU’s campus. When the idea of the march came up, I knew I would do it. As a Mennonite, we believe in nonviolence. How could I not stand up for tens of thousands of beautiful humans being killed when my faith calls me to do so?

How has this changed your perspective, or how has participating in this impacted you?
Goss: I have always known our EMU students are incredible, but, wow, I wish everyone could have seen the brilliant ways all of the EMU students involved in the march and D.C. actions led with such courage and compassion. The meal organizers, the videographers, the de-escalators, the phone callers, the police liaisons, the medics, the song leaders, the protesters…our students took the lead in every role of the action.

What do you feel the result of your actions and involvement were?
Benner: Hundreds, and sometimes maybe thousands of cars, drove past us each day as we marched. Lots of people took videos. I don’t know exactly what people were thinking as they saw us walking. However, I was inspired by how many positive, or at least curious, responses we received. I think we gave some people hope, because we are continuing to care about Gaza and speak out against violence. Maybe we inspired some people to also raise their voices in protest. I hope our demonstration caused a few people to learn more about what’s going on in Palestine, or even to question their preconceptions for a moment.

Is there anything else you feel that would be important to share about?
Weaver: Just overall gratitude for the organizers of Mennonite Action who worked so hard to make the march happen, as well as donors and Mennonites across the U.S. and other countries who prayed for and supported us.

For more photos from the march and protests, visit the .

The protesters, which included a large contingent of passionate EMU students, faculty and staff, held signs and banners with demands such as: “Ceasefire Now,” “Let Gaza Live,” “Stop Genocide in Gaza” and “Free All Hostages and Prisoners.” 

They joined together in nearly an hour of hymns led by Benjamin Bergey, assistant professor of music at EMU, and Dorothy Jean Weaver ’72, emeritus professor at Eastern Mennonite Seminary. 

While the protesters lifted their voices in song and prayed for peace, Tim Seidel, associate professor of peacebuilding, development and global studies at EMU, and Emily Hershberger MA ’12 hand-delivered a petition to Harrisonburg City Manager Ande Banks ’97 inside City Hall. More than 500 local signatures are attached to the petition, which urges Harrisonburg City Council to pass a resolution supporting a permanent cease-fire in the Gaza Strip. 

Seidel organized Tuesday’s protest along with the local committee of . The primary goals of the Mennonite Action grassroots movement are a permanent cease-fire in Gaza, a release of all hostages and an end to Israel’s occupation of Palestine. 

Heartened by the healthy turnout, Seidel said the protest provided a powerful witness to elected officials, both at the local and national levels. 

“This momentum is a testimony to the grief people are feeling and their conviction and desire to see change,” Seidel said.

As EMU senior Aidan Yoder posted photos and video of the protest to the Harrisonburg Mennonite Action social media accounts, he estimated that about 40 of his fellow students had shown up to demonstrate.��

“I think we really showed City Council that the people of Harrisonburg want a cease-fire and that we support them passing this resolution,” he said. 

For EMU junior Emma Nord, the demonstration marked the first protest she’s attended. The student chaplain often leads hymn sings on campus and reflected on the power of song as a form of protest.

“It’s wonderful to see Mennonites coming together and acknowledging the crisis … to proclaim that genocide is wrong,” she said. 

For a visual recap of the impactful protest, explore our curated photo gallery below.

Professor Tim Seidel, this week’s guest on the “Peacebuilder” podcast, has played an integral role in the fields of strategic peacebuilding, global studies and interfaith engagement at ��ݮ����. He brings practical experience in all three fields, having lived and worked in Palestine, Israel, and served as Mennonite Central Committee’s director for peace and justice ministries in the United States.

Seidel speaks with host Patience Kamau MA ‘17 for the third episode of the season.��The “Peacebuilder” podcast, in its second season, is a production of ��ݮ����’s, as it celebrates its 25th anniversary.��

More than 6,500 listeners in 102 countries and 1,239 cities across the globe enjoyed Season I.

The podcast is among just a handful covering the general peacebuilding field. It is available on, Apple Podcasts on iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcast, Stitcher, iHeart Radio, TuneIn and other podcast directories.

Seidel shares his journey to EMU, where he has helped to start an undergraduate global studies major and an interfaith studies minor. Seidel also teaches graduate students at the and serves as director of ���ѱ�’s Center for Interfaith Engagement.��

Seidel brings four topics to the podcast conversation and unpacks them in discussion with Kamau: 

• transnational and anti-colonial connectivity and the politics of solidarity, 
• critical political economy,
•  violence, non-violence and resistance, and 
• religion, interfaith, and the post-secular in politics, peacebuilding, and development. 

Their conversation includes probing questions, ranges throughout hundreds of years of global history, touches on popular culture and current events, and follows a critical thread of colonialism into each of the topics.

In a nutshell: “How do we pay attention to the world that we live in today and its colonial constitutions? How do the colonial legacies persist into the present and what are the ways in which people inhabiting this world are struggling and resisting?”

If you’re one of those listeners who thrills to the intellectual “chase,” you will want to come to this 55-minute podcast with some paper and a pen to jot down words and names for further investigation, including the several indigenous and BIPOC scholars, authors, political figures and activists who are referenced.

Many of the ideas and explorations discussed in the podcast are explored in Seidel’s scholarly works and associated presentations. For a full list and links, visit his EMU webpage.

Seidel previously taught at American University and Lancaster Theological Seminary. He holds an MTS from Wesley Theological Seminary and a PhD from the School of International Service at American university in Washington DC. At Messiah College, he earned a BA in biochemistry with minors in anthropology and mathematics.

Members of the public can view the free livestream on����page.��(You do not need a Facebook account or page to access Facebook Live, nor does clicking on the link obligate you in anyway to Facebook.)

“Dr. Selod’s exploration of anti-Muslim racism helps us understand the ways faith is racialized and gendered in the United States,” said Tim Seidel, director of the Center for Interfaith Engagement. “It’s a reminder that our interfaith engagement must be anti-racist, and that developing intersectional skills and sensibilities to relate across faith difference is critical to any vocation and career our students might pursue. We are so excited for her to share with us.”

In writing Forever Suspect, Selod interviewed 48 South Asian and Arab Muslim Americans to investigate how they have been surveilled in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. 

Since then, Selod explains, a Muslim identity has become a de facto racial identity, and Muslim Americans have experienced increased incidences of racism in their everyday lives – including mistrust from both institutions like the federal government and individuals, such as neighbors and co-workers. This changed the “social location” of Arabs and South Asians on the racial hierarchy, moving it farther away from whiteness and compromising their citizenship status. Selod also found how these experiences were different based on the interviewee’s gender.

“We have these very gendered stereotypes of Muslims in the United States,” Selod said in in 2019. “Muslim men are targeted in the United States as potential terrorists, violent, threats to national security, and then on the other hand you have Muslim women who wear the hijab in particular, and their representation is very complicated. Because on the one hand, we’ve used this image or idea that Muslim women are in need of saving to, again, justify military intervention in other places like Afghanistan or Iraq. But then, they’re also targets for abuse in public spaces.” 

Selod is currently writing a book on global Islamophobia and a project on “policing, political participation, and Muslims.” She holds a doctorate degree in sociology from Loyola University Chicago, is a member of the and an affiliated faculty member of the at the University of California, Berkeley.

This lecture is co-sponsored by the Center for Interfaith Engagement and the provost’s office.

On August 19, faculty and staff from ��ݮ���� gathered for a required online session on “Racism, Anti-Racism, and Belonging” hosted by the Committee on Diversity and Inclusion. The session was one of several on the agenda for ���ѱ�’s annual faculty/staff conference.

“There is the national context right now with Black Lives Matter, a global pandemic, economic distress, and these contexts impact us here. There’s also an EMU context,” said Professor Kathy Evans, who co-chairs the committee with Celeste Thomas, director of Multicultural Student Services. “EMU is a predominantly white school. A white space in a society that carries a history and a legacy of white supremacy. This is our context. We can’t avoid that or try to minimize that. We have to confront that.”

While the session was intended for all faculty and staff, Evans said. “we realize that EMU is a predominantly white space and that we each show up to this work with a variety of backgrounds and experiences. We hoped this session would provide some foundational concepts that would help us have more effective ongoing conversations.”

The EMU community continues to interact with the context of the Black Lives Matter movement as the semester begins. Recently, Jacob Blake joined the many others of Black victims of police violence who were remembered at the March on Washington on Friday. The Black Student Alliance facilitated virtual participation in the march, and some faculty integrated the event into their course curriculum.

Evans encouraged participants in the August 19 training to attend the march, as well as an Aug. 23 “Race Matters” presentation led by SGA and BSA for students and all community members. CODI also hosted a follow-up discussion session for faculty and staff to delve more into the material presented during their training. CODI will also host more opportunities for ongoing conversations throughout the year. 

One lesson in the Committee on Diversity and Inclusion training was the difference between “inclusion” and “belonging,” and why institutional leaders need to prioritize “belonging” for students of color. 

“Belonging is something qualitatively different. It’s the actual feeling of belonging. It’s the feeling that you’re part of something,” Evans said. In contrast, the act of “inclusion” requires a dominant social group to extend an invitation – meaning that belonging isn’t intrinsic to that space. 

Other concepts defined in the presentation included individual, institutional, and systemic levels of racism. The training also included video clips created by EMU students of color speaking about their experiences on campus. 

Evans and co-host Professor Tim Seidel told participants that the one-hour session was meant to facilitate discussion, prompt reflection, and pose questions – not offer trite answers.

“Expect inconvenience. Expect discomfort. Examining assumptions and practices with a racial lens can be really uncomfortable, really time-consuming, conflict-ridden, even,” Seidel said. “This is a journey. It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon. One that we need to engage with commitment, persistence, and steadfastness.” 

This year’s ICPF gathering provided space for students to examine whose voices are heard and whose are missing across a range of peace and justice issues. Using the theme “Nothing about Us without Us,” participants addressed questions both about the “what” of justice and peacebuilding as well as the “how,” asking questions like: who belongs? who’s in and who’s out? How does this work address root causes and structures like imperialism, capitalism, white supremacy, and patriarchy?

The conference keynote was Erica Littlewolf. Littlewolf opened the conference Friday evening and also closed it Sunday morning. She is Northern Cheyenne from southeastern Montana who works for Mennonite Central Committee’s Indigenous Visioning Circle. She has extensive experience with indigenous issues globally and is applies her life experience, with formal and informal education to social justice issues and how they affect Indigenous people, especially women.

Littlewolf shared several stories in response to the question of “how” we do justice and peacebuilding work, drawing from her personal experiences as well as the experiences of her community.

“Littlewolf was one of the most inspiring speakers I’ve heard in a long time,” said EMU student Clara Weybright. “She left me energized and challenged me, in particular, to think about the ways in which indigenous stories are held and shared. I was so grateful that EMU had the opportunity to host her. I hope I cross paths with her in the future.”

Another EMU student Mariana Martinez-Hernandez, named some take-aways: “We must decentralize humans. By paying attention to how the world can benefit from us rather than the other way around, we can gain insight on how every single thing works interconnectedly. Erica’s stories led to the constant reminder to listen to our bodies and our body- God, Earth, Plants, Animals, Humans. Us. We must listen from the heart.”

The Saturday morning program included a panel with participants from a number of local community organizations in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, including representatives from Fuego Coalition, Coming to the Table, Church World Service, and Faith in Action. 

Throughout the day, conference participants also joined a number of break out sessions. These sessions provided space for participants to share from their own experiences. Session topics included sexual health, remembrance-based justice, housing insecurity, Hegelian representations in film, epigenetic healing, and interfaith engagement.

Saturday evening offered a film screening of the film Dawnland, a documentary about the first official “truth and reconciliation commission” in the United States addressing the history of state agencies forcibly removing Native American children from their communities. The discussion that followed identified the challenges and importance of truth-telling and reparation for historic harms in the work of justice and peacebuilding.

Littlewolf closed the conference Sunday morning sharing reflections and observations on the weekend, encouraging participants to honor the stories that were shared by continuing the work of peace and justice in their own lives and communities.��

EMU student leadership for this year’s conference came from Lindsay Acker, Elena Bernardi, Anisa Leonard, and Emily Powell. Peacebuilding and Development graduate Jacob Lester served as conference coordinator. Support was provided by a number of groups on campus including Peace Fellowship, the Orie Miller Center, and the Center for Interfaith Engagement.

A political science major and revised minor and a global studies major and minor will be offered beginning this fall.

“These new majors reflect an expanding awareness that community, which EMU has long emphasized, also happens at national and global levels,” said Provost Fred Kniss. “With these new majors, students will develop knowledge and skills that will help them effect positive change in diverse settings.” ��

Political science

The political science major will train students to apply their research and analytical skills to current political affairs and offer students real-world learning through internships. It will prepare students to pursue further studies and careers in fields such as law and public policy.

“This major will closely align with ���ѱ�’s core mission,” said Professor Mark Metzler Sawin. “While many universities offer political studies, our program will be distinctive in its embodiment of our university’s values.”

Students will learn to think critically and analytically about power, authority and legitimacy, examining “the traditional role of relevant political actors, institutions, and mechanisms through a critical lens,” said Professor Ji Eun Kim. In addition to developing theoretical and moral ways of understanding political events, they will gain critical oral and writing skills for “speaking and understanding the language of these key actors” based on rigorous reasoning and dignity and respect for others.

Its interdisciplinary approach and diverse curriculum includes course topics such as human rights and dignity, political reconciliation, international relations, American politics, and peace and security in East Asia.

The major also requires a term at the Washington Community Scholars’ Center in Washington DC, where internships offer real-world extensions to classroom learning and vocational experience in policy, politics, advocacy and law. WCSC internship sites in these fields include working on Capitol Hill with the Catholic social justice lobby NETWORK or Mennonite Central Committee’s Washington Office;��and working to increase civic exchange political dialogue with the Faith and Politics Institute. [Learn more about internship sites in these fields.]

Global studies

The global studies major is fitting for a university that for 35 years has required students to have cross-cultural experience. In the program, students will identify a regional and language focus to prepare them for cross-cultural engagement, in addition to further study and careers in fields such as international development, human resources, intelligence and research analysis, and education in public and private sectors.

“���ѱ�’s identity and history positions us to create and offer a global studies program to undergraduate students in a unique way,” said Professor Tim Seidel, who helped develop the major with vice president and undergraduate academic dean Deirdre L. Smeltzer, cross-cultural program director Ann Hershberger, and professors Adriana Rojas, Jim Leaman and Ji Eun Kim. “Graduates will be equipped with solid knowledge and relevant skills – and be equipped for postgraduate study and for professional opportunities including working in governments, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector.”

With three areas of concentration – sustainability, justice and peacebuilding, and societies and cultures – the major will focus on intercultural communication and the role of faith in global studies while exploring global political and economic actors beyond the state.

The curriculum will include course topics such as globalization and justice, biblical theologies of peace and justice, and cultural anthropology. Region-focused studies may include, for example, history and culture of Africa, Latin America, the Middle East and Asia.

The major was developed with funding from a United States Department of Education Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Languages grant.

“We wanted to hear from outside the community how this abuse is manifested and focus on how we can better support those who have experienced it,” said senior Katrina Poplett, who led the program planning for the second year with senior Jonatan Moser.

In an opening event focused on intersectionality, representatives from five campus groups — , , the , and — were invited to share “stories and statistics about how sexual assault affected that particular group,” said Poplett. “It was powerful and personal and we closed with a candlelight vigil as a witnessing.”

Take Back the Night events are held around the United States and around the world. The first march was held in 1975, commemorating the death of a woman who was murdered while walking home alone at night in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

EMU has a long tradition of hosting the annual program, according to Professor , faculty advisor to the planning committee.

TBTN hosted several events around campus, including a Wednesday chapel that involved the sharing of stories and poetry.

About 20 participants in the men’s only discussion Wednesday evening “took the conversation to some really interesting and insightful places,” said Ben Rush, who co-hosted “How Language Legitimizes: A Second Look At What We Don’t Think of Twice” with Joseph Mumaw and Professor . “Our goals were to take the conversation away from the overt, symptomatic examples of sexual violence and point it towards a conversation about the way subtle things embedded in language and societal assumptions contribute to the problem.” [Read Ben’s blog post about leading this event.]

A Thursday coffee house offered space for expressive arts and sharing, followed by a session with the playback theater group. Sarah Regan and Ana Hunter-Nickels, representatives of the Social Work is People (SWIP) club, were the hosts.

Friday’s chapel, planned by the EMU , featured Sabrina Dorman, executive director of the local anti-sex trafficking organization New Creation, Inc. This was followed by a walk-through reflective exhibit in the Campus Center.

Eastern Mennonite Seminary also hosted a Tuesday chapel service to engage with themes of #metoo and #Ibelieve you.

This year’s TBTN events were in the second year of a three-year thematic exploration of sexual violence at the micro-, meso- and macro levels, Poplett and Moser said.

“Last year was on a micro-level, focused on what was going on here on campus, opening a space for conversations we didn’t see happening,” Poplett said. “This year, we’re focusing on the meso-level, with organizations and community, and next year will be more of a macro level.”

The leaders situated TBTN events within recent national events, including U.S. Department of Education decisions related to Title IX.

At all events, counseling center staff were present and other resources were available if students or community members were in need of support.

Many of the students involved in Take Back the Night come to their volunteer work by learning more about systemic issues in their coursework and through clubs such as SWIP or . Moser, a double major in and , says a combination of factors raised his awareness as a first-year student.

“I had just learned about sexual violence and sexism and how often it happened and I was really horrified by that,” Moser said. “Getting involved in Take Back the Night has been a way to give back.”

Poplett, a major who is also in the accelerated MA in restorative justice program, began attending TBTN events her first year on campus and became a leader as a sophomore.

“I think a lot of my passion lies in giving voice to people whose stories aren’t normally told,” she said.

These and many more questions framed a recent discussion with Turkish journalist and author Mustafa Akyol. The event – titled “The Islamic Jesus: A bridge between Islam and Christianity?” – was hosted by ��ݮ����’s (CIE) on Oct. 10.

Met by an engaged audience with no shortage of questions, Akyol presented insights about Jesus from a Muslim perspective and about the possibilities of interfaith relations among Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, said CIE Director .

“Mustafa invited us to explore new ways of thinking about and relating across religious difference,” he said. “His closing comments were telling, quoting the Quran: ‘Let us compete in doing good.’”

In his new book The Islamic Jesus: How the King of the Jews Became a Prophet of the Muslims (St. Martins Press, 2017), Akyol explores “theological pathways” between Christianity and Islam. The book has received praise from , , , , and more.

Another of his books,����(W.W. Norton, 2011), was longlisted for the Lionel Gelber Prize, a literary prize awarded by the University of Toronto for the best nonfiction book in English that seeks to deepen public debate on significant international issues, and��praised by ��as “a forthright and elegant Muslim defense of freedom.” It has also been published in Turkish, Malay, and Indonesian.

Akyol studied political science and history at Bogazici University and is currently a senior visiting fellow of . He has been a columnist in Turkish national and regional newspapers since the early 2000’s, and a regular contributing opinion writer for�� since 2013. In addition, he has lectured and spoken widely on numerous platforms including TEDxWarwick, where he spoke about��, and has been a commentator on public affairs programs including the BBC’s “Hardtalk” and CNN’s “Fareed Zakaria GPS.”

The event was co-sponsored by CIE, Campus Ministries and the Bible and religion department.

This fall Professor Timothy Seidel received the 2017 Dissertation Award at the annual Peace and Justice Studies Association (PJSA) conference in Birmingham, Alabama. Previous accomplishments include winning the Edward Said Award in 2016, and the publication of several peer-reviewed articles and book chapters.

The recent award came as Seidel assumed the directorship of ���ѱ�’s . The center promotes collaboration among scholars and practitioners to build a more just and peaceful world through interreligious and intercultural understanding.

Seidel’s dissertation, completed at the culmination of his international relations doctoral studies at American University, was titled “‘Where Is the Palestinian Gandhi?’: Power and Resistance in Late Modernity.” In it, he explores how certain forms of nonviolent resistance in Palestine are recognized while other forms are overlooked, and argues that giving greater attention to marginalized communities as they narrate nonviolence helps to identify overlooked and everyday practices.

The dissertation “offered new insights into the theory and practice of nonviolence as well as ways to think about justice in Palestine,” said Dr. Emily Welty, a PJSA board member and the director of peace and justice studies at Pace University in New York City. “His thesis demonstrated his strength as a scholar, and we look forward to helping him share his work with a wider audience.”

“It was a privilege and an honor to receive this award,” Seidel said. “I am very grateful to PJSA, to Dr. Mohammed Abu-Nimer at American University who nominated me for this award, and to the many Palestinian and Israeli friends, neighbors, and colleagues who welcomed me and opened up their homes and lives to me.”

In addition to his PhD, Seidel holds a Masters in Theological Studies from Wesley Theological Seminary. Before coming to EMU, he worked in various development and peacebuilding contexts in North America and the Middle East, including serving for several years with Mennonite Central Committee.

In 2016, he won the Edward Said Award with “‘Occupied territory is occupied territory’: James Baldwin, Palestine and the possibilities of transnational solidarity,” a exploring “the shared experiences of racism, colonialism, military occupation and dispossession that separate and divide, and the possibilities for transnational solidarities that defy those separations.”

That award is an annual recognition of “emerging scholarship in the politics of global development” by Third World Quarterly and the Global Development Studies Section of the International Studies Association.

Seidel, who will also continue as assistant professor of community and international development in ���ѱ�’s and the , fills the position held by interim director , who will continue as associate director.

The conference is hosted by the (PJSA), dedicated to bringing together academics, K-12 teachers, and grassroots activists to explore alternatives to violence and share visions and strategies for peacebuilding, social justice and social��change.

“PJSA is an important bi-national alliance for peacebuilding research, scholarship, training and activism,” says , executive director of ���ѱ�’s . “It is a great honor that so many CJP and EMU faculty, staff and graduates will be featured in prominent conference roles this year, and allows a rare opportunity to highlight our distinctive contributions to the peacebuilding field.”

Those “distinctive contributions” include both conceptual and practical dimensions to the fields of , , , peace and justice studies pedagogy and the pedagogy of practice within the field, experiential education, reflective pedagogy and the arts and peacebuilding.

Catherine Barnes offers keynote address

Dr. Catherine Barnes, affiliate professor at CJP, will share from more than 30 years of experience working with deliberative dialogue processes in places as varied as the UN General Assembly Hall to village gathering places. Her address is titled “Engaging together: exploring deliberative dialogue as a path towards systemic transformation.”

“Deliberative dialogue” is a process that can empower participants to foster collaborative relationships and perceive the underlying mental models that maintain the status quo with the goal of fostering new approaches to complex challenges.

For the past seven years, Barnes has been working in support of transitional processes in Burma/Myanmar. She has worked and lived in more than 30 countries as a teacher, trainer, researcher, policy advocate and consultant with the focus of helping civil society activists, diplomats and politicians, and armed groups to build their capacities for preventing violence and using conflict as an opportunity for addressing the underlying causes giving rise to grievance. Barnes has worked with numerous peacebuilding and human rights organizations, including Conciliation Resources and Minority Rights Group International.

Focusing on education

���ѱ�’s on peace and justice guides its educators, many of whom are sharing their pedagogical practices and discussing ways to educate future peacebuilders in the “educator’s strand,” designed for personal and professional development of K-12 teachers, undergraduate and community educators. Themes include pedagogy, curriculum development, building a culture of peace in your classroom or school, alternative education programs, and restorative��practices.

On the undergraduate level, professor , who leads the in the department of applied social sciences, leads a roundtable discussion for faculty and administrators of peace and justice studies programs.

, the with CJP’s , joins professor and graduate students in a session on mentoring student peacebuilders and the importance of those mentors being experienced practitioners themselves.

Restorative practices are highlighted by professors and in a “relational justice” workshop on how mindful teachers can prepare and prime “their best selves” in preparation for inviting students into models of restorative justice. Mullet also joins , professor of education at Bridgewater College, for a workshop on relational literacy in multicultural K-12 classrooms.

Cheree Hammond, professor of counseling, leads educators in a workshop on contemplative pedagogies and the cultivation of a just and peaceful self.

Restorative justice, trauma healing, playback theater featured

The conference offers an opportunity to highlight ���ѱ�’s unique peacebuilding initiatives. The brings together practitioners from EMU and JMU, as well as local law enforcement. Collaborators in the initiative will speak: , co-director of the; education professor ; Harrisonburg Police Department lieutenant Kurt Boshart; , restorative justice coordinator at the ; and , director of JMU’s Office of Student Accountability and Restorative Practices.

Another definitive CJP program, (Strategies for Trauma Awareness and Resilience), will be introduced in a workshop by professor and program director .

troupe co-founders and lead a workshop on playback theater as qualitative research. Vogel is a professor of theater; Foster instructs in the applied social sciences department and with CJP. The applied theater method invites dialogue and healing through community-building, as audience members share stories and watch as they are “played back” on the stage. Among other settings, Inside Out has performed on campus with college students returning from cross-culturals, among international peacebuilders and in workshops for and research about trauma and sexual abuse survivors.

, professor of applied social sciences, speaks about social capital networks as forms of resistance among battered undocumented Latinas, sharing just one strand of a .

, assistant professor of restorative justice and peacebuilding, leads a discussion on the film “Vision is Our Power,” a film about black youth ending violence in all its forms. The documentary was created by four young filmmakers participating in a multi-year arts and leadership Vision to Peace Project led by Turner; the film debuted in 2008 at the National Museum of Women in the Arts.

And more…

, professor of English, presents on life narratives and identity issues in the Balkans with his wife Daria, a CJP graduate who teaches in the counseling department at JMU. The two lived and taught in the Balkans.

, professor of philosophy and theology, explores the recent work in philosophy and science on theory of emotion.

, a new faculty member coming to EMU next semester after concluding his PhD research at American University, participates several panels, with a diversity of topics including transnational solidarity and police brutality and racism in the contested areas of Palestine and Ferguson, Missouri. Seidel is a board member of PJSA.

Among the alumni presenting: Vesna Hart, Sue Praill and Tom Brenneman join a panel discussion on justice and the nature of human nature. Ted Swartz presents the satire with Tim Ruebke and JMU professor of theater Ingrid DeSanctis.

View the . Registration��fees will be covered for attendees��from the Shenandoah Valley who are affiliated with or sponsored by Bridgewater College, James Madison University, ��ݮ����, or Mary Baldwin College. For more information, click .

Abigail Berkey, PhD, visiting assistant professor of biology

Berkey earned a bachelor’s degree in pre-professional zoology from Ohio Wesleyan University and a master’s in integrative biology from University of Illinois. She completed her PhD in ecology, evolution and conservation biology from University of Illinois in 2015. Her interests lie in wildlife, ornithology and ecology. Berkey has previously served at University of Illinois as an adjunct instructor.

Marcille Frederick, director of Sadie Hartzler Library

Frederick has served as a librarian at several institutions, including Trinity Christian College, The King’s University College and Institute for Christian Studies. She earned a bachelor’s in history from Beloit College, a master’s in American history and a master’s of library science degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She also earned a master of philosophy degree in historiography and philosophy of history at the Institute for Christian Studies in Ontario. As a librarian, she loves bringing people together to create community around ideas and sharing resources to nurture deep reflection and coming alongside as a teaching and mentor.

Samuel Wai Johnson, Jr., visiting instructor of economics

Johnson earned a bachelor’s in economics from University of Liberia and a master’s degree in economics from Ohio University. He anticipates completing a PhD this year at George Mason University School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution. He brings experience as a visiting scholar at EMU in the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding program and as a visiting adjunct at University of Liberia. Johnson’s expertise and interest are in economic dimensions of conflict and peacebuilding, economic development and post-conflict development finance.

Lisa King, instructor of nursing

King earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing at EMU and a master’s in nursing leadership and management also at EMU. She brings nursing experience in the hospital along with specific training and certification in advanced cardiac life support and end of life and pain management. She has served as an adjunct nursing instructor previously in the nursing program at EMU.

Audrey K. Myers, assistant professor of the practice of nursing

Myers bring nursing experience in the hospital setting, both as a nurse and as a pediatric nurse practitioner, to previous instructional positions in ���ѱ�’s RN-BS nursing completion program. She earned her bachelor’s degree in biology at EMU, and two degrees from University of Virginia: a bachelor’s in nursing and a master’s degree as a pediatric nurse practitioner.

Melody M. Pannell, assistant professor of social work

Pannell returns to EMU, where she was director of multicultural services from 2003-2008. She earned master’s of divinity and master’s of education in Christian education at Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology this year. Pannell brings experience as a counselor in the university, in-home, youth and clinical counseling. Her interests include church ministries and expertise in diversity and multicultural relations. She also holds two degrees in social work: a bachelor’s from EMU and a master’s from Fordham University.

Daniel Showalter, PhD, assistant professor of mathematics

Showalter brings international teaching and working experiences in a variety of rich cultural settings, including South Korea and Laos. He earned a bachelor’s in mathematics from Urbana University, and a master’s degree in mathematics and a PhD in mathematics education from Ohio University, where he has been an adjunct professor and visiting assistant professo. His interest and passion lie in mentoring students in their personal, spiritual and professional paths. He values working with students holistically, whether teaching online or in the classroom.

Timothy Seidel, instructor of community and international development

Seidel brings experience in international peacebuilding and interfaith engagement, after a 10-year career with Mennonite Central Committee. Currently a PhD candidate at American University School of International Service, Seidel looks forward to “engaging students in critical reflection around issues of politics, development, and peacebuilding.” He earned a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from Messiah College, a master’s degree in international peace and conflict resolution from American University School of International Service, and a master of the theological studies from Wesley Theological Seminary

Michael Spory, assistant professor of art

Spory earned a degree in art from EMU and completed a master’s in architecture in 2015. He brings experience as an architectural intern and worked in marketing at MennoMedia. Spory’s interests lie in freelance photography, architecture, graphic design and branding. He was selected as a Lilly graduate fellow from 2012-2015.

Johonna Turner, PhD, assistant professor of restorative justice and peacebuilding

Turner brings a wealth of teaching experience from K-12 schools in Washington D.C. to adjunct teaching of undergraduate and graduate students at University of Maryland. She has also taught at ���ѱ�’s Summer Peacebuilding Institute. As founder and director of the Vision to Peace Project, she has been instrumental in teaching young people leadership skills to prevent violence and promote justice in their communities. Turner earned a bachelor’s degrees in interdisciplinary studies and news-editorial journalism at University of Missouri, Columbia. She earned a PhD in American studies at University of Maryland, College Park. In addition, she earned a graduate certificate in women’s studies at University of Maryland, College Park and an urban youth ministry graduate certificate from Fuller Theological Seminary.

Anna Westfall, assistant professor of art

Westfall earned a BFA in ceramic/sculpture from James Madison University and an MFA in ceramic/sculpture at University of New Mexico. Westfall brings prior teaching experience at EMU, as well as Bridgewater College and Savannah State University. Her interests lie in ceramic and sculpture techniques, three and two-dimensional design, drawing, photography and small scale casting.

Laurie Miller Yoder, PhD, assistant professor of chemistry and chemical hygiene officer

Yoder earned an undergraduate degree in chemistry from EMU and a PhD in physical chemistry at the University of Michigan. Most recently, she was lay minister at Lombard Mennonite Church and a communications coordinator at Laurelville Mennonite Church Center. In addition, she was an independent consultant at Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York. Her work and interests are in kinetics (rates) of gas phase (atmospheric) chemistry as well as the rates of biochemical solution phase reactions.

Turner, an assistant professor of and , will begin teaching this fall. As an educator and community activist, she brings experience with and a focus on peacebuilding within urban communities; the capacity of churches in under-resourced areas to build indigenous leadership for peace and justice; and the contributions of youth and youth leadership, primarily by urban students of color, to grassroots organizing in support of the restorative justice social movement.

Seidel, a PhD candidate at American University School of International Service, will start January 2016 as assistant professor of international development. Though his primary affiliation will be in the department of applied social sciences where he will co-lead the and teach political economy and international development, Seidel will also teach graduate courses in international development and action research among others. With experience in international peacebuilding and interfaith engagement, Seidel looks forward to “engaging students in critical reflection around issues of politics, development, and peacebuilding.”

The hires of Seidel and Turner continue a trend in which faculty share expertise in peacebuilding and development across undergraduate and graduate programs, strengthening CJP and the undergraduate major. “Both of these faculty members bring specialty knowledge needed among ���ѱ�’s peacebuilding programs at all levels,” said , faculty member at CJP and department chair of the .

CJP Executive Director adds that Turner and Seidel “will help meet CJP’s vision of preparing leaders to create a just and peaceful world – both here in the United States and in other countries.”

Johonna Turner: multi-faceted educator and activist

Turner first came to EMU to participate in the in 2010 and returned in subsequent years, before being invited to co-teach a restorative justice course with , assistant professor of development and justice studies and now co-director of the .

Students in that course “appreciated her knowledge, insights and creative teaching,” said , CJP program director. “Dr. Turner brings a wealth of experience helping young people mobilize to prevent violence and promote justice in their communities.”

Turner’s teaching experience ranges across all levels – from the elementary school, middle and high school classroom to graduate students – and with several special populations of learners, including special needs and adjudicated youth; first-generation, low-income students; and those with low literacy skills.

During the last four years, she worked in the District of Columbia Public Schools, most recently with an administrative team in an elementary school implementing “Response to Intervention,” a student-centered multi-level program to maximize student achievement, increase literacy skills and reduce behavioral problems. She also taught special education and English, and coordinated after-school programs at H.D. Woodson Senior High School.

As an adjunct instructor at University of Maryland, College Park, from 2004 to 2009 while earning her doctorate in American studies, Turner taught a variety of courses, including identity, power and privilege; prisons, policing and confinement; art as social change; public leadership and social change; and urban youth and youth organizing.

At the same time, she founded and directed the , in which both free and adjudicated youth engaged in leadership programs using arts and organizing as healing tools.

“For much of my life, my commitments to social justice and faith were lived out in different communities,” Turner said. “EMU attracted me as a place where I could learn and work as a whole person – a Christian deeply committed to peacebuilding, justice and praxis, the integration of reflection and action.”

She holds bachelor’s degrees in journalism and interdisciplinary studies from University of Missouri, Columbia, as well as graduate certificates in urban youth ministry from Fuller Theological Seminary and in women’s studies from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Tim Seidel: experience in international development and interfaith engagement

Seidel’s 10-year career with (MCC) began with a legislative internship soon after graduating in 2003 with two master’s degrees, from different institutions, in theological studies and international peace and conflict resolution. From 2004 to 2007, he was a peace development worker in Palestine, eventually moving to Akron, Pennsylvania, to spend six years as director of MCC’s Peace and Justice Ministries.

“His perspective on governance issues and development will deepen our ability to connect the work of building peace with justice to processes of changing policies and promoting inclusive governance at all levels of social organization,” said Docherty.

Besides working with many EMU graduates at MCC, Seidel and his wife hosted EMU students on their cross-cultural in Palestine, and he’s taken (STAR) training. EMU has an attraction as “a learning community where teaching, scholarship, and service are all valued,” he said.

Since leaving MCC, Seidel has been teaching at American University and Lancaster Theological Seminary, where he’s organized and led cross-cultural trips to Palestine and Israel for divinity students.

His dissertation is about nonviolence and civil resistance in Palestine. “I am interested in exploring how certain understandings or representations of others, the stories we tell and the images we privilege, become ‘normal’ or even ‘natural’ in the sense that we don’t always think or imagine that there are other ways of understanding others or understanding the world around us,” he said.

Seidel is a 1999 graduate of Messiah College, with degrees in biochemistry, mathematics and cultural anthropology.