Highlights:
- Read about Nancy's work with peace and community building in her communities and how studying PACS has impacted her!
- Read about MPACS student Sidra Khan and her involvement in the community at Waterloo!
- Check out what PACS courses offered winter 2023 here and see the course posters below.
- PACS Society is hosting an event with the Center for Conscious Awareness on Connections through storytelling on November 20. Olivia Miller, a 4th year PACS student is one of the speakers! Info and registration for the event is below.
Important Dates:
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Make sure to stay up to date with UWaterloo's calendar
- You can view next term's schedule on November 17.
- Add and Drop appointments begin November 21 for winter 2023 term
- Classes end December 6 (so soon!)
- Winter 2023 Fees due December 15.Upcoming Events
Upcoming Events
Building Connections Through Storytelling
CCA Canada invites you to join them, in person at Conrad Grebel or online, for a special community event on Building Connections Through Storytelling! Storytelling can help us understand ourselves, others and build or repair relationships. It is a critical aspect of peace-building and something that we all can benefit from.
Join us for this hybrid, youth event in the Community Engagement Room at Conrad Grebel on Sunday, November 20 at 11am.
Lunch & Refreshments provided to those who attend in person. Kahoot! prizes are available, and admission fee is waived. Make sure to register here.
Why Feminists Should Care about Non-Carceral Approaches to Sexual Harm
On Monday, November 21 we are hosting a panel event with the authors of "The Feminist & The Sex Offender", Judith Levine and Erica Meiners, to discuss their ground-breaking work making the feminist case for accountability without punishment and for sexual safety and freedom without injustice.
Levine and Meiners will be joined by local community service providers, including CJI and the Sexual Assault Support Centre (SASC) to discuss options for healing in the aftermath of sexual harm.
This event takes place on campus in Federation Hall 200 University Avenue West Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G5.
Please note tickets are $5 each.
Check out the event page and register here.
Workshop on Canada and the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons
Wednesday, Nov. 23 from 10:30 am to 12 pm EST.
Project Ploughshares is hosting a free virtual workshop on Canada and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) and nuclear disarmament. This is the last workshop in this series and a great opportunity to learn about disarmament and nuclear weapons in Canada as well as Ukraine. If you are interested in this event, visit the link to register.
Bi-Weekly Hangout
PACS students are welcome to attend the PACS Bi-weekly Hangout. These take place every other Thursday. The next hangout is on November 24 from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm. Make sure to stop by and say hello! There will be snacks :)
Check out PACS Society's Instagram (@pacs.society) for updates/events.
Call for Proposals: Notre Dame Student Peace Conference
The submission deadline for proposals is Friday, January 27, 2023. Proposals received earlier may be given preference in the review process.
Winter 2023 PACS Courses
Check out PACS courses for winter 2023 here!
PACS 203/HIST 232 - A History of Peace Movements (ONLINE)
Prof. Eric Lepp
This course explores individuals and groups that have created popular movements for peace globally and locally throughout history. The scope will be international, with a particular focus on the nineteenth– and twentieth century movements. The choice of peace movements will allow for a contrast in comparison of ideology, strategy and impact.
PACS 301 - Special Topics in PACS: The Future of War: Drones, Robots, and the Role of Research
Prof. Cesar Jaramillo and Branka Marijan
6-8:50pm Tuesday
This course explores advances in technology and the increasing use of drones, robots, AI, and cyberwarfare has changed the landscape of war in the future. This will require a new set of responses from peace advocates, and peace research will play an increasingly important role. Join Cesar and Branka from Project Ploughshares, one of the world’s leading organizations in leveraging peace research for policy responses and social good, for this class!
PACS 312 - Quest for Peace in Literature and Film
Prof. Naren Kumarakulasingam
1-3:50pm Wednesday
This course looks into stories, narratives and images possess a power to intimately engage the experience of violent conflict, structural injustice and the pursuit of peace. It will explore a wide variety of works, from poems to short stories, novels to films, and asks: how do works of literature and film tell stories of the quest for peace? In what ways do they shape our understanding of the world ,and what is necessary or possible on this quest for peace?
PACS 316/PHIL 329 - Violence, Non-violence and War
Prof. Eric Lepp
10-11:20am Tuesday and Thursday
This course is an exploration of the traditional debates concerning the legitimacy of violence and war as instruments in the pursuit of personal and political goals. The course critically examines a continuum of views from religious doctrines of nonresistance, to various forms of pacifism and non-violent resistance, “just-war theory”, and political realism. The strategic arguments for political nonviolent action are also considered.
PACS 325 - Refugees and Forced Migration
Prof. Eric Lepp
2:30-3:50pm Tuesday and Thursday
This course will draw on case studies from past and present to understand why people flee their homes and homelands to seek refuge elsewhere. It will examine the policies and practices of government and non-governmental agencies in facilitating or blocking such movements. The Course will also analyze the attitudes, values, and language that shape local and global responses to refugee movements, on the part of civil society and the state. Students will become acquainted with organizations that work with refugees locally and will gain a critical understanding of Canada’s role in refugee reception.
PACS 329/LS 344 - Restorative Justice
Profs. Chris Cowie & Michelle Jackett
6-8:50pm Monday
This course investigates the history, theory, principles, practices, and people of restorative justice. Content will centre particularly on restorative justice as a way of dealing with crime and interpersonal violence in the Canadian context.
PACS 330/RS 353 - War and Peace in Christian Theology
Prof. Jeremy Bergen
1-2:20 pm Tuesday
This course examines the Christian tradition and long debated questions such as these: does God command war? Did Jesus model nonviolence, and expect his followers to do the same? Does the command to love one’s neighbor sometimes require the violent defense of the neighbor? Does Christianity provide guidance for the conduct of war?
Job/Volunteer Opportunities
Center for Peace Advancement Co-op, Winter 2023
If you are a co-op student looking for a position for Winter 2023, this position might be for you!
The CPA (located on the top floor of Grebel) is able to have a second winter co-op student, most likely working with with a CPA participant organization, most likely The Ripple Effect Education. We have some flexibility to craft this role to suit the needs of both the organization and the individual student, so if someone is interested they should reach out to us directly as soon as possible.
The role is not posted in Waterloo Works yet, but the final deadline to apply is 30 November.
If you are a co-op student looking for a position for Winter 2023, this position might be for you!
The CPA (located on the top floor of Grebel) is able to have a second winter co-op student, most likely working with a CPA participant organization, most likely The Ripple Effect Education. We have some flexibility to craft this role to suit the needs of both the organization and the individual student, so if someone is interested they should reach out to us directly as soon as possible.
The role is not posted in Waterloo Works yet, but the final deadline to apply is 30 November.
Email Theresa at the CPA for more information
Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
The Government of Canada is hiring a full time position in Immigration, Refugees, and Canadian Citizenship - International Network. IRCC facilitates arrival of immigrants, provides protection to refugees, and offers programming to help newcomers settle in Canada. The work these programs does makes a difference economically, socially, and culturally.
Applying adds you to a larger database where applicants will be selected on a rolling basis as positions arise. The closing application date is December 31, 2022.
View full job posting and application information.
PACS 390: Internship Course
The PACS internship allows you to engage in experiential learning with an organization that works on peace and conflict issues, in either a Canadian or international context. The course integrates theory and practice while facilitating the development of attitudes, strategies, skills, and knowledge that support work in a Peace and Conflict Studies related setting. If you are thinking about taking PACS 390 in the winter 2023, please reach out to the PACS Undergraduate Academic Advisor for more information.
Student Support Services
Counselling Services
University of Waterloo Counselling
Campus Wellness Counselling Services
This service can be reached at 519-888-4567, ext. 32655. Offers same-day appointments for emergencies and can be found in Needles Hall North on the second floor.
Campus Wellness Health Services
This service can be reached at 519-888-4096. Offers walk-in appointments for urgent concerns and can be found in Health Services building.
Writing and Communication Centre
The Writing and Communication Centre is an academic support unit that supports students, staff, and faculty as they build communication excellence at the University of Waterloo.
Virtual Appointments:
Feeling stuck? We can help with brainstorming, planning, writing, and revision. Our instructors are experts in communicating in all disciplines, including digital, technical, and scientific writing and communication.
Asynchronous Workshops
The Writing and Communication Centre offers workshops on a variety of communication-related topics throughout the term. Developed and presented by our writing and communication advisors, they are designed to help students engage with a particular topic through participation and practice. Like all of our services, workshops are free for University of Waterloo students and postdocs.
Check out the website here.
Online Learning Resources:
The Writing and Communication Centre is focused on providing students with useful feedback and strategies for their research and writing projects; we are also focused on all aspects of the communication process, including professional communication documents like emails and memos, as well as documents designed for the web, such as ePortfolios and blogs. Feel free to view and print the resources we currently have available.
Check out these resources here.
PJ-Friendly Writing Groups for Undergrads:
Meet with us on Microsoft Teams for our weekly writing sessions. Then check in with us on Teams throughout the week for motivation, resources, and solidarity as we navigate our assignment loads. For every 6 sessions you attend this term, you earn a #WaterlooWrites mug!
Check-out the website here.
Email Tutoring for Undergrads:
Hey undergrads! Are you stuck on a draft and need some feedback? Working to a deadline but can’t book an appointment at the WCC? Want support but not up for talking to someone? We’re here for you with our email tutoring service. Get feedback over email on your papers, reports, resumes and cover letters, presentation slides, or any other writing or communication assignments!
First-Year Undergrads: Learn to Write Like an Academic
Are you working on writing assignments and presentations? Are you wondering about your professors' expectations and how you can best meet them? Check out Waterloo Ready to Write, designed for first-year undergraduates like you!
We’ve got workshops, learning resources, and individualized support to help you tackle papers, reports, presentations, and other assignments.
Disclaimer: Events and opportunities above are not all endorsed by the PACS department; this newsletter includes opportunities that we think PACS students may be interested in, but are not sponsored by PACS. Please use your own discretion to determine if an opportunity is right for you.