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Upcoming Events/Opportunities
Operation Groundswell: Backpacking with a purpose
This year, join the movement of socially and environmentally conscious travelers in Peru, Ecuador, Guatemala, and beyond.
At operation groundswell we connect with you with our friends in faraway places who are working towards positive change in their communities. In small groups led by fun-lovin' Program Leaders, we'll dive into life on the ground and learn about how we can work towards a more just and sustainable world through travel. PACS students may take PACS 390: Internship course, or PACS 395: travel course for credit. For more information contact Ndagire.
To learn more, check out the website here.
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.
PACS 401 students are encouraged to submit their research proposals for consideration. If you would guidance for this process, connect with PACS 401 prof. Naren.
Map the System 2023
Map the System is a global competition run by the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship in partnership with Oxford University and other post-secondary institutions around the world. In this competition, participants use systems thinking as a guiding approach to explore some of the most complex issues facing the world today.
Make sure you check out the website for more information on the process and to see past projects!
The deadline to register as an individual or as a team is January 31, 2023.
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.
Winter 2023 PACS Courses
Check out PACS courses for winter 2023 here!
PACS 301 - Special Topics in PACS: The Future of War: Drones, Robots, and the Role of Peace 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
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.