Violent conflict remains one of the most serious problems in the world today. Hundreds of thousands of people die every year as a result of war, and millions of refugees are displaced and suffering. The interdisciplinary academic field of peace studies attempts to understand the causes of such conflict and contribute to sustainable strategies that will lead not just to the absence of war, but to genuine human flourishing. This course will introduce that field of study with a particular emphasis on conflict transformation, peace building, and the rights of marginalized persons. These emphases reflect our Norbertine heritage and the ordering themes of the Peace and Justice minor at St. Norbert College.