Two activities marked the summer of the Youth, Peace and Security program here. They are two parallel activities that emanate from the same idea: a Social Laboratory. Our program is currently executing a city-wide social lab (Social Lab Medellin), and a localized one in the northwest region of the city, in comuna 5, Castilla (Social… read more

My first visit to one the planned settlements from the IDP Program in Rwanda was a follow up visit from a previous research trip for my Master’s of Science in Urban Planning thesis – read part 1 for further context.  In January 2018, I visited these same 28 families, all of which were Genocide Survivors (i.e., Tutsi). … read more

To truly grasp the extent of control the Rwandan government has on its population is difficult.  Traveling through Kigali and more remote parts of the country for three weeks this summer, I am struck by the outward portrayal of the country, but also try my hardest to be deeply critical of the façade it paints… read more

Thanks to AC4 for my selection as a fellow, I was able to attend the 2018 International Association of Conflict Management (IACM) conference in Philadelphia, USA, this July 8-11, 2018. My participation was indeed an honor as this made my long time dream a reality. The value I placed on the conference prompted my preparation for… read more

Members of the AC4 team along with colleagues from around Columbia University travelled to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in July for this year’s International Association on Conflict Management (IACM) Conference. With partners at Morton Deutsch International Center for Cooperation and Conflict Resolution (MD-ICCCR) and the Negotiation and Conflict Resolution (NeCR) Master’s program, we participated in the conference… read more

The 2018 IACM Conference struck a chord with me right from the opening session! The range of topics discussed, professors and students that I met, and the sheer enormity of the conflict management field was overwhelming – to say the least! IACM was the first international conference that I had attended, and naturally, I was… read more

“Conserving Tropical Forests: Can Sustainable Livelihoods Outperform Artisanal or Informal Mining” authored by  Dr. Joshua Fisher, Dr. Poonam Aurora, and Sophia Rhee is now available in Sustainability. The paper discusses conservation efforts and presents a pilot study building on recent research in the Peruvian Amazon from the Environment, Peace and Sustainability initiative. Abstract: The viability of conservation efforts, including protected areas and… read more

“I didn’t realize how interconnected social systems were with environmental issues.” Nearly two years ago, a few colleagues and I founded an organization called the Women’s Global Empowerment Initiative (WGEI). We promote global education in Morocco for young women of color in low-income high schools in Atlanta, Louisville, and New Orleans. Our vision is to provide… read more

The Morton Deutsch International Center for Cooperation and Conflict Resolution (MD-ICCCR) at Teachers College, Columbia University, is seeking a Work Study for the 2018-2019 school year. Learn more and apply now! This work-study position assists with clerical and general office duties in the MD-ICCCR. The MD-ICCCR is an innovative center committed to developing knowledge and… read more

AC4 is looking to hire a Program Manager for the Sustainable Peace Project. Click here to read full job description and apply. Description: The Sustainable Peace Project is an interdisciplinary project that aims to uncover the fundamental dynamics of sustainably peaceful societies. Grounded in complexity science, the project conducts basic research utilizing multiple methodologies to design,… read more