Universities not giving peace studies a chance

Currently, there are something in the order of 17 war-like conflicts happening around the globe, with the latest bloodbaths occurring in Libya, Syria, Bahrain, Yemen and Egypt. The actual number of ‘wars’ depends of course on what you mean by war, because some of the face-offs between drug gangs and the police in Brazil, Peru and Mexico can look very much like warfare. Many of these wars have been going on for a long time and collectively have accounted for millions of lives. And what’s more, the prospects for peace seem as dim as ever. For instance, the UN as well as leading climate scientists predict that large scale population movements caused by climate change and rising tensions over resources like oil, food and water will lead to many more wars in future years. Actually, anywhere you care to look there is the potential for violent conflict and a need for peace.