To say that the world is changing rapidly is an understatement. Fundamental shifts are occurring in geopolitics: Europe is engaged in a brutal war of attrition reigniting threats of nuclear war just as China’s economic and technological rise is challenging the global world order. The US is pivoting to Asia with closer ties to regional giants in South and East Asia. Democratic backsliding and nuclear proliferation are on the rise even as global arms control is in decline. A mass migration of people continues unabated. Refugees, asylum seekers, migrants, and internally displaced populations are challenging states in new ways. The looming specter of the climate crisis threatens to intensify inequality and conflict further driving emigration and threatening agricultural and natural resources in unforeseen ways. Both state and human security are being challenged across multiple fronts and on various scales leading to complex entanglements that often result in simple brutalities.
But is the global forecast all doom and gloom? We here at CGPACS do not believe so. In the face of serious security challenges, academics, policymakers, and activists have all found innovative ways to forge ahead with resilience and optimism. Since 1983 CGPACS has been the premier research center at the University of California, Irvine focused on issues related to war, peace and conflict around the world. Our primary objective is to promote rigorous research and interdisciplinary interactions on global security broadly defined. Moving away from disciplinary silos that may keep research and policy confined to specific areas CGPACS fosters deeper engagements across campus through multidisciplinary research.
During my graduate training at the University of Chicago, I experienced firsthand how collaboration between dynamic faculty and students can produce policy relevant, cutting-edge research. I hope to foster and expand that rigorous intellectual dialogue here at CGPACS.
The goal of CGPACS is not only to better understand emerging conflict and security problems, but to get ahead of them, to de-escalate and prevent future challenges. CGPACS hopes to nurture the next generation of young scholars and policy makers that seek innovative answers to global problems. Fundamentally, I believe we are all stakeholders in preserving peace and reducing conflict—everyone has a responsibility and can play a unique role.
So I invite you to get to know our center, join our mailing list and participate in our events. If you are interested in making a difference by sponsoring research and events, please do get in touch. CGPACS is always open for collaboration and innovation.
Be well,
Kamal Sadiq
Director, Center for Global Peace and Conflict Studies
Associate Professor, Department of Political Science
University of California, Irvine
Email: kamal@uci.edu
GET TO KNOW US!
CGPACS is located in SST 777. This is our hub and where most of our events and programs
are located.
Our center has five signature programs:
Thursday Colloquium’s
Our Thursday CGPACS colloquiums invite internal and external speakers to present ongoing or published research to a mix of faculty, students, and community members. Colloquiums are held in SST 777 on Thursdays from 12:30pm -1:50pm.
We have an exciting line-up of presentations so be sure join us.
Tuesday Talk’s
Our Tuesday Talks are led by graduate students and provide an invaluable professionalization platform in a supportive and caring environment. Graduate students present ongoing research, new ideas or work-in-progress during these informal lunch seminars.
They take place in SST 777 on Tuesdays from 12:30pm - 1:30pm.
Graduate Student Fellowships
We award small ‘seed’ grants to graduate students for research on peace and conflict. These competitive grants can be used for fieldwork, pre-dissertation and dissertation research.
Annual Graduate Student Conference
Students affiliated with our center and grant recipient awardees participate each year in an annual graduate student conference to showcase their on-going research. The annual conference attracts graduate students from across the campus and includes faculty advisors to help generate positive feedback and valuable input.
If you would like to participate or attend the Annual Graduate Student Conference, please send an email to lina.lopez@uci.edu
Annual Margolis Lecture
The Margolis lecture is an annual public lecture delivered by a prominent figure who straddles government and academia on topics related to security, conflict and peace. You can read more about Julius Margolis and the Margolis Lectures here.
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