Summer Peace Studies Courses at the Hutchinson Center

Belfast. The University of Maine Hutchinson Center is pleased to announce that the Summer 2008 course listings are available! There are many great live and distance education courses offered throughout the summer at the Belfast campus.
This summer there are six peace studies courses available at or through The Hutchinson Center! The University of Maine Peace Studies Program focuses on education for peace, justice, human rights, nonviolence, tolerance, global understanding, interdependence & mutuality, and environmental responsibility.
Three of the six peace studies (PAX) courses to be offered are live and three are available online; each of these courses are three credits. Intermediate Zen Buddhism (May 12th –May 30th, day and time TBA), The Ethics and Politics of Food, and Restorative Justice Discipline, all designated as PAX 495, are three live courses that illustrate the diversity in topics covered by PAX courses.
Restorative Justice Discipline (July 7th-July 11th, M-F, 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM), taught by Joanne Boynton, is an interactive week long course that will offer the learner a constructive model for dealing with conflict in a school setting. Class activities will be formatted utilizing “the circle process”, a tenet of restorative practice, as the basis of course explorations. Other topics of discourse include setting up a restorative school discipline project and establishment of positive connections and support within the community.
The Ethics and Politics of Food (June 2nd-July 11th, T/TH 5-7:45 PM), taught by Ellie Dodge, is a six week course designed to encourage the student to explore ethical, political, environmental, health/nutrition, and social consequences of consumer food decisions. Students will examine the effects that diet and food choices have on their health, the environment, and how they affect others in society. Other topics will include discussions on the detriments of poor agricultural policy decisions on food access, the environment, and the economy as well as how to influence food and food access policy.
The Online Peace Studies offerings include PAX 201, Introduction to Peace Studies (May 27th – August 22nd), PAX 250, Peace and Pop Culture (May 12th – May 30th), and PAX 350, Buddhism, Peace, and Contemplative Studies (June 2nd – July 25th). Online courses can be accessed at The Hutchinson Center, or via a home computer with high speed internet.
To register for these or any of our other exciting summer courses or to make an appointment with our academic advisor, please call 338-8000 or toll free 1-800-753-9044.