ABSTRACT
This chapter examines how Peace Studies emerged as new field of study in the United States of America (USA). It describes different models and types of programme development, and the contribution that Peace Studies can make to the creation of a culture of peace. The first peace studies programme was established by one of historic peace churches, the Church of the Brethren at Manchester College, a small, religious-based university in Indiana. Values of peace and justice are an inherent part of these traditions, so peace studies finds a natural home in such settings. However, the majority of peace studies programmes in USA are found in secular universities. With the end of Cold War the emphasis of peace studies courses shifted somewhat away from international politics, giving more attention to structural, domestic and civil violence. The growth of peace studies field has been documented in succession of curriculum guides and directories published by Consortium on Peace Research Education and Development (COPRED).
