Peace and Justice

The mission of the Office of Peace and Justice is to explore the causes and consequences of violent conflict as well as the conditions that promote conflict resolution, peace, and justice. It does so from a variety of disciplinary perspectives, including political, sociological, theological, philosophical, and literary. The Office oversees an interdisciplinary minor in Peace and Justice Studies, an annual speaker series, faculty workshops, and course development grants, among other activities.

The promotion of peace and justice lies at the heart of Loyola University Maryland’s Jesuit, Catholic mission to inspire students to learn, lead, and serve in a diverse and changing world.  The Office’s programming advances several of Loyola’s learning aims, including the “commitment to promote justice for all, based on a respect for the dignity and sanctity of human life,” “a willingness to act as an agent for positive change, informed by a sense of responsibility to the larger community,” “a commitment to put faith into action,” and the ability to respond to the “great moral issues of our time,” including “poverty, racism, genocide, war and peace.” 

The work of the Office is led by the program director, Dr. Heidi Shaker and the Peace and Justice steering committee. Development for Loyola's program in Peace and Justice Studies was supported in large part by a generous gift from Mary Catherine Bunting.

Spring 2025 Electives

• CH114D.01 Global Environment 
• EC360.01 Environmental Economics 
• EN208 Black Women Writers
• EN488 Seminar in Multi-Ethnic Literature 
• HS251.01/HS*398.01 Global Histories of Disability 
• HS372.01 Vietnam War Film & Literature 
• ML307D Topics in Comparative Cultures
• PL210 Politics & Society
• PL228.01 Philosophy and Genocide 
• PL305.01 Ethics/Politics of Humanitarian Intervention 
• PL306 Ethics of Race and Gender 
• PL401.01 Peace and Justice Studies Capstone
• PS304.01 Politics of the Middle East
• PY425.03 Why Couples Fight
• SC100 Introduction to Sociology
• SC348/HS357/HS452 Racial Justice and Truth Telling: Baltimore and Beyond
• TH395.01 Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation 
• WR200 Introduction to Creative Nonfiction