Social Justice and Peace Studies Homepage

The Social Justice and Peace Studies program encourages critical reflection on structural injustices locally and globally and calls for social action to transform the world in the interests of equity and the pursuit of peace.

This innovative cross-disciplinary program offers one of four core courses in social justice and peace in each of the four years leading to a degree. These core courses are combined with existing courses drawn from a variety of disciplines such as sociology, politics, economics, history, social work, religious studies, and others. There is a mandatory service component in second year that engages students in local issues of Social Justice and Peace and an optional overseas or cross-cultural service component offering a variety of opportunities that may be undertaken at any time after first year. Course credit can be arranged for these experiences.

While this degree can be pursued independently, students are strongly encouraged to combine their degree in Social Justice and Peace with a Major or Minor in social science, arts, or science. The program is designed to make it easy to do this.

Although the program reflects King's mission as a Catholic College, the program addresses students of all religious and political persuasion in a spirit of open and free dialogue.

We believe that this four year BA program will be attractive to students who:

Are interested in expanding their awareness of social justice issues and their understanding of the interlocking nature of poverty, violence, racism, sexism, colonization, disability, religious persecution, environmental degradation and other forms of oppression.
Wish to develop critical and analytical skills necessary to live and work responsibly in a globally integrated world.
Want to act as political and social critics and become agents for progressive social transformation.
Wish to participate in volunteer experiences or internships (for course credit) in local community settings, in low-income countries or work with the King’s Centre for Social Concern.

Whether their chosen career is education, politics, social work, civil service, business, law, or the arts (more...), graduates will be better equipped to take an active part in civil society as responsible, informed, and concerned citizens. In a global economy currently dominated by corporate capitalism and the pursuit of profit for its own sake, they will be prepared to join the struggle to elevate the common good, the survival of the planet and the pursuit of peace as more meaningful and worthy human goals.