Trinity College Hosts 16th Annual Student Conference on Peacemaking, Diversity and Social Change

About the Conference

Everything You Wanted to Know about The CAAPS Fourteenth Annual Student Conference on Peacemaking, Diversity and Social Change (but Were Afraid to Ask)

Conference Program

What is CAAPS?

The Capital Area Association for Peace Studies (CAAPS) was founded in 1988 in order to promote cooperation among peace-related curricular programs in the Washington Consortium. Since then, it has brought together students and faculty from area universities through periodic conferences, workshops, and a newsletters designed to enhance access to area resources in the growing, multidisciplinary field of peace studies. A mainstay of CAAPS is its annual student conference, a forum for the presentation of student research and the exchange of experience and ideas among students, faculty, and members of the D.C. peacemaking community. The conference is a moveable feast hosted on a revolving basis; in past years it has found an enthusiastic reception at Georgetown University, The George Washington University, American University, Trinity College, and Catholic University.

How does the conference work?

The conference is an all-day event, designed to bring together people, ideas, and resources around the themes of peacemaking, diversity and social change. Students-both graduate and undergraduate--actively engaged in intellectual, academic, and activist endeavors related to these themes constitute the core of the conference. The opportunities for their involvement include presenting or responding to papers in panels, participating in roundtable discussions, giving or otherwise taking part in workshops, or moderating a panel or roundtable session. Apart from attending sessions, conference attendees also have the opportunity to hear keynote speakers, interact with representatives of invited non-profit organizations, and join in other sorts of collective activities (e.g. meals, music, movement, etc.).

What distinguishes panels, roundtables, and workshops from one another?

A panel consists of 2-3 paper presentations of 10-15 minutes each, followed by a discussant's commentary and an audience question-and-answer session.

A roundtable is a more informal discussion session among several participants, each of whom gives a 3-4 minute summary of his or her position on a common theme before joining in on an open discussion of that theme. Audience members are also invited to participate in the discussion. A moderator keeps track of time and ensures that all have an opportunity to speak their piece.

A workshop is designed to be experiential or practical in nature. Workshop presenters will share their expertise with the participants, provide practical exercises, or lead demonstrations of skills. Past workshops have been organized around topics such as career and professional development, conflict resolution skills, combining action and reflection for social justice, and teaching tolerance.

Trinity College
125 Michigan Ave., NE
Washington, DC 20017
Contact: Dr. Ira Reed, Professor of Political Science
reedi@trinitydc.edu