Social Psychology Network

The Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict, and Violence (Division 48 of the American Psychological Association) strongly endorses Social Psychology Network, an online resource used by peace psychologists throughout the world.

Social Psychology Network is unique in many ways, but for members of the Society, perhaps the most valuable aspect of SPN is the way it shows how psychology can contribute to "peace, social justice, and sustainable living" (as given in the Network's mission statement). For example, SPN offers a remarkable wealth of teaching and research resources related to peace, violence, and conflict resolution. These resources include videos and a slideshow on the Stanford Prison Experiment, an interactive quiz on genocide and prejudice toward indigenous peoples, and, importantly, information on how to overcome prejudice and structural violence, such as a web site describing the jigsaw classroom and other cooperative learning techniques.

Likewise, a section on action teaching (ActionTeaching.org) contains free lesson plans and teaching materials related to peace and social justice, such as a "Day of Compassion" student assignment. In addition, SPN gives an annual award for the best action teaching project, and it posts award-winning entries on the web for other instructors to use or adapt in their own courses. This year, the top prize of $1,000 recognized a project on reducing youth violence; other winning entries have focused on understanding the plight of war refugees, reducing conflict by avoiding attribution errors, and using lessons from the Holocaust to prevent bullying.

Indeed, SPN has so many resources on peace that a SocialPsychology.org search using the keyword "peace" yields over 800 results, including books, journals, newsletters, articles, organizations, and course syllabi. In honor of those who died on September 11th, 2001, SPN also maintains a Peace Psychology page with more than 300 links organized by subtopic. Here, interested visitors can find information on nonviolence, counter-terrorism, genocide prevention, nongovernmental peace organizations, conflict resolution programs, peace psychology textbooks, and much more.

As these remarks make clear, SPN performs several invaluable services for the peace psychology community. It disseminates information on the psychological study of peace and violence; it explicitly links psychology and peace, thereby promoting the inclusion of this topic in psychology courses, textbooks, and curricula; and it publicizes and encourages excellence in peace-related action teaching. In recognition of these important contributions and our shared efforts to advance peace and social justice, we urge our members to join and support Social Psychology Network.

--Society for the Study of
  Peace, Conflict, and Violence
  (December 21, 2009)