about us

Directors’ Welcome

The Conflict Resolution Institute at the University of Denver will challenge your understanding of conflict as you explore its theoretical roots and craft peaceful solutions. The Institute is home to the Graduate Program, founded in 1998, and the Center for Research and Practice, established in 2004.

Our base is interdisciplinary. Six academic units are affiliated with the Conflict Resolution Institute: the Graduate School of International Studies, Daniels College of Business, Sturm College of Law, the Department of Human Communication Studies, the Graduate School of Social Work, and the Alternative Dispute Resolution Program at University College. Fourteen tenured faculty drawn from different fields across the University of Denver have joined together in creating an exciting core of intellectual exchange for multidisciplinary learning and research work on problems of social management.

Karen Feste Graduate Program Director

The M.A. Graduate Program introduces students to conflict resolution frameworks and technical skills for problem-solving and management in various social settings: politics, school and the workplace, and interpersonal life. The curriculum combines scholarly education with vocational training; we firmly believe that theoretic and applied knowledge are equally important. Coursework focuses on systemic aspects of social relations, on tactics used to transform intractable disputes between parties, and on developing new directions of cooperative interactions between people. Our graduates are prepared to enter a broad variety of careers where conflict resolution skills are important.

Tamra Pearson d'Estree Center for Research and Practice Director

The Center for Research and Practice encourages theoretic and applied research on methods for conflict prevention and conflict transformation based on ethical standards of justice and fairness, and actively engages the community to expand public awareness of peaceful techniques for resolving disputes to improve societal relations and levels of trust between individuals, within organizations, and across cultures. Our annual conferences bring mediators, scholars and government leaders to the campus. Through the Center’s ongoing research projects, students, faculty, and visiting scholars work together developing the conflict resolution field.

In these times of social turmoil, the importance of conflict resolution cannot be overstated. So long as we have conflict in the world—whether it is personal, business related, or political—there is a very strong need to have professionals trained in understanding and applying resolution strategies. Peace in the 21st century depends on our efforts to spread the word about conflict resolution in the community and across the globe. We are enthusiastically committed to our mission and invite you to join us as a student, visiting or post-doc scholar, or supporter. For details on supporting the Conflict Resolution Institute send email to cri@du.edu.