The Baker Institute Scholar in Residence

AMR ABDALLA, PH.D.

Professor Emeritus at the United Nationsmandated University for Peace (UPEACE), with main campus in Costa Rica

Dr. Abdalla is a Professor Emeritus at the United Nations-mandated University for Peace (UPEACE) at their main campus in Costa Rica. He is also the Senior Advisor on Conflict Resolution at the Washington-based organization KARAMAH (Muslim Women Lawyers for Human Rights). Abdalla has taught undergraduate and graduate classes in conflict analysis and resolution and has conducted training, research, and evaluation of conflict resolution and peacebuilding programs in more than 70 different countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas. A former senior advisor at the Institute for Peace and Security Studies at Addis Ababa University, Vice President of SALAM Institute for Peace and Justice in Washington, D.C., Professor, Dean, and Vice Rector at UPEACE, Dr. Abdalla holds a law degree as well as a master’s in sociology and a Ph.D. in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University.

In joining the Baker Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies as the 2021–2022 Scholar in Residence, Dr. Abdalla has been instrumental in helping the PACS department develop partnerships with other peacebuilding organizations and institutions, as well as increasing the Baker Institute’s visibility on and off campus. Amr Abdalla taught two classes, hosted a lecture, and established a conflict resolution workshop for the campus community during his first semester with the Baker Institute.

Lecture: Life After Peace Studies

Amr Abdalla presented a lecture titled “Life After Peace Studies” on February 22, 2022. Dr. Abdalla posited that a degree in peace and conflict studies (PACS) opens doors for a myriad of jobs and opportunities in all sectors- from business to government, to international organizations and NGOs. In this presentation, Dr. Abdalla reflected on how his PACS degree advanced his professional career, and shared stories about the work he has done worldwide that had a direct positive impact on issues of social justice, empowerment, and peacebuilding.

Workshop: Conflict Resolution

Dr. Zia Haque and Dr. Amr Abdalla led a conflict resolution workshop for 24 faculty, staff, and administrators on March 4, 2022. They focused on academic community settings, using real-life scenarios of conflicts common among faculty, administrative staff, and students. The workshop applied interactive, participatory methods for analyzing conflicts and designing peaceful approaches to conflict resolution, the purpose of which was to enhance participants’ pertinent communication and conflict resolution skills that will be effective in the college environment.