10th Annual John D. Stratton Conference-The Science of Peace

ACN’s “Science of Peace” conference to be held Feb. 21-22

Published on Jan. 23, 2025
Ashland Center for Nonviolence

ASHLAND, Ohio – The Ashland Center for Nonviolence (ACN) at Ashland University will host the 10th annual John D. Stratton Conference on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 21-22. This year’s theme is “The Science of Peace.”

Through the development of “The Science of Peace,” the conference expects to leverage the strengths of a variety of disciplines in an effort to bring about a broader range of effective approaches to building a peaceful world. It aims to help transform how we understand and practice peacemaking, moving beyond traditional boundaries and opening new pathways for research, education and action.

The conference will kick off Feb. 21 with a keynote speech from Matthew T. Lee, Ph.D., director of the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University’s Institute for Quantitative Social Science. He will present “What is Ecosystem-Wide Flourishing and Why Does It Matter to Peace?” at 7 p.m., in the Trustees Room of the John C. Myers Convocation Center. The presentation is free and open to the public.

Lee’s current research explores topics such as well-being and flourishing, benevolent service to others and the integration of social science and the humanities. He is a research associate for the Human Flourishing Program’s Flourishing Network, which connects people around the world interested in flourishing research and practice and utilizes the program’s framework and research to collaborate on the topic of flourishing. He also serves as professor of social sciences and humanities at Baylor University’s Institute for Studies of Religion. Lee spent a significant portion of his scholarly career at the University of Akron, where he served as a professor of sociology and criminal justice (2001-18) and was designated as an inaugural “Lifetime Community Engaged Scholar” by the EXL Center for Community Engaged Learning.

On Feb. 22, there will be an all-day academic conference, featuring a series of presenters and workshops across disciplines, at AU’s Dauch College of Business and Economics from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Registration is required and can be completed at ashland.edu/acn.

ACN, in its 21st year, promotes alternatives to violence through education, training and building relationships that foster awareness and consideration of issues related to nonviolence and social justice, and supports ways to create a caring community that is inclusive and just.

For more information, please contact Elizabeth Buttil, assistant director of ACN, at ebuttil@ashland.edu or 419-289-5313.