Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies Events Address the Growth of Technology in a Variety of Fields

Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies Events Address the Growth of Technology in a Variety of Fields

SAN DIEGO, CA – The University of San Diego’s Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies (Kroc School) will hold three separate events on April 12 and 13, each addressing significant changes in tech that have the ability to affect peace and security.

Distinguished Lecture Series: Asi Burak

On Tuesday, April 12 at 7:00 p.m., the School’s Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice will host a lecture with Asi Burak, POWER PLAY: Trends and Opportunities in Gaming for Good, as a part of the Joan B. Kroc Distinguished Lecture Series.

The reach and impact of digital games is obvious; It is now a global $66 billion industry. Like other mass media before it, games can advance social good and learning. They can spread information, raise awareness, inspire social action and build civic participation. Recent studies have revealed their educational benefits, debunked stereotypes about who is playing, and underscored how games can contribute to positive change.

Burak’s lecture will make the case for using games for “good,” with an overview of the latest trends and core challenges. He will share prominent case studies and success stories from around the globe, including his unique entry to the field – leading the team behind the award-winning game PeaceMaker, on the Middle East conflict.

For more information or to register for this event, click here.

California Consensus for Peace through Technology (CalCon)

On April 13 the Kroc School will host the California Consensus for Peace through Technology (CalCon). The 2016 symposium will focus on challenging violent movements and will seek to answer how new technologies, new methodological approaches, and an evolving understanding of peacebuilding strategies can be leveraged to adapt to the rapidly changing nature of conflict. This invitation only event brings together:

  • Pioneering peace and security researchers pitching their innovative projects that use technology to better understand and challenge violent movements;
  • Technologists and funders with the capacity to support accelerating or scaling up projects;
  • Policymakers capable of identifying and responding to the world’s toughest peace and security challenges.

CalCon is hosted in partnership with the One Earth Future Foundation (OEF). Network partners include the Alliance for Peacebuilding, the Peace and Security Funders Group and PeaceTech Lab.

For more information or to inquire about attendance, click here.

Civilian Drone Use Report

On Thursday, April 13 at 1:00 p.m., a camera-equipped medium-altitude balloon will be launched in front of the Kroc School. The launch will highlight grassroots uses of new technologies like drones and balloons, and will highlight the release of a Civilian Drone Use Report by Dr. Austin Choi-Fitzpatrick and his student co-authors. Austin is an assistant professor of Political Sociology with the Kroc School. The report, “Up in the Air,” includes an analysis of drone usage worldwide to understand civilian drone use and to explore regulatory responses. Some key findings from the report are included below:

  • 2012 was a breakout period that saw non-military use overtake military use
  • Legislation is sparse and uneven, but growing
  • Forty-one state laws have been passed in twenty-eight states
  • American regulations are long overdue

The report concludes that the United States has the most reported drone usage. It also highlights the inconsistent nature of drone legislation, and the “catch-up” process that legislators have to engage in to deal with rapidly increasing drone use.

To learn more about the report and the event, click here.


About the University of San Diego

Strengthened by the Catholic intellectual tradition, we confront humanity’s challenges by fostering peace, working for justice and leading with love. With more than 8,000 students from 75 countries and 44 states, USD is the youngest independent institution on the U.S. News & World Report list of top 100 universities in the United States. USD’s eight academic divisions include the College of Arts and Sciences, the Knauss School of Business, the Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering, the School of Law, the School of Leadership and Education Sciences, the Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science, the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies, and the Division of Professional and Continuing Education. In 2021, USD was named a “Laudato Si’ University” by the Vatican with a seven-year commitment to address humanity’s urgent challenges by working together to take care of our common home.