Ami Carpenter
Associate Professor
- PhD, Conflict Analysis and Resolution, George Mason University
- MA, Communication Studies, New Mexico State University
- BA (Honors) Psychology, New Mexico State University
Ami Carpenter, PhD, is an associate professor at the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies at the University of San Diego, and teaches courses in conflict resolution, conflict analysis, and negotiation.
Carpenter holds a PhD from George Mason University and, in addition to her classes at the Kroc School, has taught courses on international, community, and organizational conflict prevention and resolution at George Mason University (Arlington, Va.), National Taurida Vernatsky University (Simferopol, Ukraine), and California State University, Dominguez Hills.
She has worked on numerous initiatives as a mediator, facilitator, trainer, and conflict resolution consultant. Carpenter currently advises the U.S. Institute of Peace on its programs on countering violent extremism and applied research on conflict, Interpeace, the San Diego Commission on Gang Prevention and Intervention, and the San Diego County Advisory Council on Human and Child Sex Trafficking.
Her recent publications are on resilience in fragile states and violent conflict in Mexico and Central America, and her research focuses on community resilience to violence and the criminal dimensions of political conflicts. Currently, Carpenter is researching vulnerability and resilience to conflict in Iraqi and Guatemalan communities, the connection between transnational gangs and criminal networks in Central America, and gang involvement in sex trafficking in San Diego County.
Courses Taught
KROC 511 Peace and Conflict Analysis
KROC 594 Race, Ethnicity, Religion: Social Identities
KROC 594 Peacebuilding Practicum: Fieldwork in Consulting & Project Management
PJS 595 Peace and Justice Studies Capstone
Areas of Expertise
Interethnic Conflict Resolution
Scholarly Work
Carpenter, Ami C. (2019). "Resilience to Sectarianism in Baghdad and Dohuk." In J. Martini, D. D. Kaye & B. Wasser (Eds), Countering Sectarianism in the Middle East. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation. URL:https://www.rand.org/pubs/
Carpenter, Ami C. “In Hand, Out of Hand: Weapons and Violence Culture in Large Latino Gangs.” In Global Perspectives on Youth Gang Behavior, Violence, and Weapons Use, edited by Simon Harding and Marek Palasinski. Hershey, PA: IGI Global, 2016.
Carpenter, Ami C. "Gangs and Drug Trafficking: Challenges for Conflict Resolution in Mexico and Guatemala. In Linking Political Violence and Crime in Latin America, edited by Kirsten Howarth and Jenny H. Peterson. New York: Lexington Books, 2015.
Carpenter, Ami C. and Stacey Cooper. Understanding Transnational Criminal Networks: A Contribution to Community Resilience: A Social Network Analysis of the San Diego/Tijuana Border. Journal of Gang Research 22:3 (2015), 1-24.
Carpenter, Ami C. “Changing Lenses: Conflict Analysis and Mexico’s ‘Drug War.’” Journal of Latin American Politics and Society 55:3 (2013), 139-160.
Carpenter, Ami C. “Civilian Protection in Mexico & Guatemala: Humanitarian Engagement with Druglords & Gangs.” The Homeland Security Review, 6:2 (2012), 109-136.
Carpenter, Ami C. “Havens in a Firestorm: Perspectives from Baghdad on Resilience to Sectarian Violence.” Civil Wars 14:2 (2012), 182-204.
Areas of Interest
- Conflict Resolution
- Resilience to Violent Conflict
- Sectarian Conflict and Extremism
- Identity Conflict (including gang conflict)
- Conflict Analysis
- Human Trafficking