Peace Literacy 1 - Aggression: Its Causes, Anatomy, and Alternatives

Nonviolence Training

Aggression, in its many forms, is at the heart of some of the most pressing global challenges and personal struggles we face.

Peace Literacy 1 - Aggression: Its Causes, Anatomy, and Alternatives offers educators and community leaders an opportunity to learn how to better understand and address aggression through a comprehensive Peace Literacy framework.

This course provides practical tools and insights, helping you develop the skills to foster peace in your classrooms, workplaces, and communities.

Through five weeks of focused study, this course equips participants with the knowledge and strategies needed to replace cycles of aggression with pathways to peace, providing lasting, positive impacts in personal and professional relationships.

Why Peace Literacy Matters

Peace literacy is more than just a skill—it’s a vital framework for addressing human aggression and its widespread effects.

Rooted in the leadership training of West Point and the vision of Civil Rights leaders, this course gives participants practical tools to address the root causes of aggression and create more harmonious environments.

By building a deeper understanding of the anatomy of aggression, you will be able to offer alternatives that lead to constructive dialogue and peaceful resolution of conflicts.

Why this Course is Unique

This "teaching peace" course leans into the fact that we have as much to unlearn about aggression as we have to learn about nonviolence and peace.

We can’t just tell people not to be aggressive, we must give them other skills and habits to replace it. Our course mixes an understanding of the root causes of aggression with practical alternatives to aggression.

The framework of this course is based on three main questions:

What if people were as well trained in waging peace as soldiers are in waging war?
What if people were trained to address root causes of problems rather than symptoms?
What if we taught peace as a skill set, as a life-saving literacy, with as much rigor as we teach reading and writing?

What You’ll Gain from Peace Literacy 1

Through its interdisciplinary approach, Peace Literacy 1 brings together perspectives from leadership training and civil rights movements to offer a new model for understanding aggression.

You will learn not only how to identify aggression but also how to address its root causes, making this course essential for anyone looking to create more peaceful environments.

In this course, you will:

Understand the Root Causes of Aggression. Explore the different types of aggression—personal, social, and systemic—and learn how they manifest in various environments.

Analyze the Anatomy of Aggression. Delve into the underlying triggers and mechanisms of aggression, gaining a better understanding of its impacts on both individuals and communities.

Develop Alternatives to Aggression. Learn practical strategies for de-escalating conflicts and fostering environments where peace and understanding can thrive.

Apply Peace Literacy in Real-World Contexts. Gain insights and tools that can be applied immediately in your classroom, workplace, or community to create a culture of peace.

Earn a Certificate in Peace Literacy. Upon completing the course, you'll receive a certificate that highlights your ability to implement peace literacy strategies in professional and personal settings.

Learning Objectives

As part of understanding aggression and teaching peace, here are the learning objectives for the course:

Identify the 7 Shared Features of Strong Communities
Build Empathy for Self and Others
Identify the Fires Beneath Aggression
Analyze the Anatomy of Aggression
Cultivate Calm in Yourself and Others During Conflict
Understand the Difference Between Accountability and Vengeance
Identify the 3 Elements of Universal Respect
Understand the Role of Respect in Building Shared Trust

Who Should Take This Course?

This course is ideal for:

K-12 educators
community leaders
human resources professionals
social workers
anyone dedicated to creating more peaceful and inclusive environments

Whether you are working in a school, nonprofit, corporate, or community setting, Peace Literacy 1 will equip you with the skills needed to understand and address aggression at its root.

Start Your Journey Toward Peace Literacy Today

By enrolling in Peace Literacy 1 - Aggression: Its Causes, Anatomy, and Alternatives, you take the first step in fostering peace in your professional and personal life.

With expert guidance and a strong theoretical foundation, this course will empower you to build more peaceful, productive environments.

Receive a digital workbook, access to a community of like-minded professionals, and a certificate of completion as part of your enrollment. Start your journey today and become a leader in peace literacy for the 21st century.

New dates coming soon!

5 weeks | Asynchronous

Online

$300

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Additional Information: 20 PDUs/2.0 CEUs

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Instructors

Shari Clough

Shari Clough, Ph.D. is our instructor of record (shariclough@peaceliteracy.org). She earned a doctorate in the History and Philosophy of Science from Simon Fraser University in B.C., as well as an M.A. in Religious Studies, and an honors B.A. in Social Psychology, both from the University of Calgary in Alberta. She began working at Oregon State University in 2003 and is now a full professor in the School of History, Philosophy, and Religion as well as the Director of Phronesis Lab: Experiments in Engaged Ethics. Clough has co-facilitated workshops with Paul Chappell across the US and Canada, in person, online, and increasingly, in virtual reality. She serves as the Peace Literacy Curriculum Coordinator and as President of the Board of Directors at the Peace Literacy Institute.

Clay Williams

Clay Williams (willclay@oregonstate.edu) graduated from OSU with his MA in Interdisciplinary Studies focused on Rhetoric, Philosophy, and Anthropology. He is now an instructor of Speech Communication at OSU. Williams began his Peace Literacy training with Clough as an intern in Phronesis Lab in 2019 and is now a Program Associate with the Peace Literacy Institute. He works as an ongoing partner in a number of Peace Literacy projects across OSU and in the broader community.

Paul K. Chappell

Paul K. Chappell serves as our advisor. Chappell is an international peace educator, founder of Peace Literacy, and Executive Director of the Peace Literacy Institute. He graduated from West Point in 2002, was deployed to Iraq, and left active duty as a Captain. Realizing that humanity is facing new challenges that require us to become as well-trained in waging peace as soldiers are in waging war, Chappell created Peace Literacy to help students and adults from all backgrounds work toward their full potential and a more peaceful world.

Past Students' Work

Take a look at some recent projects our students have created.