Chiara McLean on Everyday Applications of Peace and Conflict Studies
Chiara McLean, a 4th year Peace and Conflict Studies (PACS) student based at the University of ݮƵ, is passionate about global affairs. As Chiara began studying at ݮƵ, she knew her educational path involved a Political Science major and Communication Studies minor. In her first year, Chiara heard a friend mention they were enrolled in PACS 101: Peace is Everybody's BusinessԻthat it was an interesting course. Curious to know more about PACS, she enrolled in PACS 201: Roots of Conflict, Violence and PeaceԻPACS 203: A History of Peace Movements in her second year of undergraduate studies. In her third year, she decided the program would complement her academic plans, and declared a joint Political Science and PACS major. With an interest in international relations and affairs, Chiara sought opportunities through co-op and volunteering that were challenging yet rewarding.
Chiara’s first internship with the U.S. Consulate as a Commercial Services Intern was the beginning of her trek toward a career in global affairs. The internship aided in her “learning about how to promote and support U.S. business interest within the Canadian market,” she noted. Her experience with the consulate allowed her to develop foundational knowledge in domestic and international affairs, which set the tone for subsequent co-ops in provincial government.
In her next co-op with the Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation, and Trade (MEDJCT), she worked as an international representation assistant. Within her team, she collaborated on work aimed to “prepare the minister for his international travels abroad and promote Ontario's relationship with other countries,” Chiara noted. Captivated by the potential of a public service career, she continued her co-op experiences with the provincial Treasury Board of the Secretariat as a strategic policy analyst where she “learned about the government and all the decisions that are being made constantly,” she said. In her final co-op, again with MEDJCT, Chiara assisted staff with the coordination of inbound international business delegations, conferences and events in Ontario.
As an undergraduate student, one of Chiara’s favourite courses was PACS 318: Peacebuilding in Divided Societies. “I really enjoyed that course because it allows one to understand the roots of conflicts and understand the different perspectives within a community,” she noted. “It is very applicable now to the world we are living in. There is a lot of division in society...I think it is important to learn how to live amongst people in the community and be able to accept and recognize differences,” Chiara said. She found that simulations with mediators managing dialogue helped shape her understanding of conflict and how to listen to others. Many of Chiara’s courses were applicable to one another, she recalled. While taking a course on PSCI 367: Issues in American Politics during the election, Chiara drew on her knowledge from PACS 318 to support her understanding of what divides people and communities. Finding links between her political science and PACS background, Chiara found her education to be impactful.
While Chiara found these experiences to be notable aspects of her time as an undergraduate student, other experiences outside of co-op and academics provided her with a toolkit to navigate interpersonal relationships with cultural and physical divides. The Japan Canada Academic Consortium was a student forum Chiara participated in throughout her second and third year of university. Through the program, she travelled abroad to work with Canadian and Japanese students to present on how Canada and Japan can cooperate to address societal issues. "What I found challenging working with people from a different culture was, you're in a different setting learning those norms and how to communicate with them and work together,” Chiara recollected. In her first year participating in the consortium, it was virtual due to the pandemic, and she found it difficult to build connections. Despite cultural differences and physical limitations, her team persevered and won the competition for their presentation on how Canada and Japan can work together to address security issues within the Indo-Pacific region. Her introduction to global cultures and her willingness to cultivate relationships despite difficulty set the foundation for other on-the-ground experiences.
Through also participating in the campus ministry at St. Jerome’s University, Chiara saw her Peace and Conflict Studies coursework hold significant relevance. As part of the campus ministry planning team, she aided in the planning and execution of events like the Daughters of Abraham event. The event brought women of the “Christian, Jewish, and Islamic faith together to have discussions about their own faith, their own experiences,Իwhat challenges they face,” Chiara stated. "Bridging people of different religions, nationalities, and experiences all together in that room was really amazing to see,” she remarked. By making bracelets with attendees and learning from others, she realized the difficulties that come with finding spaces and places to have intentional conversation and found her ministry experience to be transformative. Volunteering with the campus ministry brought her understanding of the relevance of Peace and Conflict Studies into everyday life by reinforcing the importance of using peacebuilding to build and maintain community relationships.
Now in her final year of studies at ݮƵ, Chiara hopes to pursue a master's degree in global affairs and believes her experience as a double major in Political Science and Peace and Conflict Studies are applicable to her goals of being a diplomat. Through both programs, she developed skills and insights necessary to thrive in her career and beyond and looks forward to applying her knowledge to future endeavours.
By: Samira Abdillahi