RECONSIDERING PEACE IN LIBERAL ARTS
A collaboration
between Middlebury
and ICU
Held in January 2020 and hosted by the
International Christian University (ICU) in
Mitaka, Tokyo, the three-day workshop
titled “Reconsidering Peace in Liberal Arts”
attracted twenty high school students from
multiple high schools to gather on ICU
campus. The workshop was a collaboration
between the Middlebury School Abroad in
Japan and ICU. The 2020 workshop was
also a pilot program of something that ICU
hopes to make happen annually.
Critically thinking
about peace in English
Drawing inspiration from the Critical Issues
Forum (CIF) coordinated by the Center for
Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) at the
Middlebury Institute in Monterey, the
workshop was intended to foster critical
thinking in high school students, focusing on
the theme of “peace.” Held entirely in
English, students participated in a variety of
activities aimed to enhance their English
communication skills, while simultaneously
preparing these high school students for
university life.
JANUARY 11-13, 2020
A weekend of peacefull discussions
Throughout three days of the workshop, students
were divided into teams of four or five led by a
current ICU Student Ambassador. On the first
day, students participated in a discussion about
peace from a liberal arts perspective. Following a
keynote lecture by Professor Katsuhiko Mori,
students explored the roles of art, music,
literature, and technology and how they affect
peace. Students also toured ICU campus through
a fun scavenger hunt competition against other
teams, and finished the first day off with the
popular Paprika song by Kenshi Yonezu.
The workshop continued early Sunday morning
with a keynote lecture from Professor Jeremiah
Alberg, examining the causes of conflicts.
Students then enjoyed a series of activities - a
physical game involving solving a human knot with
their teammates, a mini charade in which teams
were required to act out a household appliance,
and a conversation with new friends to learn
about the story of their names. After lunch, the
five ICU Student Ambassadors and the workshop
coordinator Linny Tran hosted a world-cafe style
presentation and discussion on five topics:
nuclear power, sustainability, global warming,
equality and equity, and immigration.
The last day of the workshop consisted of teams
showcasing their creative projects on the theme
of “peace.” Groups put together a variety of
projects, such as a play, a dance, a game, a song,
and an artwork, all of which displayed not only
their creativity but also their critical thinking
about the theme. After the project showcase, ICU
Student Ambassadors talked about their
experiences with university life, advising and
encouraging their underclassmen. The workshop
ended with a meaningful reflection and a pizza
party for lunch before everyone headed home to
enjoy the rest of the three-day holiday weekend.
Organizers of the workshop received positive
feedback from students that participated in the
workshop. In an evaluation survey, students wrote
that they were able to not only utilize, but also
improve their English skills. ICU hopes to host
another workshop next year for students to
continue having meaningful conversations about
critical topics.
LINNY TRAN
Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey