At SPS, Mark…
- Teaches the Capstone Thesis seminars
- Shares research on identity-based political violence
- Fosters leadership skills in conflict resolution
- Leverages role-playing and case studies
- Drives the content and Pedagogy of his course…
Tell us about your work for the Africa Task Force.
I serve as the Research Coordinator on the Prevention of Mass Atrocities. This was initiated by the Budapest Centre for the International Prevention of Genocide. The goal is to map the current atrocity prevention capabilities of regional groups in Africa. Among the many objectives of the study, we reviewed five regional institutions to gauge their capacity to prevent mass atrocities and war crimes, and make this a priority of their public policies. We also synthesized the lessons from our research into a methodology called Early Warning and Response (EWR) aimed at strengthening their preparedness.
What kind of studies have you done that influence your approach to teaching?
In my research over the years, I’ve used table-top and web-based simulation with learners to explore a number of things: decision-making, practice perceptive adoption and the role of empathy and other emotions in conflict situations. Currently, I am co-developing a web-based simulation with NECR faculty that serve as a diagnostic tool for students in the program.
You teach networking and sustainability, what is your class like?
Students use scenarios, role-play and case studies to build leadership skills for work in conflict resolution. Bridging the theory and practice gap is a primary goal of the NECR program. It drives what I teach. We identify measures to sustain the impact of change emerging from their proposed interventions.
