By Sarah Farber, Student in the M.S. in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution Program at Columbia SPS
From supporting the houseless community in D.C. to pursuing my M.S. in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution (NECR) at Columbia University, my path has been driven by a passion for peacebuilding.
Before joining the program, I majored in Peace Studies with a minor in French Language and Literature at George Washington University. Throughout my undergraduate senior year, I volunteered with the D.C. Peace Team as an Unarmed Civilian Protection & Accompaniment Member. Within this role, I supported the Columbia Heights Civic Plaza houseless community by facilitating access to low-income housing, detox centers, and medical help. Through collaboration with team members, we worked toward improving community safety. As I pursue my graduate experience at Columbia University, the NECR program has deepened my knowledge of the field through coursework, events, and networking with fellow students, professors, and alumni. The opportunities offered are aiding me in connecting theories to practice while enhancing my understanding of conflict dynamics.
At this point in my NECR studies, one of the highlights has been the opportunity to attend events that connect real-world experiences to the courses. For example, I recently attended an NECR salon with Julia Vassileva, a leading scholar who shared her research on conflicts in post-Soviet Eurasia. Julia is currently a visiting scholar at Columbia University, working primarily with the Advanced Consortium on Cooperation, Conflict, and Complexity (AC4). This event was a fascinating combination of academic theory and real-world application, emphasizing the importance of gender-sensitive approaches in conflict resolution and how inclusive peace is crucial for a sustainable future.
I am deeply interested in the intersection between systemic failures, gender, and conflict, so this salon resonated with me. Julia’s fieldwork in conflict-affected environments, which has included interviews with experts in multiple languages, demonstrates the complexity of regional peacebuilding. A comprehensive approach is essential when negotiating peace in areas shaped by ongoing and historical conflicts.
In addition to these fascinating events, my courses have provided frameworks to analyze conflict through many lenses, including Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM), negotiation tactics, and structural violence. These theoretical lenses and insights from speakers like Julia shape my perspective on conflict resolution.
Through engaging in course material and my experiences attending events like the NECR salon with Julia, I am learning how critical it is to approach conflict with an inclusive lens and a mindset sensitive to the relevant cultural and historical contexts. The NECR program broadens my theoretical understanding while enhancing my practical-skills approach to real-world conflicts. I am so excited to continue growing through such future opportunities!
About the Program
Columbia University’s Master of Science in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution prepares students to analyze the root causes and dynamics of conflict and to transform disputes through reasoned and resourceful interventions. The program focuses on developing self-awareness, tenacity, and interpersonal competency; building common ground; opening lines of communication; ensuring representation and recognition; and building sustainable possibilities for resolution.
The fall 2025 application deadline for the M.S. in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution program is May 1. Learn more here.
