Greetings, PJSA!
As 2022 comes to an end, we reflect on this past year’s accomplishments, missteps, and remaining challenges. This past year was difficult and devastating for so many: with the war in Ukraine, continued tensions and the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh, simmering tensions in Kosovo, and continued instability in Ethiopia. These are just a few of the dozens of urgent conflicts that we confront globally. Domestically, we faced equally troubling challenges, as we continued to navigate the evolving COVID pandemic, especially fraught for those with chronic medical issues, and grappled with the overturning of Roe vs Wade, ongoing racial injustice and police brutality, the climate crisis, immigration injustice, renewed scapegoating and targeting of the LGBTQIA+ community, and gun violence, to name but just a few of the most salient issues, all of which remain highly divisive issues and instigate tensions within the United States.
Within this environment, PJSA’s work and the space it creates for our members—including scholars, students, practitioners, educators, advocates, and activists—allows us to share, strategize and learn from each other. Such support is simply invaluable. As the new co-chairs of the board, we approach 2023 with anticipation and hope for the possible renewal that a new year can bring. We look forward to supporting you all and shepherding the work of this association as we all continue in the struggle to address these global and domestic challenges.
The focus of this issue of the Peace Chronicle—resilience—couldn’t be more timely nor relevant given the violence and injustices we face. We are deeply grateful for this issue’s guest editor, Laura Finley, one of the immediate past co-chairs of the PJSA Board, for her choice of theme and her wise and insightful curating and editing of submissions. We hope that you find what follows both acknowledges the sometimes painful realities that necessitate the cultivation of resilience and inspires you in your ongoing work to practice resilience in your own work. Our gratitude, too, for editor and PJSA Board Treasurer, Wim Laven, for his ongoing work on and support of this publication.
For those of us who were able to attend PJSA’s annual conference this past October, I think all would agree that it also strengthened our individual and collective sense of resilience. Fostering a much-needed sense of community, the conference engaged us on multiple levels and inspired conversation, shared new knowledge, and renewed friendships. The sessions were impressive, and we are grateful for the dedication, hard work, and thoughtful preparation, of Niki Johnson and Michelle Collins-Sibley (conference co-chairs), Michael Loadenthal (PJSA Executive Director), and all of the students and members of the University of Mount Union who worked tirelessly to make the conference a success. Thank you!
The day prior to the conference, the PJSA Board also had a very vibrant meeting. We are pleased to announce some important restructuring to the board positions and roles to ensure effective and efficient operations. The changes and updates will be posted on the webpage, and you can review them to learn about these changes.
Finally, we are happy to announce that the 2023 annual conference will take place at Iowa State University. We are looking forward to a productive, energetic, and collaborative 2023, where we continue to work together for a more just and peaceful society.
In solidarity,
Geoffrey Bateman and Margarita Tadevosyan
