Derek Sweetman

Graduate Lecturer

Peace and Conflict Resolution, Social Movements and Resistance, Systemic Violence, Systemic Transformation, Nonviolence

Derek Sweetman is a PhD Candidate at the School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution at GMU. He is the Dispute Resolution Director and Foundation Director at the Better Business Bureau of Metropolitan Washington, DC and Eastern Pennsylvania and a graduate lecturer for S-CAR and George Mason's School of Integrative Studies (formerly New Century College). He teaches courses in conflict transformation, community conflict resolution, peace studies, critical conflict resolution, American foreign policy, and social movements. Derek was a member of the Unrest Magazine editorial cell from 2010-2014 and published and edited OJPCR: The Online Journal of Peace and Conflict Resolution from 1998-2007. He served on the Board of Directors for the DC Chapter of the Association for Conflict Resolution from 2005-2010.

Current Research

Current research examines the long-term failures of efforts to limit U.S. state violence by citizens and movement groups.

Selected Publications

Business, Conflict Resolution, and Peacebuilding: Contributions from the Private Sector to Address Violent Conflict. Routledge. 2009

Courses Taught

COMM 326: Rhetoric of Social Movements and Political Advocacy
CONF 101: Conflict in Your World
CONF 330: Community, Organizational, and Group Conflict Analysis and Resolution
CONF 375: Special Programs Field Experience
CONF 399: Peace Studies
CONF 695: Critical Conflict Resolution
NCLC 304: Social Movements and Community Activism
NCLC 305: Conflict Resolution and Transformation
NCLC 331: The Nonprofit Sector
NCLC 422: An Experiential Approach to American Foreign Policy
NCLC 475: Peace Studies

Education

PhD, School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, George Mason University
M.S. in Conflict Analysis and Resolution, George Mason University, 2006
B.A. in Political Science, Colorado State University, 1998

Recent Presentations

Roundtable Presentation at Conflict Resolution and Civil Rights in U.S. Communities: The Next 50 Years
US Department of Justice, Community Relations Service & School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, George Mason University, November 2014.

“Critical Conflict Resolution: Practice in the New Normal”
Association for Conflict Resolution
Minneapolis, MN (co-presenter with Michael D. English) October 2013

“On the Myth of Exposure in Inter- and Transdisciplinary Transactions in Peace and Conflict Studies”
Cultural Studies Association, Chicago, IL (chair & presenter) May 2013

“‘Engaging and Sometimes Ridiculous’ - Teaching Conflict Analysis and Resolution through Fantastic Mr. Fox”
Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association, Washington, DC (presenter) March 2013