Peace Psychology: Global Spaces for Engagement and Social Change* Wilson López-López, Associate Professor, Psychology, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Colombia lopezlopezwilson@gmail.com Laura K Taylor, Centre for Identity and Intergroup Relations, Assistant Professor, School of Psychology, Queen’s University Belfast l.taylor@qub.ac.uk Promoting the intersection of academia and practice, the 14th annual symposium of the Committee for the Psychological Study of Peace (CPSP) was convened in Johannesburg and Pretoria South Africa from 29 May to June 2015 Fifty-three delegates from fifteen countries, representing all continents, spent seven days sharing academic papers and also lived experiences with the community partners of the University of South Africa (UNISA) This unique event, “Engaging Invited and Invented Spaces for Peace” promoted global connections across multiple levels and disciplinary approaches, all rooted in the shared commitment to constructive social change and the importance of evidence-based psychological practice to promote peace The panels ranged from global topics about trends in research and scholarship to localized analysis of peace processes and the impact of political violence on individuals and communities For example, Siew Fang Law & Di Bretherton presented on the publication trends and research representing diverse regions of the world in their talk on “Reconciling Paradigms from North and South: Toward a More Inclusive Peace Psychology;” the call was for greater inclusion from the global south and in particular, non-English forms of publications Related to this theme, Nikola Balvin presented on “Structural Approaches to Reshaping Negative Gender Norms during Adolescence: Preliminary Results from a Systematic Review of Evaluated Interventions;” this talk discussed the global trends in UNICEF’s systematic research and evaluation of intervention programs worldwide Papers focusing on localized peace initiatives and forms of non-violent political change included Peace Kiguwa’s talk on “Critical Moments in Processes of Social Exclusion and Inclusion: Black Student Narratives” that highlighted the need for greater enrollment, representation, and power among black students in South African universities Zeina Amro discussed “Transforming an Invited Space to an Invented Space: Reflecting on Palestinian Lives” and how the power of PhotoVoice methodology and participatory action research was being used among university students and professors in Palestine Discussing the role of intergroup attitudes and interactions in both violent and social conflicts, Michelle Twali presented on “Peace-building in PostGenocide Rwanda: The Role of Radio La Benevolencija” and Reeshma Haji shared inter-faith research from Canada “If a Close Friend is From Another Religion, Are You More Open to Other Faiths?” These studies were complemented by those used a broader lens to look at within-country trends in peace and conflict processes, such as Teresa Lorena Jopson’s presentation on “Peace in Gender Justice: Gender as Framed in Peace Negotiations in Southern Philippines” and Zahid Shahab Ahmed “Terrorism-related Violence and Trauma in Pakistan: Implications for Psychologists and Policy.” Forward-looking papers as to how to reconstruct society in the wake of mass violence were also presented, such as Wilson López-López’s talk on “Forgiveness in Peace Processes in Colombia” and Laura K Taylor’s piece on “Implications of Community Cohesion and Coping Strategies for Mental Health in Colombia.” The panels were complemented and enriched, for example, by a day-long event at the Apartheid Museum with the community representatives and members from Thembelihle It also included a day-long community meeting with local politicians and activists that punctuated not only how far South Africa has advanced since 1994, but also the structural challenges that remain to be addressed to advance sustainable peace and a just society Moreover, we experienced digital story-telling produced by the Thembelihle community members and facilitated by the UNISA teams from the UNISA Medical Research Council Violence, Injury and Peace Research Unit, College for Graduate Studies, and the Institute for Social and Health Sciences These local narratives resonated with the persistent forms of structural and direct violence in South Africa’s mining industry, which was powerfully depicted with the documentary, Miners Shot Down, 1922 – 2013 Expanding the academic debate, these multi-media forms were clear reminders of why sociallyengaged research is necessary and the potential power that emerges from community/university partnerships The fruits of such symposium are linked directly with the mission and vision of APA Division 52 For example, the previous CPSP symposium in Malaysia in 2013 led to a book Methodologies in Peace Psychology, edited by Di Bretheron and Siew Fang Law This year, the 2015 CPSP symposium had a strong focus on the ethical conduct of psychologists, in particular, in relation to activities related to torture and enhanced investigation techniques in the U.S Joining the multiple voices around the world calling for accountability to the APA, the CPSP issued two statements to IAAP and IUPsyS calling on them for global leadership and clear standards of conduct for all participating associations and members This important step is just one of the public policy positions that resulted from the CPSP symposium in South Africa Moreover, the findings from this conference will be shared and disseminated through the Springer Peace Psychology Book Series in 2016; stayed tuned for future information about this publication! *A similar version of this article will be published in the International ... issued two statements to IAAP and IUPsyS calling on them for global leadership and clear standards of conduct for all participating associations and members This important step is just one of the public... with the mission and vision of APA Division 52 For example, the previous CPSP symposium in Malaysia in 2013 led to a book Methodologies in Peace Psychology, edited by Di Bretheron and Siew Fang... findings from this conference will be shared and disseminated through the Springer Peace Psychology Book Series in 2016; stayed tuned for future information about this publication! *A similar