Conflict Management Capstone Research Trip to El Salvador

The Conflict Management Field Trip to El Salvador led by Dr. Siniša Vuković stands as a remarkable example of how immersive experiences can enhance academic research and prepare students for real-world scenarios. In March 2023, sixteen Johns Hopkins SAIS students spent a week interviewing high-level government representatives, embassies, UN delegations, development agencies, academia, key international and local NGOs, independent experts, and community leaders. The objective of the trip was to gain a deeper understanding of the long-standing conflict and the gang-related violence in El Salvador, to evaluate the conflict management efforts that have taken place, and, finally, to present findings and recommendations about how best to understand and advance the process of long-term conflict resolution and peacebuilding. Their research report presentation took place at the end of the course on May 15th, 2023, in the Kenney Auditorium at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).