The Need for Courage: Experiments with Peace

What does peacemaking look like in a world shaped by war, displacement, trauma, and division?

In this episode of The Need for Courage, host John Byrne speaks with Basir Bita, a clinical counselor, peace educator, writer, and longtime advocate for nonviolence. Drawing on his experiences as an Afghan refugee, mental health professional, and collaborator with Marquette University's Center for Peacemaking, Basir explores the connections...

What does peacemaking look like when it begins with access to justice?

In this episode of The Need for Courage, host John Byrne speaks with Fr. Owen Chourappa, S.J., Executive Director of the Legal Cell for Human Rights in Northeast India. For nearly two decades, Fr. Owen and his team have empowered vulnerable communities by providing legal education, advocating for children's rights, combating human trafficking, and offering free l...

How do neighborhoods recover from decades of disinvestment? What role do residents, businesses, universities, government, and community organizations play in creating lasting change?

In this episode of the Need for Courage, host John Byrne speaks with Lindsey St. Arnold Bell, Executive Director of Near West Side Partners, about the ongoing revitalization of Milwaukee's Near West Side. Lindsey shares the history of the neighborhood, ...

What happens when schools prioritize relationships, healing, and belonging? In this episode of The Need for Courage, Willie Maryland and Drew deLutio share the story of the Milwaukee Public Schools Success Center, an innovative partnership that helps students thrive through restorative practices and wraparound support. Their conversation explores the transformative power of compassion, community, and meaningful relationships, offer...

Dinorah Cortés-Vélez, a professor of Spanish, specializes in Colonial Latin American literature. More than three centuries before modern debates about gender equality and intellectual freedom, a cloistered nun, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, asked difficult questions about who has the right to learn, speak, and pursue truth. Dr. Cortés‑Vélez, who has published extensively on Sor Juana, explores how Sor Juana sought to make education in...

Dr. Sumana Chattopadhyay, associate professor of Digital Media and Performing Arts, revealed the many insights media studies provides to better understand debates about immigration. She breaks down how sound bites, filter bubbles, affective polarization, and local vs. national coverage shape these stories.

Chattopadhyay also discussed how migrants are turned into symbols in political theater, drawing on the US migrant busing crisis ...

Hon. Mary Triggiano is the director of the Andrew Center for Restorative Justice at the Marquette University Law School and former chief judge of Milwaukee County Circuit Court, District 1. She shared many insights about restorative justice, including how it provides an avenue for people who have been harmed to ask questions directly to the person who’s harmed them—something that doesn’t happen in the traditional ...

Dr. Michael Murphy, director of the Hank Center for the Catholic Intellectual Heritage at Loyola University Chicago, discusses how Pope Leo XIV is already directing the Catholic Church to engage with today’s most important social issues. Having previously collaborated with then Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, Murphy shares why he believes building bridges and promoting peace will be cornerstones of the Pope’s leadershi...

Dr. Kimo Ah Yun, the 25th President of Marquette University, joined us for a discussion about how Marquette is a destination university for students who are interested in discovering their purpose, developing a moral compass, and making a difference in the world. He shared how his own lived experiences—including being a first generation college graduate and growing up in a Catholic household—have impacted how he underst...

In this episode, host John Byrne catches up with alumnus Hari Prasad, now program associate and researcher at the Carter Center and research associate at Critica Research and Analysis. Prasad shares how his involvement with the Center for Peacemaking helped set him up to pursue a career as a peace and conflict researcher before delving into his areas of expertise, including Syria, Palestine, Ghana, and the role of memes in politica...

Dr. Terry Rynne, co-founder of the Center for Peacemaking, discusses how the idea of the Center for Peacemaking evolved out of his long-standing interest in and study of Gandhian and Gospel-based nonviolence. He also shares how recent Popes including John XXII, Benedict XVI, Francis, and Leo XIV have embraced a return to Gospel nonviolence. Ultimately, Rynne shares success stories from the Center and why he believes those trained i...

Tom Durkin, director of safety education for the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation, discusses how targeted attacks, kidnapping, and even digital threats are reshaping the landscape of safety preparation for journalists both abroad and at home. He shares about the work of the Foley Foundation, including their online curriculum and risk assessment tools that are transforming journalism education for students and seasoned journalists a...

Helen Prejean, C.S.J. joined us to share stories and wisdom from her lifelong journey advocating for the abolition of the death penalty. She discussed how she was pulled into this work, ways the death penalty negatively impacts society at large, and how Catholic teaching on the death penalty has evolved in recent years. To close the episode, Prejean reveals how experiences with empathy, forgiveness, and faith can reshape our unders...

Dr. Louise Cainkar, professor of Social and Cultural Sciences and director of Peace Studies at Marquette University, discussed how she became interested in researching human rights and her scholarship on the impact of 9/11 on Arab and Muslim communities. She also shared about the value of Marquette’s Peace Studies program, including opportunities to participate in programs such as the recent Engaging Muslims, Countering Islam...

In this episode we delve into the world of financial regulations with an expert panel on the critical need for collaboration between financial institutions, regulators, and nonprofits to ensure that humanitarian efforts are not stifled by regulatory hurdles. Brian Kimari, coordinator of Kenya NPO Working Group on the Financial Action Task Force, discusses how the Financial Action Task Force has produced unintended impacts on p...

T. Michael McNulty, S.J. joins to discuss ethics in real estate, immigration policy, and educating leaders who recognize that small steps can have big impacts. The conversation touches on the important role of zoning boards, the case for open immigration, and the value of good trouble to effect change.

His article "The 7 political works of mercy Catholics should practice in a democracy" is available at America Magazine (https://www....

Dr. Grant Silva, associate professor at Marquette University, discussed how his philosophy course on global justice challenges students to expand their understandings of power, justice, globalization, and nationalism. The course was in part inspired by field research he conducted along the U.S.-Mexico border, including a ride along with a Customs and Border Patrol unit. Dr. Silva also shares his unique approach to understanding rac...

In December we interviewed Dr. Gabe Velez for a “crossover episode” of AML Conversations with the Center for Peacemaking’s “The Need for Courage.”

Dr. Gabriel Velez, associate professor at Marquette University and author of the recent Making Meaning of Justice and Peace: A Developmental Lens, discussed how peace education and restorative practices shape young people’s understanding of ju...

In the inaugural episode, host John Byrne speaks with Pat Kennelly, director of the Marquette University Center for Peacemaking. They discuss the Center's goals, highlighting the impacts on student formation and community engagement. The discussion also explores peacemaking in different professions and geographies.

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to the Center for Peacemaking's Podcast
• 06:10 The Role of Students in Peacemaking
• 12:22 In...