In the fall of 2012, ICU and the Japan ICU Foundation collaborated with the Aspen Institute to produce the 2012 Aspen Cultural Diplomacy Forum on the ICU campus. The Forum’s theme was “The Art of Peacebuilding and Reconciliation.” Since 2012, the Japan ICU Foundation has sought to become more actively involved in various peace related initiatives at ICU. These include a workshop organized by ICU’s Institute for Christianity and Culture in October of 2013 focused on the future of the humanities within and beyond academia and two conferences organized by ICU’s Social Science Research Institute in January and February, 2014.

The humanities workshop, titled “Transgression and Transcendence: What Makes Religion Radical” brought together a group of ICU faculty and students, as well as three professors from outside of ICU; Anthony Adler from Yonsei University in Seoul, Brian Reynolds from Fu Jen Catholic University in Taipei and William Franke from Vanderbilt University. The workshop was organized in a seminar style and was held over the weekend of October 10-12 in Dialogue House on the ICU campus. The Japan ICU Foundation helped to cover the expenses for bringing Professor Reynolds and Franke to campus.

Political Violence & Transitional Justice WorkshopThen, on January 18, 2014 the Social Science Research Institute (SSRI) held a workshop titled “Political Violence & Transitional Justice.” Professor Alexander Laban Hinton from Rutgers University and Professor Kazuko Ohgushi from the University of Tokyo were the featured speakers. The event was well attended by ICU students and faculty from within and outside of ICU. Professor Giorgio Shani, Director of the SSRI, was the lead organizer for the event and the Japan ICU Foundation contributed funding for Dr. Hinton. Japan ICU Foundation Vice President Paul Hastings was also in attendance.

Then, on February 22 SSRI held another workshop titled “Political Violence, Human Security and the Civilizing Process” featuring Professor Andrew Linklater, the Woodrow Wilson Professor of International Politics, University of Aberystwyth, UK. Organized by Dr. Shani this symposium drew a capacity crowd of interested participants to the International Conference Room of the Dialogue House. ICU Professors Takeshi Kibe and Shin Chiba served as discussants for the two main presentations. Professor Linklater presented on “Standards of Self-Restraint in World Politics”, discussing the civilizing process of ‘cosmopolitan education’ in the modern world. Such a process, while not universally successful, seeks to minimize violent harm and unnecessary suffering of others. Professor Shani presented on “Civilizing Process or Civilizing Mission? Toward a Post-Western Understanding of Human Security”, arguing for a post-western, post-secular conception of Human Security that would embrace multiple perspectives from both East and West.