S. Ayse Kadayifci-Orellana's Page

Please feel free to provide a short bio about yourself (no more than 3 paragraphs)

Dr. S. Ayse Kadayifci-Orellana is currently Assistant Professor in the field of Peace and Conflict Resolution at the School of International Service at American University, Washington D.C. She is also the one of the founding members and the Associate Director of Salam Institute for Peace and Justice, a non-profit organization for research, education, and practice on issues related to conflict resolution, nonviolence, and development with a focus on bridging differences between Muslim and non-Muslim communities. She received her PhD from American University’s School of International Service in Washington DC in 2002 with a Master’s degree in Conflict Analysis from University of Kent in Canterbury, England.

In addition to teaching, lecturing and publishing extensively in the fields of ‘religion and peace building,’ ‘cross-cultural conflict resolution and mediation’, ‘interfaith and intra-faith dialogues’ ‘peacebuilding and development’, ‘Islamic sources of conflict resolution’, ‘Muslim peace building actors in Africa and the Balkans’ and ‘education in the Islamic world’, Evaluation of Madrasa reform projects in Pakistan, among others, Dr. Kadayifci-Orellana has facilitated dialogues and conflict resolution workshops between Israelis and Palestinian, conducted Islamic conflict resolution training workshops to imams and Muslim youth leaders in the United States, organized and participated in interfaith and intra-Muslim dialogues, and organized and participated in the first American-Muslim Delegation to Iran in November 2007.

Dr. Kadayifci-Orellana’s has authored “Standing On an Isthmus: Islamic Narratives of War and Peace in the Palestinian Territories” and co-authored the edited the volume, “Anthology on Islam and Peace and Conflict Resolution in Islam: Precept and Practice.” She has also written various book chapters and journal articles on mediation and peace building, religion and conflict resolution, Islamic approaches to war and peace, and Islam and nonviolence. She has been invited to lecture at various international institutions, and conferences. She also served as a consultant to nonprofit development agencies: Center for International Environmental Law and CoDevelopment Canada, on various projects.

Please list the countries and/or regions in which you have direct and significant expertise

Middle East, IAsia, Culture, Religion and Conflict Resolution, Islamic Sources of Conflict Resolution, development and Peace building, mediation and peacebuilding, indigenous conflict resolution approaches in Chile, Human rights and gender from a cross-cultural perspective

What is your current country of residence?

USA

What is your current job (and organization) and/or where and what field are you studying?

Assistant Prof. School of International Service

What is your personal or organizational website?

http://www.salaminstitute.org

Which are your primary sectoral areas of expertise?

Peacebuilding, Conflict Resolution, Democratization, Development, Gender, Education, Civil Society

Which are your primary skills areas?

Training, Evaluation, Advocacy, Intervention, Research

What are some of your current areas of research (if any)?

Conflict Resolution and Training of Muslim community leaders, interfaith dialogue, mediation and religion/culture and peace building, evaluation of peace education initiatives, Islamic sources of peace and conflict resolution,

If appropriate feel free to list several of your publications

Books
(September 2007) Standing on an Isthmus: Islamic Approaches to War and Peace in Palestine Lexington
(with Abdul Aziz Said, and Nathan Funk) eds. 2001. Anthology on Islam and Peace and Conflict Resolution: Precept and Practice University Press of America.
book Chapters
o (In Press, 2008) “Religion and Peacebuilding” In Handbook on Conflict Resolution Jacob Bercovitch, Victor Kremenyuk, I. William Zartman eds Sage
o (2007) “Islamic Tradition of Nonviolence: A Hermeneutical Approach” In Identity, Morality, and Threat: Towards a Theory of Identity-based Conflict Daniel Rothbart and Karina Korostelina eds. Lexington
o 2005. “Islamic Nonviolence Paradigm” in Islamic Peace Paradigms. Abdul Karim Bangura eds. Nova Science.
• Journal Articles
o (with Jacob Bercovitch) “Religion and Mediation” (under review, 2008)
o Abu-Nimer, Mohammed and Ayse Kadayifci-Orellana “Muslim Peace Building Actors in Africa and the Balkans” (Accepted for Publication 2008)
o (forthcoming) “Muslim Perspectives on War and Peace” Proceedings from the First Annual Conference of the Mahatma Gandhi Center for Global Nonviolence
o (Autumn 2007) “Living Walls: Among Muslims Peace Takes on its Own Distinct Forms” Harvard Divinity Bulletin Vol. 35, No.4 (Autumn 2007)
o 2003. “Religion, Violence and the Islamic Tradition of Nonviolence” in Turkish Yearbook of International Relations No. 34, Ankara University
o (with Jacob Bercovitch) Fall 2002. “Exploring the Relevance and Contribution of Mediation to Peace Building” Peace and Conflict Studies.
o (with Jacob Bercovitch) November, 2002 “Conflict Management and Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Importance of Capturing the Right Moment” in Asia-Pacific Review Vol.9. No. 2