Meenakshi Chhabra
Professional Title: Associate Professor, Interdisciplinary Studies
Areas of Academic Focus and Expertise:
Peace and conflict transformation studies and citizenship and civic engagement among youth, with a focus on collective violence in International conflict zones.
Area of Work and Concentration at Lesley: Interdisciplinary studies Program, Intercultural Relations Program
Representative List of Recent Courses Taught:
• Intergroup Conflict Transformation
• Identity and Politics of Difference
Education: B.A. Lady Sri Ram College (New Delhi, India), Political Science; M.A. Lesley University, Intercultural Relations; Ph.D, Lesley University, Educational Studies
Representative List of Recent Publications / Exhibitions:
Publications
• Chhabra, M. & Asghar, A. (2010). Applying the interactive problem solving approach: A workshop between Indian and Pakistani women. Peace prints: South Asian Journal of Peacebuilding. 3, (1).
• Chhabra, M. (2009). Restorying the past: Finding new meaning of home. In Dalia J. Llera, Dolita Cathcart & Eleanor Roffman (Eds.), Crossing borders, making homes: Stories of resilient women. PublishAmerica, Inc.
• Brion-Meisels, S., Chhabra, M., Cortright, D., Steele, D., Gunderson, G., & Long, E.L. Jr. (2009). Use of cooperative conflict resolution. In G. Stassen (Ed.), Just peacemaking: The new paradigm for the ethics of peace and war. Cleveland, Ohio: The Pilgrim Press.
• Chhabra, M. (2007). Gatherers of new fruits: Story tellers of third generation. Closer to ourselves: Stories of journey towards peace, an initiative by WISCOMP India.
Conferences
• “Visual literacy for lives of peace and justice.” Workshop presentation at the 18th Annual Peaceable Schools and Communities Summer Institute: Towards Lives of Peace and Justice, Lesley University (2010).
• “Sharing stories − A way of healing and transforming violence.” Workshop presentation at the 25th Anniversary Celebration & Symposium International Institute on Peace Education, United Nations, New York (2007).
• “Transcending violence between communities.” Workshop presentation at the 15th Annual Peaceable Schools and Communities Summer Institute: Transforming Schools and Communities: What is possible? Lesley University, Cambridge, MA (2007).
• “Forgiveness, a journey of inner dialogue.” Paper presentation at Imagine: Expression in the service of humanity, moving towards forgiveness. Conference at Lesley University, Cambridge, MA (2007).
Awards
• Visiting Scholar, Harvard Graduate School of Education, 2012-2013
• Post-doctoral Fellow at Harvard Graduate School of Education 2011-2012
• Fulbright Scholar 2010-2011
• Graduate School of Arts and Social Sciences, Lesley University, Center of Research Fellowship Award 2009-2010
• Fulbright Scholar 2006-2007
Meenakshi has been a scholar and practitioner in the field of Peace and Conflict Studies since 2001. The focus of her research is in education and youth development in conflict zones with an emphasis on South Asia. She has written and published in national and international journals. She has written and published in national and international journals. She was awarded a Fulbright teaching fellowship to India in 2007 and a second Fulbright Research fellowship for 2011. Her research interests include Conflict Transformation, Peace Studies, Adolescent Development, Citizenship, and Civic Engagement among youth. She is currently serving as a visiting scholar at the Harvard University Graduate School of Education. Her current research is on the teaching about events of collective violence in communities of conflict. Meenakshi has also taught at the United Nations University of Peace in Costa Rica and at the Lesley University, Israel campus. In addition to teaching and research, Meenakshi has consulted with Open Circle, a nationally known program that trains educators to enhance social and emotional competency among elementary school students. She also consults and facilitates dialogue workshops between youth and educators from conflicting countries with the Seeds of Peace Program, an internationally known organization working to build peace through youth interactions.