In addition to two major world wars, other forms of violence including civil wars and ethnic conflicts have come to inform the age-old search for peace and stability. Beginning with the founding of the United Nations in 1948 and continuing in to the 21st century, the international community must confront these concerns, along with new and evolving challenges such as terrorism and weapons of mass destruction, which often pose barriers to lasting international peace. This specialization area explores the problems of violence on the world stage and the myriad ways in which states, international organizations, and non-governmental organizations seek to respond to the challenges of promoting peace, human rights, security and conflict resolution, both domestically and internationally.