Baker Institute Special Events

Course Spotlight:

Tech, Social Media & Conflict

Dr. Joseph Bock, The Baker Institute Scholar in Residence

January 2025 - May 2025

In his inaugural year as Scholar in Residence at The Baker Institute, Dr. Joseph G. Bock—former Professor of International Conflict Management and founding Director of the School of Conflict Management, Peacebuilding and Development at Kennesaw State University—brought decades of expertise in humanitarian response, conflict resolution, and violence prevention to the Juniata College community.

In the Fall of 2025, he taught a course called Tech, Social Media & Conflict. This course explored the complex relationship between technology, social media, and conflict in contemporary society. Students examined how digital tools and platforms shaped, escalated, and potentially resolved conflicts worldwide. Through case studies and theoretical frameworks, the course covered topics such as misinformation, cyber warfare, the role of algorithms, social media's impact on public opinion, and the ethical responsibilities of tech companies. Students discussed digital media's influence on activism, political movements, and state and non-state actors in both democratic and authoritarian contexts.

This course featured a COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) component that connected students at Juniata College and the University of Ngozi in Burundi via Google Meet. Bock worked with his students to develop a conflict early warning and early response system for Burundi’s upcoming elections, utilizing tools such as Ushahidi for digital mapping, KoboToolbox for data collection, and FrontlineSMS for text-based communication. Below you can find the handbook that students drafted for this project:

Dr. Bock is continuing this work through a Fulbright Specialist award from the U.S. Department of State, administered by World Learning. As part of the award, he will travel to the University of Ngozi in Burundi this summer to support its peace education initiatives.

International Symposiums

More information will arrive in Summer of 2025

Biography →

Past Symposiums

2022 - The War in Ukraine: Global Perspectives - 6 speakers and 150 participants
2023 - The New Cold War?: Strategic Competition and the Future World Order - 7 speakers and 350 participants
2024 - Toward Environmental Justice: Transition to a Sustainable Future - 6 speakers and 270 participants

Symposium Committee

Zia Haque

Director of The Baker Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies; Assistant Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies

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Kaitlyn Granger

Event Manager; Program Coordinator, The Baker Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies

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Amr Abdalla

Master of Ceremonies; Fellow, The Baker Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies

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