New Century College

 

Al Fuertes

Dr. Al Fuertes is a recipient of the 2008 GMU Teaching Excellence Award and the 2001 AT&T Asia-Pacific Leadership Award. Al specializes in community-based trauma healing as an integral component in peacebuilding and conflict transformation. He travels extensively around the world, particularly in places affected by war, armed conflict, and natural disaster. Al works with government, religious, military, and community leaders, as well as NGO development workers, school administrators, teachers, youth, refugees and internally displaced persons. He is the faculty director of the global education program to the Philippines, a 9-credit course in Grassroots Peacebuilding, Environmental Issues and Cultures of the Philippines, held every summer through George Mason's Center for Global Education.

EDUCATION

• Ph.D. in Conflict Analysis and Resolution, George Mason University (2007)
• MA in Peace Studies, Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Elkhart, IN (1997)
• Bachelor of Theology (magna cumlaude), Silliman University, Philippines (1990)
  

FIELDS OF EXPERTISE

• Facilitation and Dialogue (multicultural perspectives)
• Community-based Trauma Healing as a component in peacebuilding and community development
• Refugee and Internal displacement issues
• Faith and Spirituality (Interfaith, Ecumenism and Religious pluralism)
• Conflict Resolution/Transformation
• Intermediary Roles and Practice (Multicultural setting)
• Theology of Struggle/People's Theology/Liberation Theology
  

COURSES TAUGHT

• NCLC 475 Forgiveness & Reconciliation in Divided Communites
• NCLC 475 Refugee and Internal Displacement
• NCLC 491 Senior Capstone Experience
• NCLC 375 Conflict, Trauma and Healing
• NCLC 382 Human Dimensions in Conservation
• NCLC 305 Conflict Resolution/Transformation
• NCLC 315 Spirituality and Conflict Transformation
• NCLC 202 Public Speaking and Critical Thinking
• NCLC 110 Community of Learners
• NCLC 140 Self as Citizen
• Mentorship to students in their Individualized Studies programs
  

PUBLICATIONS

            

• Fuertes, Al. 2008. Community-based Warviews, Resiliency and Healing. VDM Verlag Dr. Mueller e.K.
• Fuertes, Al. 2007. "Descriptions of War and Healing by Karen Refugees on the Thai-Burmese border." Taiwan International Studies Quarterly, Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 201-218.
• Fuertes, Al. 2006. "Experiences and Views on War: Voices from War-affected Communities." Social Justice: Anthropology, Human Rights and Peace (6)1: 134-148.
• Fuertes, Al. 2004. "In Their Own Words: Contextualizing the Discourse of (War) Trauma and Healing." Conflict Resolution Quarterly, Vol. 21, No. 4, Summer, pp. 491-501.
• Fuertes, Al. 2001. "Campus Ministry in a Religious Pluralistic Society, Asian setting." ACUCA EXCHANGE. Quezon City, Philippines: The Association of Christian Universities and Colleges in Asia (ACUCA), Vol. 10, No. 1.
• Fuertes, Al. 2000. "Globalization, the Scope and Demand of the 21st Century Church Mission," Silliman Ministry Magazine. Dumaguete, Philippines: Divinity School, Silliman University, Issue No. 68, December.
• Fuertes, Al and Victor Aguilan. 2000. Module on Environmental Awareness in the field of Christian Ethics. Dumaguete, Philippines:The Center of Excellence on Coastal Resource Management, with assistance from USAID, Silliman University.
• Fuertes, Al. 1998. "Hope In the Midst of Struggle," The Mennonite, Vol. 1, No. 22, July.
• Fuertes, Al. 1992. "The Movement of Life in Defiance of Death," Celebrating the Season of Promise, Quezon City, Philippines: The Education and Nurture Desk, UCCP.

ORGANIZATIONAL AFFILIATIONS

• Board of Directors, International Peace Research Association Foundation (IPRAF). 2006-present.
• Member, Asia Pacific Peace Research Association (APPRA), 2006-present.
• Member, Peace and Justice Studies Association (PJSA), 2007-present.
• Member, Psychologists for Social Responsibility (US), Washington DC, 2002- present.