Constructing Wisdom for Public Sphere and Public Communication 

Vision

CSCD is aiming to be the Institute for building body of knowledge that has academic and social effects to develop Thailand’s public policies that peacefully solve the problems in the Deep South, a distinction for development of national and international knowledge regarding conflict resolution in the multicultural societies.

The Center for Conflict Studies and Cultural Diversity (CSCD) has been established in 2008 endorsed by Prince of Songkla University’s Council in order to develop research on conflict and multicultural societies through interdisciplinary studies. The principal idea is that there should be a collaboration between different fields of social sciences and humanities as well as applied sciences in search of knowledge and solutions about the violent conflict in the Deep South of Thailand. 

Prince of Songkla University (PSU) has for years tried to be a research hub about conflict and peace in the context of protracted conflict in the region finding peaceful academic solutions and bringing about related policy recommendations. Initially, the CSCD was formulated to be an excellent center for interdisciplinary research about different issues in the conflict situation of the Deep South. The center was also missioned to cooperate with academics and researchers from different disciplines including graduate programs from different faculties nationally and internationally to be a hub of research about problems in the Deep South of Thailand. Reaching academic excellence would also lead to a position of the think tank organization monitoring and making policy recommendations about the southern conflict. 

As a consequence, development of CSCD over a decade has been formulated through a tripod of academic, media, and civil society networks while closely collaborating with Deep South Watch (DSW), a not for profit organization, which helps developing and strengthening network of academic, media and civic organizations, driving for the agenda making and peace-building in the region based on knowledge.  

In 2020, PSU has developed and consolidated the organizational synergy between the Center for Conflict Studies and Cultural Diversity (CSCD) of Pattani campus and Institute for Peace Studies (IPS) of Hatyai campus enhancing status of CSCD to the faculty level along with IPS under the university’s central administration. CSCD has a stronger institutional capacity with the same status, missions, and roles in order to build the body of knowledge for opening public space and public communication reaching for academic excellence, best practice on peace and conflict research and consolidating the peaceful society.