Welcome to PaxBlog, where we believe that peace, development and democracy are inter-related such that it is hard to achieve one without the other. We also believe that integrated development studies is an emerging discipline that will take greater shape and have a bigger impact through the interaction of social scientists, software engineers, chemists, biologists, economists, physicians, managerial experts, ecologists, poets, philosophers, and artists. Globalization is forcing all development practitioners to examine their own models and practices to deal with a world where the nation-state is eroding as the key actor in development and where global forces outside the control of any particular state actors are shaping lives for rich and poor alike. Our blog will be a platform for many of the voices of development, conflict resolution, and democracy-building at UMass Boston, but we are open to any voices that need to be heard, especially voices from the global south. If you have something to say to us about development, about peace and conflict, about social entrepreneurship, about environmental stewardship, about the role of democracy in shaping new global societies, or about the role that technology can play, please let us know.  Let this be your go-to place for the best thinking about peace and development by helping us build a community of dialogue based on provocative ideas.   Welcome to PaxBlog. With your help, we will soon be a voice to be reckoned with.