The Mamdouha S. Bobst Center for Peace and Justice was the brainchild of the late Mrs. Mamdouha S. Bobst (widow of Elmer Holmes Bobst) who, together with her husband, promoted philanthropy in the areas of education, health research and human rights. A think tank and research support entity affiliated with the Princeton University Department of Politics, the Center’s mission is “to advance the cause of peace, mutual understanding, respect for all ethnic traditions and religious faiths, and justice, both within countries and across national borders.” The activities of the Bobst Center, therefore, focus on the study of peace and justice. The Center sponsors and co-sponsors panel discussions, conferences, seminars and workshops on issues such as conflict and reconciliation, cultural and religious dynamics, nationalism, identity politics, regime stability and change, pathways for political self-expression, and more.
The Center also serves as an intellectual hub for scholars and policymakers to exchange ideas and interact with one another. A special feature of the Bobst Center for Peace and Justice is its collaboration with the American University of Beirut, Lebanon, which provides fertile ground for faculty and graduate student exchanges, summer teaching opportunities for Princeton faculty at the AUB, and research on issues linked to peace and political life in the Arab World.