Understanding Violent Conflict

Overview

Today’s violent conflicts are networked and complex, trans-border and multi-dimensional. While the increasing complexity of violent conflict makes these conflicts particularly prolonged, deadly, and intractable, it poses a particular challenge for those responding to conflict, as the international system remains ill-equipped to respond with adequate frames, analysis, and mandates across borders. The UVC is based on a series of research collaborations with institutions in Africa and the Middle East, Europe, and Asia, and aims to:

• Strengthen the evidence base for international conflict and development studies through an interdisciplinary approach to better understanding the complexities of violent conflict with a focus on innovation and a “what works?” framework to conflict response;

• Deliver experience-based findings from hard-to-access research sites, as well as conflict perspectives that are often hidden from international peace and security practitioners;

• Catalyze new thinking and research on the political economies of war, emerging conflict actors and war technologies, forced displacement and return, justice and security, and public authority;

• Further innovate and refine methods of field research in conflict-affected settings through trainings and by involving networks of international and national researchers and local beneficiaries at each stage of the research process in equitable collaboration; and

• Manage a major international fellowship program on conflict research. The Conflict Research Fellowship (CRF) is now open and accepting applications until April 15th 2018.

For news and announcements about the UVC program's activities, please scroll down.

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