Peace and Conflict
The peace and conflict research theme aims to understand the political, social, economic, and environmental drivers of conflict and pathways to peace across time and space.
About the Theme
Our research takes a holistic view of peace and conflict in which the local, national, regional, and international levels are interconnected, mutually influence each other, and must be understood in relation to each other. Nonetheless, we place particular emphasis on understanding both peace and conflict at the local level and our research is largely people-centred.
Recognising that conflict dynamics increase and exacerbate inequalities and that sustainable peace needs to be inclusive, our work adapts an intersectional approach that investigates both the impact of conflict, and the peace needs across several fields of difference such as gender, class, (ethno)sectarian identity, age, etc.. Acknowledging the need for research to feed back into the communities researched, we emphasise innovation in knowledge exchange and research methodologies, and aim to make our research more accessible to the communities we work with.
We are forward-looking and are interested in growing issues such as, for example, the role of climate impacts on exacerbating conflict and inequalities, how climate impacts must be addressed within peacebuilding frameworks, and the role of new technologies on both peace and conflict.
The Peace and Conflict Theme’s work is multidisciplinary by nature, spanning political science, sociology, anthropology, and geography, whilst theoretically grounded in peace and conflict studies, and empirically reaching across the globe.
Theme Leads
Dylan O’Driscoll
Theme Lead
Dylan O’Driscoll is an Associate Professor (Research) at the Centre for Peace and Security (CPS), where he leads the Peace and Conflict Research Theme. He is also Associate Senior Fellow at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). His work bridges academia and policy and focuses on the drivers of conflict and pathways to peace. He is particularly interested in understanding people’s behaviour in relation to acts of peace and conflict at the everyday level.
Chas Morrison
Theme Co-Lead
Chas Morrison is an Assistant Professor at the Centre for Peace and Security (CPS), where he co-leads the Peace and Conflict Research Theme. His background is in humanitarian fieldwork in East Africa and South Asia with communities affected by conflict and disaster. Research areas include conflict legacies and reconstruction, civilian protection and humanitarian interventions. His work prioritises the agency and participation of local communities in particular.
Publications
The members of the Peace and Conflict Theme regularly publish articles, monographs, book chapters, and other media on this multidisciplinary subject. For the most recent publications, please see outputs on the Coventry University Pure page.
PublicationsProjects
The members of the Peace and Conflict theme lead and collaborate on a number of research projects and additional projects are available on the Coventry University Research Portal.
ProjectsFeatured Projects
PeaceREP
PeaceRep is re-thinking peace and transition processes in light of changing conflict dynamics, changing demands of inclusion, and changes in patterns of global intervention in conflict and peace/mediation/transition management processes.
The Interplay between Transitional Justice and Reconciliation in Peacebuilding
This project focuses on how transitional justice and reconciliation mechanisms and processes interplay and how this interrelationship works in practice across different contexts.
Support to Traditional Cultural Practices in Northern Iraq
This project foregrounds the linkages between cultural meaning and agricultural landscapes to examine the compounded social, cultural, agricultural, and economic effects of the IS occupation on ethnic and religious minority communities in Northern Iraq.
Youth, Violence and Conflict Transformation: Exploring mobilization into violence and the role of youth in peacebuilding
This project looks at how we can ensure that young people’s voices are listened to and acted upon in societies where youth marginalisation has previously been a factor facilitating their mobilisation into violence.
Visualising early warning and preparedness in civilian protection: Investigating local vernaculars of community adaptations to insecurity
The overall aim is to investigate the under-studied topic of community signs, symbols and culturally specific communications for gathering, sharing, and responding, in the face of threats of violence.
Voices from 'Ground Zero': Interrogating History, Culture and Identity in the Resolution of Cameroon's 'Anglophone' Conflict
The overall aim of this project is to contribute towards resolving the conflict in Cameroon and enable peace which is in line with the CTPSR’s mission of fostering peaceful relations as well as Coventry University's aim of making positive impact and difference within communities.
On Our Land – Protecting Bedouin Cultural Heritage in the occupied Palestinian territories
The aim of this project is for the Bedouin communities in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) to be able to use inter-generational knowledge and cultural practices related to their land in order to flourish.
