Wednesday, 25 Jun 2025
Øyvind Østerud (1944–2025) in Memoriam
We are saddened by the passing of Øyvind Østerud (1944–2025), a towering figure in Norwegian political science.
Preventive war is wrong: Why recent attacks on Iran fail an important moral test
Can there be just cause for purely preventive military action – action that aims to impede or destroy an adversary’s capacity to wreck future harm?
Commemorating the 25 June 2022 terror attack against Oslo Pride: a chronology
As a political event the June 25 attack is remembered both in the context of domestic terror attacks and in the context of terror attacks against queer communities globally.
Journal Article
Discussions on locally-led humanitarian assistance amongst European INGOs and donors — shifting practices or challenging mental models?
Journal article in Fennia
Crisis and deglobalization: Contributions of research and the role of researchers
Humanitarian aid, development cooperation, migration governance and multilateralism have long been declared to be ‘in crisis’, but are currently experiencing unprecedented systemic shocks.
Friday, 9 May 2025
In Times of Rising Conflict, UN Seminar Showcases Inclusive Approaches to Peace Mediation
Mediators, peacebuilders and policymakers gathered in Porvoo, Finland for the 14th UN High-Level Seminar on Gender and Inclusive Mediation Strategies.
Why Would Humans Do Anything Boring, Difficult or Dangerous in Star Wars? Science Fiction’s Reluctance to Embrace Its Own Technology.
This blog post contains spoilers for the first series in Andor, and other science fiction shows.
Putin Weighs Risks of U.S. Readiness to Move on From Stalled Peace Efforts in Ukraine
The Kremlin has used delays and distractions to gain all the time and concessions available to it before seriously engaging in peace talks, or at least a genuine pause, in its war against Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin will soon be comp...
American Democracy is in Danger, but Not Dead
Trump and his supporters are undermining American democracy, posing a real threat of democratic breakdown. The consequences would be dramatic, extending far beyond the United States. However, there is still a good chance that democracy, in the end...
Wednesday, 26 Feb 2025
New Results from Prediction Challenge That Seeks to Improve Conflict Forecasting
The 2023/24 VIEWS Prediction Challenge invites researchers to forecast conflict intensity as a probability distribution, fully accounting for uncertainty to improve decision-making and crisis preparedness.
Wednesday, 5 Feb 2025
Nina Græger Appointed as New Director of PRIO
PRIO is pleased to announce the appointment of Nina Græger as its next Director, effective 1 July 2025.
Tuesday, 28 Jan 2025
PRIO Director's 2025 Nobel Peace Prize List
The Director of PRIO, Henrik Urdal, announced his list today for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, with Sudan's Emergency Response Rooms topping the list.
Greenland Is Not for Sale
President Donald Trump has provoked strong reactions with his proposition to buy Greenland, not the least because the right to self-determination is a fundamental principle in international law, allowing peoples to freely determine their political...
Moscow Sticks to Peace Denials Despite War Exhaustion
The Russian offensive in Donbas has slowed in the last few weeks to a crawl, and in the Kursk oblast, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s order to expel the Ukrainian forces remains unfulfilled. This deadlock, in which both sides suffer heavy casua...
We Need to Talk About Children Born of War
Every day, children are born in war and armed conflict, in Ukraine, on the Gaza Strip, in South Sudan, in Myanmar and elsewhere. Some of these children might have parents who are enemies, that is, parents who are on opposite sides of the conflict....
Report – External Series
Navigating US-China Technology Competition: An Indonesia Perspective
Research Report
Report – External Series
Snapshot of Migration to and from Egypt in the Last Five Years
FES briefing
Making Women Combatants Visible: Steps Towards Gender-Responsive Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration
In October the Security Council met for its annual Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Open Debate under the theme of “Women Building Peace in a Changing Environment.” Despite the WPS agenda’s goals for including women in all aspects of security and ...
Perplexed Vladimir Putin Reckons With Outcome of US Elections
The Kremlin had confidently expected confusion and turmoil following the US presidential election. Instead, a definite outcome and the commitment to a smooth transition of power are set to shape the US political environment for the next couple of ...
Israel Has Escalated Its Shadow War Against UNRWA. What Happens Now?
On 4 November, the Israeli Foreign Ministry cancelled the agreement the country signed with UNRWA in 1967. A week earlier, the Knesset had passed legislation banning UNRWA from operating in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. Why is I...
Putin and Kim Look for Opportunities Amid US Elections Turmoil
The US presidential election, which has been dominating the global news, will come to its natural culmination on November 5, even if the outcome remains uncertain for many more days. Even in Russia, where war and inflation are major concerns, offi...
Book Chapter
Ansar Allah (Houthi Rebels)
Book chapter in Handbook of Terrorist and Insurgent Groups: A Global Survey of Threats, Tactics, and Characteristics
Can We Award a Prize for Peace in a World Full of War?
On Friday 11 October, we will find out the winner of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. The announcement will take place against the background of full-scale wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as a record number of other conflicts around the...
Thursday, 3 Oct 2024
Nobel Peace Prize 2024: PRIO Director’s Updated List Announced
The Director of the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), Henrik Urdal, announced his updated list for the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize today, with election observers topping the list.
Spectre of Escalation Over the Ukraine War
The first striking sentence of the Communist Manifesto issued in 1848 – A spectre is haunting Europe – the spectre of communism – has long become a historical anecdote. Even the leftist fringe cherishes no illusions about the unity of the proletar...
Is China Truly a Neutral Development Actor?
China presents itself as a different kind of development actor compared to Western donors — more equal and with less imposition and interference in national affairs, based on the belief that economic development leads to peace. However, many doubt...
Community Initiatives to Mitigate Group Tensions: Reflections from Uganda
Forced displacement places increased pressure on host communities. Refugees are often hosted in resource-scarce areas with high unemployment and poverty. Local, national and international collaboration is therefore crucial to mitigate social confl...
Prisoner Exchanges and the Prospects for Peace Talks
The timing of the unprecedented exchange of prisoners between Russia and the West on August 1 remains a difficult question. The final decision was most likely made in the Kremlin. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s red carpet reception of the rele...
Wednesday, 5 Apr 2006 13:00–15:30 UTC+02
Political Islam in the Sudan
Around 60 people gathered for a PRIO seminar on the historical background of political Islam in the Sudan.
Wednesday, 12 May 2010
Haiti’s Environmental and Agricultural Crisis:
How to Stop the Vicious Circle