Head of Research for International Security, Peace, and Conflict

Dr. Belén González

Research in International Security, Peace and Conflict is concerned with international and domestic political conflict. The central goal is to understand what the most salient security challenges are, why armed conflicts and wars occur, and how security and peace can be restored. In answering these and other questions in the field, we identify the conditions and mechanisms guiding the interactions between international organizations, governments, and domestic groups. Fundamental to this research area is the empirical study of security and political conflict. We employ quantitative and qualitative methods in combination with different data sources (e.g., quantitative datasets, surveys, and archival documents) to systematically explain different security and conflict phenomena.


Research questions related to this research area include, among others:

• Why and under what conditions do regimes wage war against other states?
• Why do some governments violate civil liberties and physical integrity rights of their citizens?
• How does state repression influence transnational human rights policies and vice versa?
• Why do civil wars occur, and what dynamics do these conflicts create?
• How can peacekeeping missions contribute to ending wars and under what conditions can they ensure transitions to peace?
• Why do some opposition groups choose peaceful protests while others turn to terrorism?
• Why are some elections marked by violence?