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The world seems to be in transition. Openly fought armed conflict between nations has returned and become a new normalcy in the news, re-triggering fears of nuclear war that long seemed forgotten. At the same time, hybrid warfare online and through new forms of attacks emerges as a menace that we are only starting to grapple with. Other issues such as climate change, (racial) inequalities, and minority rights that have mobilised millions of people around the world only a few years ago have been pushed to the sidelines even if they are far from resolved and continue to force people to leave their homes. And all this takes place against the backdrop of severe governance crises in many established democracies around the world that struggle to meet the multi-faceted challenges of our times, with citizens losing trust in democratic norms and regimes becoming increasingly authoritarian. How can we make sense of our world in transition and what can peace and conflict studies contribute to a better understanding of these crises?

The Conflict & Change annual workshop for PhD and doctoral students across the UK and Europe provides a platform for a discussion of these and similar issues, bringing together insights from various disciplines on the causes, consequences, and solutions to conflict and unrest.

The workshop focuses on the work of early career researchers, provides an opportunity to receive feedback from senior academics from the Conflict & Change research cluster at UCL, and fosters a strong community engaged in cutting-edge research. The workshop will be held on 24-25 February 2025. Supported and hosted by the Conflict & Change research cluster at the UCL Department of Political Science, the workshop brings together doctoral students from various disciplines in the social sciences, humanities, and beyond, such as political science, sociology, geography, anthropology, history, economics, and computer science. Papers on all issues related to peace and conflict, contentious politics, mobilisation, human rights, and migration are welcome.

The two-day workshop will take place in London at UCL’s Bloomsbury campus and will feature research presentations and discussions, a keynote speech, and additional opportunities to socialize.

Limited funding for travel might become available later in the year but cannot be guaranteed.

Please submit an abstract (no more than 250 words) by 8 December via the link below. For questions and enquiries, please contact Ms. Yilin Su (yilin.su@ucl.ac.uk).