Security, Peace and War (SPW) - Department of Political Science

About the group

The Security, Peace and War Research Group conducts research on questions broadly pertaining to the causes of war and armed conflict and their resolution and prevention. The research agenda can be grouped into three main research streams.

Security: This research stream comprises ‘traditional’ security studies focused on nuclear weapons and alliances, strategy and statecraft, diplomatic practice, foreign and security policies, and more recent debates concerning human and ontological security. Specific research topics include nuclear weapons and arms trade treaties, EU foreign and security policy, Norwegian security and defense policy, NATO, and Arctic security.

Peace: This research stream focuses on peacemaking and peacebuilding, including the prevention of violence, peace processes, building social resilience, and reconciliation and reconstruction after war. Researchers work on the politics and policies of international institutions, such as the United Nations, and their role in international peacebuilding and the broader humanitarian and development field, and on local peacebuilding. The research stream also includes a focus on the legacies of war, war memories, notions of victimhood, and everyday peace.

War: This research stream includes the causes, dynamics, impact and consequences of inter-state and civil wars. Researchers work on how wars are fought, on the rationalities, ideologies and emotions of different actors, and their potential for driving or terminating conflicts. Further topics include conventional and nuclear strategy, escalation risks, and deterrence. Beyond inter-state and intrastate war, this stream also includes work on the interaction of different forms of political violence, such as communal, election and criminal violence, and genocide and ethnic cleansing.

In addition, the research group includes two cross-cutting research streams:

- Gender, Peace and Security: This research stream encompasses topics such women’s participation in peace processes; women in armed groups; the women, peace and security agenda (WPS), and gender and militarization.

- Climate, Peace and Security: This research focuses on the impact and consequences of climate change for national and international security policy; and for armed conflict prevention, vulnerability and resilience building.

Purpose and Character of the Research Group

The group create an academic space of support for multi-method conflict, security and peacebuilding research. Members pursue a broad methods portfolio, including advanced quantitative methods as well as qualitative, interpretivist, and feminist approaches. Some members conduct fieldwork in conflict-affected environments, or within international organizations and institutions that shape security strategies and peacebuilding interventions.