How do people make decisions in situations of violent conflict? How can such decisions be positively influenced to mitigate situations of violent conflict and insecurity? These questions require urgent answers if programmes aimed at mitigating violent conflict are to be effective.

In exploring what causes people to choose or reject violent or non-violent behaviour, we seek to understand the links between behavioural triggers and life choices in situations of violent conflict. What role do beliefs (including those considered extremist) play in making violent or non-violent choices? And how can these lessons learned be useful for policy-makers and those implementing programmes in situations of violent conflict?

Key aims

• Use innovative conceptual and methodological approaches to research conflict behaviour.

• Provide practical insights about what our research means for policy-making by taking into account the decisions and beliefs of policy-makers and practitioners operating in conflict settings.

• Understand how the principles of Doing Development Differently could be applied in situations of violent conflict.