PRIO's Peace in a Pod

Disarmament, i.e. the collection of arms and ammunitions following civil wars, is aimed at preventing conflict recurrence and paving the way for peace. However, comprehensive disarmament of non-state actors is challenging and rare. In this episode, we look at the following questions: What is the relationship between disarmament of rebel groups and peace? What is 'criminalized peace' and how can we prevent it? What are the roles of women in arms control initiatives? The episode features the first female mediator who signed a peace agreement with a rebel group (Miriam Coronel-Ferrer), an expert on arms control and violence reduction (Guy Lamb) and a PRIO Senior Researcher who works on trade and trafficking of small arms and light weapons, homicide, and armed violence (Nicholas Marsh). The episode is hosted by PRIO Senior Researcher Júlia Palik.

Research is only valid and useful so long as the people doing it are honest. However, there many incentives for researchers to lie. This discussion looks at the following questions: What is academic fraud? How prevalent is it? What can be done to prevent fraud? It features a prominent investigator of academic fraud (Nick Brown), a researcher who has studied academic publishing (Lynn Parker Nygaard) and a deputy editor of a prominent journal (Sebastian Schutte).This bonus episode is hosted by PRIO Senior Researcher Nicholas Marsh.

On 28 February, the IPCC, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change,launched the second part of its Sixth Assessment Report. This part assesses the impacts ofclimate change, looking at ecosystems, biodiversity, and human communities at global andregional levels. It also reviews vulnerabilities and the capacities and limits of the naturalworld and human societies to adapt to climate change.One of the main conclusions of the report is that climate adaptation is proceeding too slowlyand that measures are being implemented on too small a scale to address the major climatechallenges we face.In this episode, we discuss the findings of the report, and the work behind it, with PRIOResearch Professor Halvard Buhaug, who is a lead author in the Sixth Assessment Report.

The last few months in Bosnia have been marked by moves towards secession and a flare-up ofethnic tensions emanating from Republika Srpska, the Serb-majority entity of Bosnia andHerzegovina established by the Dayton Peace Agreement which put an end to the 3 ½-year-longBosnian War. Commentators are describing the last few months as the worst political and securitycrisis since the war ended in 1995.In this episode, we discuss the current crisis and ask if what we are seeing in Bosnia is new to thecountry or part of a longer trend. We also discuss what these past few months tell us about thesuccesses and shortcomings of formal peace agreements.Political scientist and migration scholar Aida Ibričević and psychologist and peace scholar IngerSkjelsbæk join Teuta Kukleci, Communicator at PRIO, for a conversation on the topic.

Every year, PRIO holds its Annual Peace Address, inviting distinguished guests to reflect on how to contribute to the creation of a world in which violence is the exception and peace is the norm. In 2021 the peace address was given by Jeffrey D. Sachs with the title “Why we must avoid a new cold war and how to do it”.Sachs is a world-leading expert in economics and sustainable development, University Professor and Director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University. Watch the video of the full address and discussion here

Scrambles for natural resources and struggles for power when such resources come to light are a frequent cause of international conflict and tension around the world. In the Eastern Mediterranean, recent discovery of hydrocarbon has only exacerbated existing tensions. This is a region that includes Cyprus, Turkey, Greece, Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, Palestine, and Israel. Today we're going to hear from PRIO Cyprus Centre researcher Zenonas Tziarras on this topic: he'll explain the key players, the recent history, and what kinds of issues he thinks are worth highlighting there.

What is the transformative potential of visual storytelling in conflict research? In the project Societal Transformation in Conflict Contexts or (TRANSFORM), animations and comics were created in collaboration between researchers, activists, artists, writers, and many others. These pieces of art not only serve to inspire possible change, but also to illustrate and highlight stories of societal transformation around the world. That work was done in collaboration with PositiveNegatives. Today Ben Dix, PositiveNegatives Founder, and Cindy Horst, Research Professor at PRIO, talk about their work together. Related material The TRANSFORM project webpage on prio.org The TRANSFORM virtual exhibitionPositiveNegatives website The podcast episode with Kue Cool and Marte Nilsen Co-Creating Knowledge: Creative collaborations between researchers, artists, policymakers and practitioners (PRIO Policy Brief)

When the Taliban took over Afghanistan in August 2021, many academics found themselves in a desperate scramble. For female academics in particular, the threat of retaliation and loss of freedoms was ominous. Meanwhile, their colleagues and counterparts in other countries struggled to help them. Professor Jacqui True at Monash University managed to successfully help bring several female academics from Afghanistan to Australia.Today Jacqui and Afghan scholar Parisa talk about developments in Afghanistan and the journey to Monash University.Related materialListen to the ABC broadcast here Read about the 16 Days of Activism here

In the 1980s, in what was then Northern Somalia, doctors, teachers, and other professionals lived out their ethics and ideals by restoring a hospital and responding to the needs of people in their community. Their actions were rewarded with arrests and imprisonment. This is the story of the Uffo group. In today's podcast Mohamed Aden Hassan and Ebba Tellander discuss Uffo and how this story can inspire people around the world - especially perhaps the Somali Diaspora.Ebba also wishes to acknowledge research assistance by Nasra Dahir Moahed and Shukri Ali (whose voice we hear in this episode as well). Related material Read the comics in English or Somali on positivenegatives.org Watch the animated versions on youtube Read Ebba's PRIO Blog post Using a Comic to Tell the True Story of the Uffo Struggle for Justice in Somaliland about her research and the comic process Listen to Peace in a Pod episode #60 on visual storytelling with Cindy Horst and Ben Dix Visit the TRANSFORM project webpage to read about more projects like this one

In 2020, 1.6 billion children were living in a conflict-ridden country. Approximately 452 million children – more than one in six – were living less than 50 km from where the actual fighting took place. For the last few years PRIO and Save the Children have collaborated on the Children in Conflict project which illuminates the number of children affected by violent conflict around the world. Updates have expanded to include children living in conflict zones where they are at risk for sexual violence. In this episode Gudrun Østby, Ragnhild Nordås, and Roos van der Haer talk about this research collaboration. Related material Stop the War on Children: A crisis of recruitment (Save the Children report)Children at Risk of Being Recruited for Armed Conflict, 1990–2020 (PRIO Policy Brief)1 in 8 children are at risk of being recruited by armed actors (PRIO Blog post)Children Affected by Armed Conflict, 1990–2020 (PRIO Policy Brief)

Hyper-masculine leaders have grabbed headlines in the last few years: Putin, Trump, Bolsonaro, Erdogan. All of them employ the rhetoric of masculinity in public discourse and ultimately, often, policy. It's worth asking: is this a new trend, and what does it mean for the ones living in these countries, especially women and LGBTQ individuals? Johanne Rokke Elvebakken, Gender, Peace and Security Centre Coordinator at PRIO, and Kelly Fisher, Research Assistant, have both written on this topic and share their thoughts in conversation today. Related material Kelly's PRIO Blog post, "The Differing Masculinities of Trump and Biden" (PRIO Blogs) Johanne's Centre for Gender Research piece on "Women and LGBT+ Persons in International Peace and Security Policy"

Before the Taliban regained control of the country this year, before they were the target and adversary of US military force, the Taliban were the governing force in Afghanistan. And before that, they were a transnational group of religious students. To give context to modern-day Afghanistan and the political developments there, PRIO researcher Kristian Berg Harpviken provides a brief history of the Taliban on today's episode.

For some immigrants, acquiring citizenship in a new country is the final goal in a long journey of various residence statuses and times of uncertainty. But getting citizenship is not always the end of the story. From alienation through documentation, to having citizenship taken away, there can be other twists and turns even then. For immigrants with for example refugee status similar difficulties can occur.Marta Bivand Erdal has researched citizenship, permits, and immigration status in Norway, and today discusses some of this research and her findings. "Losing the Right to Stay: Revocation of Refugee Permits in Norway" https://academic.oup.com/jrs/article/34/2/1637/5811389 "'Birthplace unknown': on the symbolic value of the passport for identity-construction among naturalised citizens" https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1070289X.2021.1933827

The Nobel Peace Prize for 2021 has been awarded to Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov, with the committee highlighting these journalists' efforts to safeguard freedom of expression. Maria Ressa is a Filipino-American journalist who has revealed abuse of power, violence, and authoritarianism in the Philippines. Dmitry Muratov is editor-in-chief of Novaya Gazeta, the most independent Russian newspaper.To comment on this prize, PRIO researchers Maria Gabrielsen Jumbert and Pavel Baev join the podcast with their fresh reactions.

With just one week left before the Nobel Peace Prize is announced, we take a look at PRIO Director Henrik Urdal's shortlist of possible candidates.You can read more about his list here: https://www.prio.org/About/PeacePrize/PRIO-Directors-Shortlist-2021/ Thank you to the many guests on this episode:Henrik Urdal, PRIO DirectorMaria Gabrielsen Jumbert, Research Director and Senior ResearcherCarina Strøm Smith, Research AssistantJonas Vestby, Senior ResearcherJørgen Jensehaugen, Senior ResearcherAmalie Nilsen, Research Assistant

What is the transformative potential of visual storytelling in conflict research?In the project Societal Transformation in Conflict Contexts or (TRANSFORM), animations and comics were created in collaboration between researchers, activists, artists, writers, and many others. These pieces of art not only serve to inspire possible change, but also to illustrate and highlight stories of societal transformation around the world. That work was done in collaboration with PositiveNegatives. Today Ben Dix, PositiveNegatives Founder, and Cindy Horst, Research Professor at PRIO, talk about their work together.Find out more about the TRANSFORM project here: https://www.prio.org/Projects/Project/?x=1734For more about our 30 September event click here: https://www.facebook.com/events/931402467456135 View the virtual exhibition here: https://transform.prio.org/ Find out more about PositiveNegatives here: https://positivenegatives.org/ You can listen to the episode with Kue Cool and Marte Nilsen here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3xq0RAMKqoQPrgIm3HZ9y9?si=ZsvbgKp9QRGt1BSTgL36Lw&dl_branch=1 Read about co-creating knowledge here: https://www.prio.org/Publications/Publication/?x=11129

On September 5th, 2021, the military in Guinea pulled off a coup against president alpha conde. The coup was led by Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, and since then the situation has been unclear, though the military remains in power. Many in Guinea welcomed the power change, while others condemn it – and the international community largely falls in the second camp. What will happen next? To hear the previous episode from last year on Guinea and West Africa: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4TabwVOnfyJWp7BDUVOy1w?si=b6806ce7eb6a4429 To read more from Zahara: https://blogs.prio.org/2020/11/protests-elections-and-ethnic-tensions-in-west-africa-what-are-the-driving-forces

Scrambles for natural resources and struggles for power when such resources come to light are a frequent cause of international conflict and tension around the world. In the Eastern Mediterranean, recent discovery of hydrocarbon has only exacerbated existing tensions. This is a region that includes Cyprus, Turkey, Greece, Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, Palestine, and Israel. Today we're going to hear from PRIO Cyprus Centre researcher Zenonas Tziarras on this topic: he'll explain the key players, the recent history, and what kinds of issues he thinks are worth highlighting there.

Today marks 20 years since 9/11. In this episode four researchers share their reflections on what the effects of this event have been on global politics, security, and war.Further reading and articles we referenced:https://www.idunn.no/nnt/2021/01-02/hva_vi_snakker_om_naar_vi_snakker_om_digitaliseringens_polithttps://academic.oup.com/bjc/article/59/3/674/5233371https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/law-and-social-inquiry/article/counterterrorism-war-paradigm-versus-international-humanitarian-law-the-legal-contradictions-and-global-consequences-of-the-us-war-on-terror/3F5CD7F94E259D807D360DEA92EE7E4D

In the last few years, technology has played a huge role in Myanmar's politics and life in the last few years. Research Professor Stein Tønnesson explains how Facebook and Telenor in particular went wrong – and right – in the country, and what lasting effects those companies have had.

Just over seven months ago, on February 1st, 2021, the world witnessed a shockingly audacious military coup in Myanmar, in which the democratically elected National League for Democracy was deposed. Today I'm talking again to these three researchers, getting their impressions and updates after seven months. Marte's blog post: https://blogs.prio.org/2020/07/the-politics-of-humanitarian-aid-to-myanmar/Visit Myanmar Bazaar: https://www.instagram.com/myanmarbazar/Thank you to Sophie who read her poem: https://www.instagram.com/sophine_poetry/Thank you also to Rap Against Junta and 882021 for permission to play the song. Watch 882021's video for "Lee Coup" here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKFXeKFMBtA&t=2s&ab_channel=RapAgainstJunta

The past week has been a shock for Afghanistan and the world watching. In a matter of days, the Taliban took over regional capitals one by one, entering Kabul on Sunday, August 15. How could this have happened? Was it foreseeable – and preventable? Research Professor Kristian Berg Harpviken shares some initial thoughts on today's episode.You can read Kristian's blog post here: https://blogs.prio.org/2021/08/what-happened-to-afghanistans-security-forces/

In the second of this two-parter, Jørgen Carling shares his tips for employing mixed methods in research.Links: Jørgen has made an overview of mixed methods examples in his own work, which you can find here: https://jorgencarling.org/2021/08/12/how-ive-used-mixed-methods-or-not-over-20-years-of-doing-migration-research/Mario Luis Small's overview of recent trends can be accessed here: https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.soc.012809.102657The article on gender and romantic adolescent relationships that uses mixed methods, can be found here: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/000312240607100205

Research methods inform how knowledge is gained. The methods a researcher uses are often at the core of how they think about the world. Increasingly, some researchers have tried mixing methods. But this approach to research, though often beneficial, can also be challenging. PRIO research professor Jørgen Carling shares what he has learned about using mixed methods, and why it works so well for him.Links:Jørgen has made an overview of mixed methods examples in his own work, which you can find here: https://jorgencarling.org/2021/08/12/how-ive-used-mixed-methods-or-not-over-20-years-of-doing-migration-research/Mario Luis Small's overview of recent trends can be accessed here: https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.soc.012809.102657The article on gender and romantic adolescent relationships that uses mixed methods, can be found here: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/000312240607100205

In the last few weeks a familiar subject matter has dominated headlines again: is structural racism an issue in the UK, Norway, France, and many other countries? Is this term, which is often situated in an American context, relevant to Europe and other parts of the world? PRIO Research Director Marta Bivand Erdal goes beyond the debate on whether or not structural racism is a useful term to the heart of the matter: no matter what terms we use, she argues, people are experiencing discrimination big and small in their everyday lives. And often linked quite simply to other people's assumptions, which they base on what a person looks like. How can these incidents be resolved and reckoned with? You can find Marta's op-eds on antiracism (in English) at blogs.prio.org or with these links: https://blogs.prio.org/2020/06/it-should-change-young-people-on-skin-colour-and-national-belonging-in-norway/ https://blogs.prio.org/2021/03/antiracism-the-willingness-to-understand-others/ https://blogs.prio.org/2021/03/the-debate-on-structural-racism-is-far-more-polarized-than-it-needs-to-be/ You can find some of Marta's research here: https://www.prio.org/Projects/Project/?x=1669 https://www.prio.org/Projects/Project/?x=1564

Justice after a conflict is often part of peacebuilding, and can be an important part of addressing victims' experiences. These post-conflict processes are called “transitional justice” and are well-studied. But during-conflict justice is less understood. When governments use trials, truth commissions, exiles and other tools to address crimes, even while violence is ongoing, what does it do to both the conflict itself and the people involved? Lino Owor Ogora, Nobert Dacan, and Cyanne Loyle join the podcast to address the case of Uganda. You can find the project page for All is Fair in Law and War with related publications here: https://www.prio.org/Projects/Project/?x=1818

Today marks the 10th anniversary of the bombing of the Oslo government quarters and the massacre on Utøya by terrorist Anders Behring Breivik. On the 22nd of July 2011, 77 people died, many more were injured and traumatized, and the effects of that event are still being felt today.This week, Kristin Sandvik and Ingeborg Hjorth talk about the memorial at Utøya, and the controversy iterations of it have generated. They also illuminate how the ripple effects of a tragedy like this make waves in such a small country as Norway.If you missed episode 49, you can listen to hear about the government quarter and rebuilding post-22 July.One of the key articles referenced here (by Kristin Bergtora Sandvik, Ingunn Ikdahl and Kjersti Lohne) can be found at this link: https://www.idunn.no/norsk_sosiologisk_tidsskrift/2021/03/rettens_rolle_etter_22_juliThe Aftenposten article quoted can be read here: https://www.aftenposten.no/meninger/kommentar/i/8denx/naa-maa-utoeya-striden-loeses-per-anders-madsen

Have humans evolved psychological adaptations to war? That's what Henrikas Bartusevičius will look at in his cutting-edge research project "Adapted to War". Henrikas will investigate whether humans have evolved psychological adaptations to war. To do that, he'll have to work across disciplines, conducting lab experiments and surveys. We discuss how he became interested in this topic, and what it could mean for how we understand human behaviors.Read more about the project here: https://www.prio.org/Projects/Project/?x=1901

On the 22nd of July, 2011, Norway experienced it's deadliest attack since World War II. Ten years later, the country is still reckoning with what happened. Part of that reckoning is physical, embodied in the tearing down and rebuilding of the government quarter where the first attack took place. Much of the construction and planning has been controversial, and there is still extensive work to be done.In this episode, Kristin Bergtora Sandvik and Sissel Haugdal Jore discuss how the rebuilding has been planned and envisioned, and what this can mean for the security of ordinary citizens – both in their everyday lives, and in how we conceptualize safety in cities.Jore was part of the concept assessment for the future government quarters, and also conducted a research project on the consequences of security in Oslo. Sandvik leads a new project on the attack, titled "LAW22JULY: RIPPLES: Rights, Institutions, Procedures, Participation, Litigation: Embedding Security".You can read more about the project here: https://www.prio.org/Projects/Project/?x=1908 You can learn more about the Y Block here: https://yblokka.no/Links to some of the articles discussed here:https://www.morgenbladet.no/ideer/kronikk/2021/01/10/sikkerhet-er-ingen-unnskyldning-for-a-lukke-debatter-om-nytt-regjeringskvartal/"Troublesome trade-offs: balancing urban activities and values when securing a city-centre governmental quarter": https://cityterritoryarchitecture.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40410-015-0025-6"The contribution of foresight to improve long-term security planning": https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0040162513003107

In the wake of Black Lives Matter protests around the world, many institutions looked inward at what they could do or change, PRIO included. Last year PRIO allocated internal funding to develop projects on ethnic, racial, cultural and religious discrimination. One those projects is "Teaching African peace and conflict through European eyes (EruopAcademy)". This project, led by Ilaria Carozza and Marie Sandnes, set out to assess university syllabi from around Europe, before and after 2015 (when the #RhodesMustFall movement started), to see how diverse they were and are. In this episode they share their initial findings from courses on Africa, peace and conflict offered at several European universities, and talk about where they'd like to take the project. You can find PRIO's Collection on Racism, Inequality and Discrimination here: https://blogs.prio.org/2020/10/collection-of-prio-research-on-racism-inequality-and-discrimination/ You can find a policy brief on this topic by Marie and Ilaria here: https://www.prio.org/Publications/Publication/?x=12728

What makes people support terrorism or violent extremism? Is there any way to know what factors contribute? As terrorism has increasingly become a global concern, research has focused on who becomes a terrorist, and who supports terrorism, with many valuable conclusions coming out of that research. But until now no one has looked at whether these findings hold on a global scale.In a new report for the United Nations Development Programme, Tora Sagård investigated just that, and in this episode she discusses her thoughts on the results.Read the report here: https://www1.undp.org/content/oslo-governance-centre/en/home/library/when-is-conventional-wisdom-wise--testing-the-assumptions-behind.html

In late 1991, refugee camps were set up in Dadaab, Kenya. Today, the three camps located there make up the third-largest refugee complex in the world. For many, Dadaab is a long term home, and education is of course an important part of life both in the camp and once an individual leaves. But while the UN Sustainable Development Goal 4 recognizes the need for everyone to have access to education, questions still remain about how to convert that education into stable and durable futures.Today, Hassan Aden takes us into his research from Dadaab and launches a new animation made in collaboration with Hanna Ali and the PositiveNegatives team.To find out more about the project, visit prio.org/rebuild.To read a policy brief on this topic visit the PRIO website or click here: https://www.prio.org/Publications/Publication/?x=12751 Watch "An Agent for Change" here: https://vimeo.com/562676307/99e79c54f8You can find more PositiveNegatives work at positivenegatives.org

For the last 19 years, PRIO and the Uppsala university Department of peace and conflict have collaborated on the Uppsala Conflict Data Program. It's the world's main provider of data on organized violence, and is updated each year. In this episode Siri Aas Rustad shares the latest update and talks about changes and trends we're seeing in armed conflict.You can find the data at https://www.pcr.uu.se/research/ucdp/To listen to the podcast referenced on ISIS, visit https://open.spotify.com/episode/7qFubObLrohC8GYuM2fkRb?si=734023cbea1b4bcaOr listen in any podcast app by searching for the episode title "Jihadism's Rise and Spread".

Every year, PRIO holds its Annual Peace Address, inviting distinguished guests to reflect on how to contribute to the creation of a world in which violence is the exception and peace is the norm. To bring these interesting, inspiring addresses to a wider audience we'll be sharing some of them on the podcast as well. This week: Ilwad Elman, a Somali-Canadian activist who works at the Elman Peace and Human Rights Center in Mogadishu, and is an icon in advancing the youth, peace and security agenda.

Many nurses working here in Norway have migrated from other parts of the world. Why do they move, and what do they experience when they begin working life in a new context? In the project Migration for welfare (WELLMIG), researchers looked specifically at nurse migration in Norway, from three countries – Sweden, Poland and the Philippines. The differences and similarities in their experiences are illuminating. Marta Bivand Erdal and Lubomiła Korzeniewska talk on this episode about "deskilling" and what motivates nurse migrants. Read more:https://uni.oslomet.no/wellmig/2020/10/13/is-a-nurse-who-migrates-to-work-abroad-an-expat/https://academic.oup.com/migration/article/9/1/1/5692237?login=truehttps://uni.oslomet.no/wellmig/2018/10/15/on-not-getting-lost-in-translation/

This week, for the second time in less than a year, Col Assimi Goïta seized power in Mali. To explain how and why, PRIO Marie Sandnes joins the podcast for this special extra episode.

Justice after a conflict is often part of peacebuilding, and can be an important part of addressing victims' experiences. These post-conflict processes are called “transitional justice” and are well-studied. But during-conflict justice is less understood. When governments use trials, truth commissions, exiles and other tools to address crimes, even while violence is ongoing, what does it do to both the conflict itself and the people involved? Lino Owor Ogora, Nobert Dacan, and Cyanne Loyle join the podcast to address the case of Uganda.You can find the project page for All is Fair in Law and War with related publications here: https://www.prio.org/Projects/Project/?x=1818

The term “child soldiers” is very evocative. One might think of young children being drugged or forced into fighting, traumatized and exploited. In popular culture, films like Blood Diamond and Beasts of No Nation paint vivid images of child soldiers in Sierra Leone and Ghana. But minors in conflict can be found around the world, and their experiences are not always as clear-cut.Wenche Iren Hauge currently leads the project “Minors in Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) Processes - The Gender Dimension" and has just released a report detailing the experiences of minors in Nepal and Colombia. Their experiences don't match the narratives most are familiar with. Today she discusses her findings and how the international community can adjust DDR processes based on these minors experiences.Read the whole report here: https://www.prio.org/Publications/Publication/?x=12735Read the policy brief here: https://www.prio.org/Publications/Publication/?x=12516

This month marked 100 years since Ireland was split in two, creating Northern Ireland, which is now part of the United Kingdom. Tensions and fighting there have ebbed and flowed, and still persist today, often in the form of paramilitary groups. These groups – from both sides – are part of society and daily life there. In the past few weeks they have also been in the news internationally for the role in the latest riots spurred by Brexit issuesTo explain the role of paramilitary groups and the way forward post-Brexit for northern Ireland, I'm joined today by Kristin Bakke and Kit Rickard, who have recently written an article on the topic of paramilitary groups and punishment attacks (forthcoming).To read Kristin and Kit's piece in The Conversation click here: https://theconversation.com/northern-ireland-how-to-understand-the-influence-of-paramilitary-groups-158726?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=bylinetwitterbuttonTo read about their research, click here: https://www.kit-rickard.com/northern-ireland/To find out more about the Attitudes for Peace project you can visit the PRIO website here: https://www.prio.org/Projects/Project/?x=1701

Five years after the European migration and refugee crisis, displacement remains a pressing issue worldwide. According to the UNHCR, the global number of forcibly displaced people passed 80 million during 2020 – the highest estimate ever recorded. Several factors have contributed to this increase, including a rise in political violence and instability, and extreme weather events. But when it comes to calculating how many might be moving due to climate change, there are challenges. Scientific literature hasn't provided a satisfactory answer. In a new article for Nature Communications, Sebastian Schutte, Jonas Vestby, Jørgen Carling and Halvard Buhaug seek to fill this gap and address factors for asylum migration to the European Union. You can find the original study here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-22255-4Or you can read a blog post about it here: https://blogs.prio.org/ClimateAndConflict/2021/04/can-the-effects-of-climatic-change-predict-asylum-migration-to-europe/

April 12 kicked off the month of Ramadan, an important time of year for Muslims. It's a time for contemplation, prayer and community. It's also a time when many donate "zakat", a kind of charity or almsgiving. Zakat generates billions of US dollars in donations per year, although exact numbers are near-impossible to pinpoint.PRIO's Kaja Borchgrevink talks about zakat and Muslim charity along with one of her project members Amelia Fauzia, a Professor of Islamic history at Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University, Jakarta.

Jihadism turns up not infrequently in the mainstream media. Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, ISIS – these are all jihadi groups. The word jihad simply which means struggle, and can be interpreted both as an internal struggle within oneself or as a more general struggle in the outside world. So what else do these groups actually have in common? On this episode you'll hear from Mona Kanwal Sheikh and Dino Krause, two experts on transnational jihadist networks, will explain how these groups work together and apart.You can read more about Mona and Dino's research here: https://www.diis.dk/en/projects/transnational-jihad-explaining-escalation-and-containment

What do current trends in armed conflict and military technology mean for the future of urban warfare? What are the future prospects for International Humanitarian Law in settings of urban warfare? What does this imply for the regulation of uses of explosive weapons in populated areas? These were the questions addressed in a recent virtual roundtable on the Protection of Civilians and the Future of Urban Warfare that was hosted by PRIO in collaboration with the Norwegian Centre for Humanitarian Studies and the Norwegian Red Cross. In this bonus episode of the podcast you can hear the conversation led by Kristoffer Lidén, Senior Researcher at PRIO, and featuring Hugo Slim, Wanda Muñoz, Radhya Al-Mutawakel, Abigail Watson, and Nicholas Marsh.

In the last few weeks a familiar subject matter has dominated headlines again: is structural racism an issue in the UK, Norway, France, and many other countries? Is this term, which is often situated in an American context, relevant to Europe and other parts of the world? PRIO Research Director Marta Bivand Erdal goes beyond the debate on whether or not structural racism is a useful term to the heart of the matter: no matter what terms we use, she argues, people are experiencing discrimination big and small in their everyday lives. And often linked quite simply to other people's assumptions, which they base on what a person looks like. How can these incidents be resolved and reckoned with? You can find Marta's op-eds on antiracism (in English) at blogs.prio.org or with these links:https://blogs.prio.org/2020/06/it-should-change-young-people-on-skin-colour-and-national-belonging-in-norway/ https://blogs.prio.org/2021/03/antiracism-the-willingness-to-understand-others/https://blogs.prio.org/2021/03/the-debate-on-structural-racism-is-far-more-polarized-than-it-needs-to-be/You can find some of Marta's research here:https://www.prio.org/Projects/Project/?x=1669https://www.prio.org/Projects/Project/?x=1564

Every year, PRIO holds its Annual Peace Address, inviting distinguished guests to reflect on how to contribute to the creation of a world in which violence is the exception and peace is the norm. To bring these interesting, inspiring addresses to a wider audience we'll be sharing some of them on the podcast as well. This week: activist Hajer Sharief, who works for peacebuilding in Libya, as well as advancing the youth, peace and security agenda.

Every year, PRIO holds its Annual Peace Address, inviting distinguished guests to reflect on how to contribute to the creation of a world in which violence is the exception and peace is the norm. To bring these interesting, inspiring addresses to a wider audience we'll be sharing some of them on the podcast as well. On the occasion of PRIO's 60th anniversary, Steven Pinker held the PRIO Annual Peace Address in June, 2019, which we present here.

The term "migrant smuggling" might call to mind boats of refugees in the Mediterranean or trucks driving over the US-Mexican border. But migrant smuggling is complicated, and can take many forms. PRIO Research Professor Jørgen Carling has recently looked at how migrant smuggling is experienced by the migrants themselves, and how politicians and nation states use migrant smuggling as an example when making points about their immigration policy.

Sexual assault allegations and the arrest of Senegal's most prominent opposition leader, Ousmane Sonko, have led to weeks of protests in the country. At least eight people have died. Mobilization is especially strong among young people, who are captivated by Sonko's critique of the political system and call for transparency in the management of resources. PRIO's Bintu Zahara Sakor and Aji Ceesay from Peace Direct break down why these protests are significant, and how they have developed.

When we imagine artificial intelligence in warfare, we might think of films like Blade Runner and its replicants, or Terminator's Skynet. But in reality, some artificial intelligence usage is already occurring, and contrary to the films, we should be more concerned about the humans involved. The "Warring with Machines” project at PRIO focuses on the people who serve in combat settings with AI-enabled machines. The project aims to yield moral guidelines for AI technology use in three settings: kinetic (physical) combat operations, cyber operations, and strategic planning.Project leader Gregory Reichberg and project member Shannon French talk about the past, present, and future of AI in this episode. To learn more about Warring with Machines at PRIO, visit: https://www.prio.org/Projects/Project/?x=1859

In honor of International Women's Day, we're highlighting the research of Jenny Lorentzen. Jenny is a Senior Researcher at PRIO and a Post-Doc at Lund University. Her PhD work focused partly on women's participation in Malian peace processes, so today she's talking about what women in Mali had to do to get a seat at the table, and what can be learned from their efforts, and the work of female negotiators around the world.

Conflict prediction has traditionally involved statistical models and large amounts of data to yield information about where violence will take place. There are challenges with that approach though, and PRIO researchers want to improve conflict forecasting. They're trying a new approach with Conflict Cartographer.Find out more about Conflict Cartographer here: https://www.prio.org/Projects/Project/?x=1900 Do you have better-than-average knowledge about a country in Africa? You can help out with the project by going to https://conflictcartographer.prio.org and adding your predictions.