The United Kingdom Peace Index (UKPI) has found that the UK is 11% more peaceful than it was a decade ago. Produced by the Institute for Economics and Peace, the UKPI is the first measure of peacefulness across the…

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A new project aims to counter ‘violent extremism’ by connecting former self-identified extremists with ‘at risk’ youths.

Self-identified former “extremists” and survivors have formed a social network aimed at helping young people avoid political violence and gang culture. The Against Violent Extremism network believes that radicalization is less of a religious and ideological issue…

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This morning on the way to work, I came across a situation and was left thinking of what responses were possible.

An obviously drunk man of about 30 carrying an open tall can of beer in his hand came up to a younger (maybe 16-18 year old) boy and started belligerently berating him on the subway in between stops. He threatened the boy that he would find and later kill him. That revenge is sweet. All sorts of angry banter. The boy sat quietly, looking down at his phone, earphones in,…

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In the current context of economic crisis and severe cuts in government expenditure, the case for aid expenditure has been under increasing pressure. As IDS’ UK Public Opinion Monitor found late last year, a majority of the UK public believe that aid should be cut to help deal with the UK budget deficit. It seems likely that such sentiments are common in other aid-giving countries affected by the…

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The first year of the post-conflict period is a very fluid and little understood period of human development, and very little is known about the determinants of health outcomes in the period immediately after a cease-fire is agreed. Millions of families are affected by conflict related displacement around the world, and it is in the immediate post-conflict period that they consider returning to their place of…

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Child health during and after violent conflicts has been a priority for both policymakers and academics, as ill-health in early life can be impossible…

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Help from peace builders needed for Bat Nha Monastery in Vietnam.

Despite the pervasiveness of civil wars in Africa, research on the welfare impact of conflicts is surprisingly scarce. Researchers working in Burundi with the MICROCON research programme have been following up participants of a national household survey carried out in 1998 in order to trace the dynamics of well being and civil war. The first findings, published today in the MICROCON Research Working Paper published today, entitled ‘… Continue