Meet the Harvard CID faculty affiliates leading transformative research on conflict, peace, and security to advance stability and development worldwide.
Conflict and insecurity can devastate lives, halt development, and erase decades of progress.
While peace is essential for communities to thrive, millions around the world continue to face civil wars, political instability, organized violence, and fragile institutions.
At CID, our research in conflict, peace, and security explores the root causes of violence and the pathways to sustainable peace. Faculty affiliates from across Harvard examine how governance, identity, inequality, and institutional fragility contribute to conflict and shape prospects for stability.
Their work spans topics such as rebel governance, policing, terrorism, and post-conflict recovery. From studying the economics of war and peace-building to designing strategies for conflict prevention and resolution, CID researchers are generating evidence to inform policies that support peace, resilience, and inclusive development.
Harvard CID Faculty Affiliates Confronting the Challenges of Conflict, Peace, & Security
Dara Kay Cohen
Dara Kay Cohen
Professor of Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School
Clarence Dillon Professor of International Affairs, Department of Government; Director, Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences
William Ziegler Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School
Assistant Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School
Roya Talibova
Roya Talibova
Sultan Qaboos bin Said of Oman Assistant Professor of International Relations, Harvard Kennedy School
Assistant Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School
Featured Research on Conflict, Peace, & Security
CID faculty research insights look at publications by Harvard faculty that have shaped current understanding of conflict, peace, and security. These summaries distill complex findings into accessible takeaways for practitioners, policymakers, and researchers.
CID Faculty Publications
Read the latest research from CID faculty affiliates on conflict, peace, and security, exploring topics such as the root causes and consequences of conflict, peacebuilding strategies, terrorism, policing, and rebel governance. These publications offer data-driven insights to inform policy and support efforts to prevent, manage, and resolve conflict for lasting security and development.
How to Construct a New Global Order
How to Construct a New Global Order
Rodrik and Walt propose a “meta-regime” for global cooperation that works even among rivals like the U.S. and China. By focusing on communication, trust-building, and calibrated responses over rigid alignment, it offers a realistic framework for peaceful coexistence.
CID Faculty Affiliate: Dani Rodrik
Fighting for Tyranny: State Repression and Combat Motivation
Fighting for Tyranny: State Repression and Combat Motivation
Using 100M+ Red Army records, the study finds soldiers from highly repressed areas were more likely to fight to the death and less likely to desert—but also showed less initiative. Repression increased obedience, not bravery, raising the human cost of war.
CID Faculty Affiliate: Roya Talibova
AI-tocracy
AI-tocracy
Facial recognition AI in China boosts regime control and sparks commercial innovation. A 1% rise in deforestation-linked unrest led to more AI surveillance purchases, cutting future protests and triggering new AI products—suggesting autocracy and tech can reinforce each other.
CID Faculty Affiliate:
Explore research from CID faculty affiliates addressing critical questions around conflict, peace, and security.