Chicago, USA – From March 2-5, VIEWS participated in the International Studies Association’s (ISA) Annual Convention 2025 in Chicago. At our exhibition booth, we engaged with researchers and practitioners, sharing insights into our work and the tools we offer for forecasting armed conflict. A big thank you to everyone who stopped by to connect with us!

One of our key contributions to the conference was the roundtable “We Need to Talk: The Future of Explainable AI in Peace and Conflict Studies“. With participation from VIEWS’ Simon Polichinel von der Maase, Paola Vesco, and Sara Kallis, coupled with ACLED’s Trey Billing, The Early Warning Project’s Ashleigh Landau, and EconAI’s Margherita Philipp, the session explored the challenges and opportunities of integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into peace and conflict research. With a particular focus on conflict forecasting, it centered on bridging the gap between advanced computational models and real-world applications, establishing a shared vocabulary, and aligning expectations to ensure that AI-driven tools are interpretable, actionable, and practically valuable for decision-makers and practitioners. The session was moderated by VIEWS’ Angelica Lindqvist-McGowan.

VIEWS researchers also contributed to a diverse range of panel discussions, sharing expertise on their respective research areas. Topics included conflict, crisis, and electoral violence forecasting; conflict trends; anticipatory mobility in response to risks of violence; the impact of armed conflict on perceptions of state corruption; protest data; and the effects of Russia’s war in Ukraine on climate policy. Their participation underscored the importance of bridging advanced research with real-world policy applications.

Learn more about the 66th Annual Convention of the International Studies Association on isanet.org, and explore the sessions VIEWS took part in here.