The PSI-PRIOGRID Workshop, “The Future of Subnational Conflict Research,” held in Oslo on January 23–24, brought together 34 scholars to explore emerging data, methodologies, and challenges in conflict research. Experts from VIEWS—Paola Vesco, Simon Polichinel von der Maase, Mihai Croicu, Thorsten Rogall, Stefan Döring, Chandler Williams, and Jonas Vestby—presented research on geospatial data, AI applications, and machine learning in conflict forecasting.
During the workshop:
- Paola Vesco presented research on the intersection of conflict, flooding, and food insecurity in Myanmar.
- Simon Polichinel von der Maase co-led a session on machine learning approaches to coding attacks on education in sub-Saharan Africa.
- Mihai Croicu introduced a stochastic approach to enhancing geospatial precision in conflict event data.
- Thorsten Rogall examined how parental responses to armed conflict and drought impact early childhood skills.
- Stefan Döring explored the potential of combining mental health and agricultural interventions to enhance climate resilience.
- Chandler Williams presented research on using satellite imagery to predict place destruction in conflict zones.
- Jonas Vestby introduced PRIO-GRID v4, an open-access geospatial dataset designed to standardize and enhance conflict research.
The workshop also featured a keynote addresses from Kristian Gleditsch, sessions from several other leading scholars, and fostered discussions on the challenges and opportunities of disaggregated conflict research. Organized by the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), the event highlighted the role of advanced data science techniques in understanding and predicting conflict dynamics.
