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PHOTO: MIKAEL WALLERSTEDT
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Symposium and podcast The 50th anniversary will be celebrated with a symposium in the University Main Building on 14 October 2021. A series of podcasts on peace and conflict research has also been produced during 2021, entitled Researching Peace. You can listen here!
WE HAVE MADE PEACE A RESEARCHABLE SUBJECT.ˮ Profe s sor Pe t e r Walle n s t e e n . Pe ace a nd conf lic t re se arc h w a s e s t ab lishe d at U p ps al a U ni ve r si t y in 1971 a nd you h ave b e e n invol ve d since d ay one . How did it all begin 50 years ago? “In 1971, the Unit for Peace and Conflict Research was established by decision of the Faculty of Social Sciences. There was already a seminar within Kursverksamheten/Folkuniversitetet and that moved over to the University after pressure from a group who wanted to see peace research taking place at the country’s universities. The government established three assistant professorships, one each in
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Uppsala, Gothenburg and Lund. I was appointed as assistant professor and head of department and there I stayed for 27 years.” How has the subject evolved since then? “One important event took place in 1981, when the Riksdag established the Dag Hammar skjöld Chair of Peace and Conflict Research. I was appointed to that professorship in January 1985. The doctoral programme started in 1986, since when over
50 PhDs have graduated. Over 80 people now work at the department, a great change from how it was at first. “Research during the 1970s and 1980s was very much focused on disarmament and nuclear weapons. Now it is more likely to deal with mediation and negotiation. Many researchers specialise on certain countries and the research has shifted to deal with issues at a local level in conflict-affected states. Research is also conducted into issues such as climate and gender, and in future health is bound to figure.” What has this research contributed to society? “We have made peace a re-
searchable subject; it’s no longer just a matter of opinions and ideologies but of actually finding out what works and what doesn’t work. If leaders want peace, it offers them ideas about what they can do. “I also think it’s important to differentiate between peace research and peace associations. Regardless of what we think, research must be conducted according to scientific rules. We have been careful to use established methods and be transparent and we train our students in source criticism and methodological issues.” The department is renowned internationally for its global conflict database. How did that begin? “We began collecting data in the 1970s. It was while listening to the BBC’s night-time broadcasts that we discovered that there were many events that never made the mainstream media. It’s fantastic that this has evolved into an international resource used by researchers all over the world. It’s gratifying to see that it’s so useful. It contains not only data on conflicts, but also how they are resolved.” / ANNICA HULTH
