Since 1991, nearly 150 visiting fellows from over 25 countries have spent shorter or longer periods at the Institute, including many of the world's leading historians and political scientists. In connection with the Fellowship Program, research seminars are held throughout the spring. Candidates are expected to deliver one research seminar and one public lecture while in residence at the Institute.
The program takes place in spring. The topic for 2027 will be: “Paths to Peace: Past Experiences, Emergent Directions, and Guiding Values."
Paths to Peace: Past Experiences, Emergent Directions, and Guiding Values
The first quarter of the 21st century has seen increasingly complex civil wars and mounting tension between global powers. With a new world order in the making, the implications for peace and conflict are uncertain, yet the need for diplomacy and dialogue is clearer than ever.
But what does it take for peace initiatives to succeed? In today’s armed conflicts, what are the strengths and weaknesses of different kinds of initiatives – from high-level diplomatic efforts by state leaders, to the engagement of grassroots peacemakers? What types of settlements promote lasting peace? What moral considerations should guide agents in their pursuit of peace?
The Norwegian Nobel Institute seeks to throw light upon peace initiatives, using historical, normative, as well as comparative and statistical approaches.
Relevant research questions include, but are not limited to:
- How have peace initiatives been conducted in the past? What has accounted for an initiative’s success or failure?
- How are peace initiatives conducted now, and what can we expect as we look ahead?
- How is the international peace-making regime impacted by global transformations, and what are the emergent policies and practices of different actors?
- How do changes in the global order affect the successful inclusion of women, victims, or minorities in peace initiatives?
- How do diplomacy and dialogue prevent the outbreak of armed conflict, limit its spread, or facilitate de-escalation?
- What are the paths to peaceful settlements between actors that hold seemingly incompatible objectives?
- What are the challenges and opportunities of new technologies?
- How should peace initiatives be conducted? To what extent should peace be prioritized over other values, such as democracy, distributive or retributive justice, and the promotion of human rights?
We welcome both case-oriented and more general approaches to the topic.
Applicants will be selected in accordance with the overall quality of past scholarship and the relevance of the application to the topic of “Paths to Peace: Past Experiences, Emergent Directions, and Guiding Values."
Applicants may be contacted by the Nobel Institute for further information about their research.