Since 2010, PRIF’s basic academic research is guided by an over­arching topic, which is defined by a research program. These research programs are developed by PRIF’ Research Council and are adopted by the Board of Trustees upon recommen­dation of the Scientific Advisory Board.

Between 2000 and 2011 and within the frame­work of the research program “Antinomies of Democratic Peace”, PRIF examined the ambivalent relation­ship between democracy and peace. Between 2011 and 2017 the research program “Just Peace Governance” focused on conflicts over diverging con­ceptions and demands of justice and examined the question, how peace and justice can be achieved at the same time. On­going projects on “Just Peace Governance” were completed by end of 2018.

In January 2018, PRIF started its work on the research program “Coercion and Peace“. In this context, the institute examines the role that the threat or app­lication of coercion plays in the estab­lish­ment, main­tenance and under­mining of peace.

The research program analyses the ambi­valent relation­ship between coercion and peace. On the one hand, coercion can be necessary for establish­ing and main­taining peace; on the other, it may under­mine peace. Generally speaking, coercion is in tension with a peaceful order that is meant to involve more than the absence of war.

In order to address this ambivalence, PRIF investigates whether and in what way different types of coercion that aim at en­forcing norms and political order succeed, and how this affects peace at the inter­national and intra­state level. The overall aim of new research program is to analyze how to achieve as much peace as possible with as little coercion as neces­sary.