IDSA has established a programme of joint research and institutional co-operation with the International Peace Research Institute, Oslo (PRIO). The objective is the development of new knowledge and expertise on topics of mutual interest within the broad field of security studies. The cooperation furthers research, networking and scholarly exchange between the Institutes, and between researchers from India and Norway, on non-traditional security issues, conflict management and resolution.

1. Background

The IDSA-PRIO Institutional Cooperation was started in early 2006. During the first stage, to be completed by December 2007, the cooperation has been organized in two research projects and one academic conference. The two research projects, both ongoing, are ‘Human Security and Development: Conceptual Critiques and Policy Implications’ and ‘Organization and Recruitment in Rebel Groups’. The conference, on ‘The Geopolitics of Energy Security: The Rise of Asia’, was held 15-16 December 2006 in New Delhi and the papers from the conference have been peer-reviewed and published in the 2007 issues of Strategic Analysis.

2. Main activities

In the second stage of the cooperation (2007-2010) the project portfolio encompasses three research projects:

1. Conceptual Frameworks on Conflict Management and Resolution
2. Organization and Recruitment in Rebel Groups
3. Human Security

In addition to the three research projects, and as a crosscutting activity, the cooperation will facilitate academic exchange with a focus on research methodology skills development. This exchange will span the entire spectrum of qualitative and quantitative methods, and will promote the sharing of knowledge on research techniques and methodology, through collaborative work as well as the hosting of research methodology workshops for research staff in both institutes.

To achieve a close cooperation on the projects, visiting fellowships (VFs) will be available to researchers working on joint research, at both the cooperating institutes. Under this VF scheme a visiting researcher can work on a mutually agreed subject for a period of up to three months. The host institute provides necessary administrative facilities, including office space, computer, internet connectivity and library services. Every year one IDSA researcher will also be sponsored under the cooperation to attend the International Summer School course in Peace Studies at the University of Oslo.

A Workshop on Conflict Management will be held annually in New Delhi, providing capacity building on conflict management, mediation and peacebuilding for officials (civil servants, parliamentarians, academicians and media persons). The workshop will help share experiences as well as raise awareness to improve day-to-day responses to conflict, raise knowledge of mediation and peace processes, and inform conflict management planning and policymaking. The first in this series of workshops was held in New Delhi between January 7 and 11, 2008. For an overview of the Proceedings of this Workshop, click here.

Building on the highly successful IDSA-PRIO conference ‘Geopolitics of Energy Security: The Rise of Asia’ (15-16 December 2006), and as a high-visibility cornerstone of the subproject on ‘Human Security’, a conference has been planned on ‘Energy Security in Africa: Global Issues, Local Responses’ in New Delhi in June 2008, in cooperation with the South African Institute for International Affairs (SAIIA) in Johannesburg and the International Security Studies (ISS) in Pretoria.

For updates,click here to access the IDSA-PRIO microsite.