The PRIO Research School on Peace and Conflict hosted doctoral candidates at the PhD-level course “Advanced Qualitative Methods in Conflict Studies”, May 4-8, 2026.
The course, led by Jeff Checkel, has been a regular course here at PRIO.
The course was student-activity driven throughout. The first half of the course focused on research epistemology, ethics, and transparency, before moving on to key methods, including case studies, case selection, and techniques designed to capture process. The second half of the course moved from the conceptual to the applied, examining case and process methods in action: in conflict zones and post-conflict settings.
The fundamental goal was for students to acquire sufficient knowledge to be smart, epistemologically plural, and rigorous users of case-based research in conflict and post-conflict settings.
The course reinforced CENTREPEACE’s commitment to building a lasting culture of research excellence in European peace and security. It also underscored the value of investing in junior scholars as vital contributors to long-term academic innovation and policy development.
