cutting-edge research into peace, conflict,
and international security

In our time of rapid change, the risks of major violent conflict are rising. The need to prevent unnecessary human suffering calls for a deeper scholarly understanding of the causes, consequences, and dynamics of violence, and for an elaboration of new measures to foster international cooperation. These are the main goals of our interdisciplinary Center of Excellence, funded by Charles University.

Our Peace Research Center Prague team is comprised of renowned scholars on various topic surrounding international security, such as arms control, nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation or public-elite opinion gaps. We cover the majority of conflict areas around the world, such as Russia and Ukraine, the Middle East or China and Taiwan.

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Featured
New article in Survival: How the EU integration took inspiration from the US before Trump
New article in Survival: How the EU integration took inspiration from the US before Trump

Jan Hornát’s article in Survival explores how the European Union long reflected the United States’ federal “peace pact” model, and why this mirror shattered under Trump’s administration. The article highlights how Trump’s interpretation of the EU as a hotbed of liberal culture wars and his open support for populist and far-right movements destabilises the European peace architecture the United States once encouraged.

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Our work has been featured in Ukraine: The Latest from The Telegraph
Our work has been featured in Ukraine: The Latest from The Telegraph

As the New START treaty expires in February 2026, there will no longer be any agreement constraining the United States and Russia from a nuclear arms race. In these times, it has become imperative to understand the nuclear dynamics between the two great powers. Our recent working paper mapped the chronology of nuclear signaling between Russia and NATO during the first three years of the war in Ukraine and has been featured in a recent episode of Ukraine: The Latest by The Telegraph.

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Can nuclear deterrence and disarmament go hand in hand? Evidence from 24 countries shows they do
Can nuclear deterrence and disarmament go hand in hand? Evidence from 24 countries shows they do

Nuclear deterrence and disarmament do not necessarily need to go against each other. A new paper by Lauren Sukin and colleagues shows many people hold both pro- and anti-nuclear views. Using survey data from 24 countries (N=27,250), the study finds publics value both deterrence and disarmament rather than categorical positions.

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New paper on grand strategic change after critical situations: Cases of Israel and Czechia
New paper on grand strategic change after critical situations: Cases of Israel and Czechia

Zuzana Lizcová & Rob Geist Pinfold’s article in EJIS explores whether grand strategies and strategic narratives endure or shift after traumatic geopolitical shocks. Comparing Israel’s response to 7 October 2023 with Czechia’s reaction to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, it finds that the scale of strategic change reflected the severity of perceived threat and disruption.

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PRCP Annual Review 2025
PRCP Annual Review 2025

At the PRCP, 2025 will likely be remembered as a year that was busy, challenging, but also rewarding in many different ways. Having published more than 25 peer-reviewed articles in prestigious journals alongside many working papers and policy briefs while also providing more than 1300 media interviews and commentaries, we hope to have contributed greatly to both academic and public security discussions. See our Annual Review 2025 here.

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Russia's Nuclear Signaling: Register for New Study Presentation & Debate
Russia's Nuclear Signaling: Register for New Study Presentation & Debate

Most Russian nuclear messaging during the war in Ukraine has not been about explicit nuclear threats, but about amplifying uncertainty and fear. The PRCP and SWP have recently published a working paper that systematically tracks this dynamic. Come join us on January 27th at 19:00 in Kavárna Na Boršově where we will introduce the study and discuss it with the authors! Register here.

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