Recognised as one of the world’s leading research centres for economics, the Centre for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) has just launched a research network dedicated to conflict prevention and peace policies. The head of the new centre of competence, Prof. Dominic Rohner, from HEC Lausanne (UNIL), manages a group of around 30 experts, whose task is to increase the visibility of research in this field among a wide audience.
Founded in 1983, the CEPR, an independent, non-profit organisation, operates according to a “thinknet” model. It brings together numerous economists who collaborate, through the Centre, on a wide range of policy-related research projects and activities. The CEPR has recently created a number of Research and Policy Networks (RPN) dedicated to specific topics. As an expert in conflict issues for the last 15 years, Dominic Rohner has been appointed head of the new RPN for conflict prevention and peace policies.
Purpose and role of conflict economics
As explained on the new network’s webpage launched in early June, armed conflict imposes huge costs on societies and economies alike. The burden of war is far-reaching, not only in terms of the loss of human life and societal harm but also economic costs. According to Bae and Ott (2008), conflict-related deaths in the 20th century accounted for around 100 million people, 60% of whom were civilians.
Human suffering is clearly the top concern. The research carried out in this field helps to implement policies that can reduce armed conflict around the world. With this in mind, Prof. Rohner emphasises the importance of the work carried out by researchers: “As economists specialising in conflict issues, we have a real human and social mission to fulfil. As a result, it is critical not to lock ourselves in ivory towers but commit to communicating the results of our research to decision-makers.”
The RPN in conflict prevention: a lever for action and commitment
“Over recent years, we have seen a real drive towards high-quality research on these issues. The new RPN has been formed for an initial period of three years and brings together around 30 professors from different international universities. Its aim is to be able to share the results of cutting-edge research with decision-makers and the media, but also with a wide audience,” comments Prof. Rohner. He adds, “Heading up the new network is a great honour and an extraordinary opportunity to take action.”
HEC Lausanne congratulates Prof. Rohner on his appointment, which comes in addition to an already highly successful career and not least, the numerous awards he has received for his research on the causes and consequences of conflict.