Today, the world is confronted with overlapping and accelerating crises and is enduring a profound transformation. Armed conflicts and wars are becoming increasingly protracted and multifaceted, driven by new geopolitical rivalries and the advancement of cutting-edge technology. Democratic backsliding is no longer an isolated phenomenon, but an entrenched global trend, evident across both the Global South and the Global North and the Global East. The impacts of global ecological deterioration, large-scale forced displacement, and extreme global inequalities deepen insecurities in everyday life. Yet amid these challenges, the need for critical, praxis-oriented and ethically grounded peace research has never been greater. TAPRI stands at this intersection—between the critical analysis of conflicts and the pursuit of perspectives for peace(ful change). Its work—diversified in qualitative, critical approaches—seeks not only to interpret and understand the world but to contribute to its transformation. In doing so, TAPRI aligns with the Sustainable Development Goal 16 on peace, justice, and strong institutions, while also engaging the broader SDG agenda where peace intersects with social justice, systemic and structural equality and ecological sustainability.
TAPRI’s strategic mission and vision for 2026–2030 is to strengthen TAPRI’s role as one of the world-leading and pioneering research hubs in peace research distinguished by excellence in qualitative and critical research methodologies and theories. Our mission is to transform critical knowledge into practical engagements to address existing and emerging challenges in the field of peace and conflict. As the architecture of global peace becomes increasingly contested, TAPRI’s mission and vision reflect both continuity and renewal. We remain anchored in our founding purpose while adapting to contemporary challenges with interdisciplinary curiosity, institutional resilience, and global and local collaborations. TAPRI seeks not only to understand the world but to contribute to its transformation—as a trailblazing research institute, a trusted partner, and a home for the next generation of peace researchers.
When the Finnish Parliament established TAPRI in 1969, our mandate was clear: to enhance peace and conflict research nationwide through high-quality scholarship and publications, international cooperation, and inquiry into the conditions for preventing, resolving, and transforming conflicts. More than fifty years later, TAPRI research interests developed broader and more nuanced while its original mission of cultivating peaceful change remains strikingly relevant today. Our work continues to be guided by a commitment to research excellence, ethical integrity, and public relevance—but also by openness and the readiness to embrace new challenges with creativity and care.
TAPRI’s strategy for 2026–2030 reflects our identity as a critical, collaborative, and multifaceted institute. Rooted in a strong Nordic tradition of peace research, inspired by international collaboration and committed to global engagement, TAPRI continues to expand its reach, relevance, and responsibility in a volatile world. We move forward with confidence in our mission—to illuminate the causes of conflict and violence, envision peaceful alternatives, and work in solidarity with others toward a just and sustainable peace.
Our understanding of peace research is pluralistic—spanning multiple disciplines and methodologies. We emphasise critical theory, the plurality of perspectives, decolonial and feminist approaches, and qualitative methodology to understand peace and conflict as dynamic and interwoven social, political, and cultural processes.
While TAPRI welcomes diverse topics, five thematic priority areas guide our work.
- Feminist Peace Research and Everyday Peace Approaches
- Peace Architectures and Practices
- Environment, Climate Change and Peace
- Human Mobilities and Transnational Dimensions of Conflicts
- Imaginaries of Peace: Visual and Narrative Perspectives
Books / Book Chapters / Journal Articles / Policy Briefings and Reports / TAPRI Series