One of the IFSH’s top research priorities is peace and security in Europe. Both are more at-risk than they have been in a long time due to multiple crises – Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine in particular. Our researchers investigate what a lasting, future-proof European peace and security order could look like, including from a global perspective, and what role international organisations such as the EU, the OSCE and NATO can play in shaping it. We also examine what future the European peace project may still hold. Because our research is closely tied to current events, our work carries considerable political and societal relevance.
The IFSH is one of Germany’s leading peace research institutes. Our international team of researchers from a range of fields examines questions of security and peace from a comprehensive and interdisciplinary perspective. A distinctive feature of the institute is its deep integration of peace and security research.
This integration means that the institute combines foundational academic research with central questions of current peace and security policy. We address both classic themes in peace research such as armament, arms control and the risks posed by new technologies as well as new security policy challenges: How do anti-liberal and extremist movements threaten social cohesion and peaceful coexistence? Why do people become radicalised? How do the effects of climate change impact conflict, security and peace in Europe and around the world?
Our identity in eight sentences:
- IFSH actively contributes to peace through research.
- IFSH analyzes the conditions for peace and security – with a strong focus on current developments, often in unconventional settings.
- IFSH conducts evidence-based research and contributes constructively to polarized debates.
- IFSH generates guidance for society and policymakers and actively fosters public discourse.
- IFSH combines a strong reputation with dynamic development in an outstanding research environment.
- IFSH acts as a catalyst for academic careers and offers valuable support through its own doctoral and study programmes.
- IFSH provides outstanding administrative services to ensure the optimal organisation of research, teaching, and knowledge transfer.
The IFSH was founded in 1971 and has had an additional office in Berlin since 2019. The IFSH works closely with the University of Hamburg as well as numerous academic institutions in Germany and abroad. Its core funding comes from the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg. In addition, it raises third-party funding from institutions such as the German Research Foundation (DFG) and federal ministries to support individual research projects in particular.
Our research findings and expertise benefit politics, society and the media. Our researchers advise members of the German Federal Government, the Bundestag and international organisations. Our experts are sought-after interview partners in the media and appear at public events. School classes and other educational groups also visit regularly to discuss current security policy issues with our researchers.
In cooperation with the University of Hamburg, the IFSH offers its own Master’s programme. Over the course of four semesters, students acquire theoretical and practical knowledge of the foundations of security and peace from an interdisciplinary perspective.
