Political Institutions and Conflict
Director: Prof. Dr. Ursula Daxecker
Research Program
Conflict is central in politics but can be resolved peacefully or break out violently. The department explores how institutional arrangements structure conflict. The spread of democratic institutions once promised more peaceful resolution of conflict and relative equality. But democracy has stalled in many parts of the world, institutionalizing competitive authoritarianism instead. And even in established democracies, structural transformations have given rise to growing inequality, polarization, and ethnonationalism, threatening democracy in places where we took it for granted.
The department explores whether and how political, economic, and social institutions create or reduce the potential for conflict, how structural changes have changed institutions’ ability to manage conflict, and how these shifts affect political outcomes downstream. The relationship between democratic institutions and violence is a central theme. Why, when, and how do some violent orders co-exist with democracy? The department’s answers to these questions give an important role to political parties. Structural transformations such as globalization, the end of the Cold War, and technological transformations have opened up the political opportunity structure; but new political parties and entrepreneurs gave meaning to these shifts by translating voter grievances into politics. When and why are voter grievances expressed in extreme or even violent ways? The downstream consequences of changes to democratic politics inform a final set of questions. How do rising polarization, the growing role of money in politics, and digital transformations affect the quality of democratic processes?
To study these questions, the department relies on a multi-method empirical approach with descriptive and causal inference designs. Data come from fieldwork, interviews, surveys, and data from archival, news, and other sources. Given the sensitivity of the department’s themes, collaboration with local partners and the use of innovative techniques is essential. The department focuses on the Global South, especially South Asia and West Africa, but also explores observational implications in the Global North. Grounded in political science, it draws on analytical and methodological tools from across the social sciences. Research develops novel insights for important challenges in contemporary society, including the rise of extreme strategies and violence, threats to electoral integrity, and democratic erosion.
The department has started work in January 2026, and will be expanding in the coming months.
“I am excited to lead a department studying pressing questions in contemporary societies around the world, such as when and why political violence happens, the dynamics of electoral processes, and the state of democracy. The department will rely on innovative analytical and methodological tools to further the Institute’s aim of doing excellent social science.”
Ursula Daxecker
Ursula Daxecker will present two papers at the EPSS: Understanding Political Elites’ Support for Democracy: Evidence from Indian Politicians and The Persistence of Political Violence in Democracy: Evidence from Micro-level Data in India
On 27 May 2026, Ursula Daxecker and Neeraj Prasad organize a concluding workshop at the University of Amsterdam to discuss their book manuscript The Logic of Party Violence. The workshop concludes the ERC Starting Grant project Elections, Violence, and Parties (EVaP), which examined how and why political parties use violence during elections and how this violence shapes democracy and political competition.
A workshop on the political economy of conflict, organized by Ursula Daxecker, took place on 22 April at the University of Amsterdam, bringing together scholars to discuss current research on conflict, governance, and economic dynamics.
The Department of Political Institutions & Conflict has held its inaugural meeting from 8–10 April 2026, bringing together scholars to discuss research on political violence, democratization, & inequality. Participants discussed the challenges shaping political institutions & conflict across societies.