Date: Mon 16th Nov 2026 – Tue 17th Nov 2026
Time: 9:00am – 5:30pm GMT
Location: Great Hall, King’s Building, King’s College London, Strand, London, WC2R 2LS
How can a better understanding of human behaviour help us break cycles of violent conflict and build more sustainable pathways to peace?
Breaking Cycles of Conflict is a two-day international conference bringing together academics, policymakers, practitioners and activists to explore the future of international peace and conflict. Marking the culmination of the Cross-Border Conflict: Evidence, Policy and Trends (XCEPT) research programme, the conference will draw on XCEPT research and wider expertise to examine why cycles of conflict persist and what this means for efforts to promote peace.
Discussions will focus on three interconnected themes: memory and narratives; mental health and trauma; and moral psychology. Across research presentations, panel discussions and interactive breakout sessions, participants will explore how identity, emotion, trauma, memory and human behaviour shape experiences of violence and possibilities for peace.
The programme will also consider how these insights can inform responses to contemporary conflicts and strengthen approaches to mediation, peacebuilding and post-conflict recovery. Breakout discussions will examine issues including violence in South Sudan, the Axis of Resistance, transitional justice in Syria and Lebanon, ethical challenges in conflict research, the role of the arts, and the contribution of behavioural science to peacebuilding.
Click here to view the full programme and registration information