36th Annual Meeting of the German Peace Psychology Association (Forum Friedenspsychologie e.V.)

Peace psychology has traditionally been concerned with understanding how peaceful societies can emerge and perhaps even thrive despite the persistence of violent conflict. In the past years, however, war has returned to the center of global attention. Anti-democratic backlash, global displacement and forced migration, as well as the accelerating ecological crisis challenge long-held assumptions about peaceful coexistence. These developments serve as reminders that peace cannot be taken for granted or understood merely as the absence of violence. Rather, peace is a dynamic and ongoing process of preventing violence, fostering justice, strengthening democratic societies, and creating and maintaining conditions under which individuals and communities can flourish. Rather than asking how peace follows war, the conference asks how pathways to peace can be identified, sustained, and expanded within a world in which war and violence remain enduring realities.

 

Against this backdrop, the Annual Conference of the Forum Friedenspsychologie invites scholars from psychology and neighboring disciplines to explore pathways to peace in a reality of war. We seek to bring together researchers and practitioners concerned with the psychological processes underlying violent conflict, resilience, reconciliation, social transformation, and sustainable peace. The conference provides a forum for critical reflection, inter- and transdisciplinary exchange, and international collaboration on the challenges of understanding and promoting peace in an increasingly complex world.

 

We welcome empirical, theoretical, methodological, and practical contributions from all relevant areas, including social and political psychology, clinical psychology, sociology, political science, education, history, anthropology, public health, communication studies, peace and conflict studies, and related disciplines.

 

Possible topics include, but are not limited to:

 

• Psychological consequences of war, armed conflict, and political violence
• Trauma, resilience, healing, and post-conflict recovery
• Reconciliation, forgiveness, collective memory, and transitional justice
• Intergroup relations, prejudice, discrimination, polarization, and radicalization
• Peacebuilding, conflict transformation, and nonviolent resistance
• Structural violence, social (in)justice, and peace
• Democracy, human rights, and civic participation
• Migration, displacement, and refugee experiences
• Climate change, environmental conflicts, and peace
• Media, digital communication, misinformation, and conflict
• Peace education, dialogue, and interventions to promote peaceful societies
• Methodological and theoretical perspectives and developments in peace psychology

 

The conference welcomes contributions from researchers and practitioners at all career stages and aims to foster dialogue across disciplines, methodological traditions, and national contexts. We particularly encourage submissions that bridge disciplinary perspectives or connect science with policy and practice.

Abstract Submission

Please submit your contributions for single-papers (max. 300 words) or symposia (3-4 thematically related presentations) by August 10th using this link.

 

https://www.soscisurvey.de/ffp_bielefeld/

 

Feel free to contact the organizing team if you have any questions regarding the conference:

 

friedenspsychologie@uni-bielefeld.de 

Sabina Cehajic-Clancy is a Full Professor of Social Psychology at Stockholm University, where she leads the research group on Intergroup Relations and Social Change. Her research focuses on improving intergroup relations in contexts of conflict. It is supported by various governmental research councils and agencies, including the European Research Council, the Swedish Research Council, Riksbankens Jubileumsfond, ESRC, and the British Academy. In addition to her research, she serves as an Associate Editor for Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology and as a Consulting Editor for the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, European Journal of Social Psychology, and Political Psychology. She also teaches courses in social and political psychology, with a particular focus on group processes and intergroup relations.

https://www.su.se/english/profiles/s/sace4538

Registration opens on August 20th 2026.

Conference Program

The program will be published here after abstract submission and acceptance have been finalised.

Presentation instructions

• Talks on individual papers will be scheduled for 15 minutes + up to 5 minutes for questions and discussion.
• Individual papers will be collected into thematic sessions.
• Symposia will be scheduled for 90 minutes and include 3-4 thematically related presentations.
• Presentation slides have to be prepared for the day of presentation.

Bielefeld offers a variety of accommodation options, which can be booked through the usual portals.

The following hotels are recommended due to their location and connection to public transport:

• Smartments Bielefeld

Bahnhofstraße 55, 33602 Bielefeld, Tel.: +49 (0) 521 / 94593100
E-Mail: info@smartments.com
Internet: https://smartments.com/de/serviced-apartments-bielefeld/hauptbahnhof/

• B&B Bielefeld City

Europa Platz 2, 33613 Bielefeld, Tel.: +49 (0) 521 / 304 33-0
E-Mail: bielefeld@hotelbb.com
Internet: http://www.hotelbb.de

• IBIS Styles BIELEFELD

Niederwall 31 - 35, 33602 Bielefeld, Tel.: +49 (0) 521 / 525300
E-Mail: HB8G6@accor.com
Internet: http://www.ibis.com

• LOCALS STADTHOTEL

Bahnhofstraße 32, 33602 Bielefeld, Tel.: +49 (0) 521 / 52 19 80
E-Mail: stay@localshotel.de
Internet: https://www.localshotel.de/

• LÉGÈRE HOTEL EXPRESS Bielefeld

Kavalleriestr. 9, 33602 Bielefeld, Tel: +49 (0) 521 / 923844-0
E-Mail: lx.bielefeld@legere-hotelgroup.com
Internet: https://onepagebooking.com/legereexpressbielefeld3/3

• LÉGÈRE HOTEL Bielefeld

Neumarkt 2, 33602 Bielefeld, +49 (0) 521 / 4 89 58 -0
E-Mail: bielefeld@legere-hotelgroup.com

• ALTSTADT HOTEL BIELEFELD

Ritterstraße 15, 33602 Bielefeld, Tel.: +49 (0) 521 / 9 67 25-0
E-Mail: info@altstadt-hotel-bielefeld.de
Internet: http://www.altstadt-hotel-bielefeld.de

• HOTEL STEIGENBERGER

Am Bahnhof 3, 33602 Bielefeld, Tel.: +49 (0) 521 / 5 28 20
E-Mail: info@bielefelder-hof.de
Internet: http://www.bielefelder-hof.de

You can find a first impression of the many cultural and leisure activities on the city of Bielefeld’s website at www.bielefeld.de

The IKG Conference will take place in Building X at Bielefeld University.

Bielefeld University
Building X
Universitätsstr. 24
33615 Bielefeld

Upon entering Building X, follow the signs marked "IKG Conference" to the conference room X-E0-001 on the ground floor.

Uni Maps

App designed to enable accessibility-friendly navigation on the campus of Bielefeld University

Android
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Mensa (Canteen) (University X Building, ground floor)

Mensa X website with menu
 

Cafeteria sowls (University main building, ground floor)

Sowls website with menu

The IKG Conference venue enables barrier-free participation.

Directions Graphic

 

By Public Transport

From the Stadtbahn stop at Bielefeld Main Station, take Stadtbahn Line 4 towards Lohmannshof to the Universität stop (7-minute ride; departs every 10 minutes). From there, it’s just a short walk to the main entrance of Building X.

By Car

Address for navigation systems (SatNav):

Bielefeld University

Universitätsstr. 24

33615 Bielefeld

Parking

Parking in Bielefeld University’s parking garages is free, and ample spaces are available, including an underground garage in Event Building X. Due to construction work, not all parking garages are currently usable. Please follow the current signage.

The underground garage of Building X offers 8 accessible parking spaces. The event room can be reached via elevator.

For more information on (accessible) travel, visit:

https://www.uni-bielefeld.de/uni/anreise-kontakt/anreise/
https://www.uni-bielefeld.de/einrichtungen/zab/campus-leben/parkplaetze/