Institut für ­interdisziplinäre Konflikt- und ­Gewaltforschung

The Institute for Interdisciplinary Research on Conflict and Violence (IKG) hosts the International Conference on Conflict and Violence Research 2025 at Bielefeld University from September 17th to September 19th 2025 to shed light on conflict and violence research from an interdisciplinary and global perspective, especially against the background of climate change, and invites scholars from all relevant fields to present, discuss, and exchange ideas.

Climate change not only leads to ecological changes but also contributes to social conflicts. These can be expressed in political polarization and normative or non-normative activism, the spread of fake news, conspiracy myths, hate speech, and the rise of right-wing populists and extremists denying climate change. At the same time, climate change is directly or indirectly linked to wars and violence around the world, thus affects global health and well-being, and triggers migration movements which are, in turn, connected with phenomena of conflict and violence.

Participation and presentation at the conference are open to researchers from any disciplinary background relevant to conflict and violence research (e.g., psychology, sociology, political sciences, public health and health sciences, education sciences, history, anthropology, economics, environmental sciences, & legal studies). Scholars at all career stages, from early-career researchers to established academics, are encouraged to contribute. The conference seeks to create a multidisciplinary platform for sharing innovative research, theoretical advancements, and practical solutions on a wide range of topics, including but not limited to:

• Societal and intergroup conflict surrounding climate change, including resource disputes, policy tensions, and environmental justice movements.
• Political ideology, activism, and violence related to climate change, focusing on radicalization, polarization, and protest dynamics.
• Global health and well-being as a consequence of climate change, addressing physical and mental health impacts, health system challenges, and cross-border health initiatives.
• Climate change-induced migration and related phenomena, such as forced displacement, integration challenges, and the social, political, and economic impacts on both migrants and host communities.
• The role of media and communication in shaping public perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors toward climate change and its associated conflicts.
• Interventions, policies, and strategies to mitigate conflict and violence in the context of climate change adaptation and resilience-building efforts.
• Historical perspectives on environmental crises and their influence on conflict and societal change, drawing lessons from the past for the challenges of the present and future.

The conference aims to foster a collaborative environment where researchers can exchange ideas, develop interdisciplinary collaborations, and contribute to a deeper understanding of the complex interconnections between climate change, conflict, and violence.

 

 

Please submit your unstructured abstracts for individual oral or poster presentations (max. 1250 characters, approx. 200 words) by February 28th using this link.

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

conferenceIKG25@uni-bielefeld.de

Susan Elliott is a geographer and University Research Chair in Health Geography at the University of Waterloo in Canada. She has an active research career, with 250+ publications related to global environment and (public) health with an emphasis on WASH, gender, aging, violence and vulnerable populations.  She is the past Director of the Institute of Environment and Health (McMaster University), Senior Research Fellow in the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health, Dean of Social Sciences (McMaster University) and Dean of Health Sciences (University of Waterloo).  She is the founder and Co-Editor in Chief of the journal Wellbeing, Space & Society, as well as the Editor in Chief of Social Science and Medicine.  She was recently inducted as a Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences. She has a commitment to impactful research in the area of global environment and public health, and her research is characterized by strong science-policy bridging. See her lab website for more information.

Kari Marie Norgaard is a Professor of Sociology and Environmental Studies at the University of Oregon. Over the past ten years she has published and taught in the areas of environmental sociology, gender and environment, race and environment, climate change, sociology of culture, social movements and sociology of emotions. She currently has two active areas of research, namely work on the social organization of denial (especially regarding climate change), and environmental justice research with the Karuk Tribe on the Klamath River. Both of these areas of scholarship have been nationally recognized through the award of research grants, speaking invitations, and coverage of research by high profile media outlets including the Washington Post, National Geographic, British Broadcasting System, and National Public Radio. Norgaard is the recipient of the Pacific Sociological Association’s Distinguished Practice Award for 2005, the Sociology of Emotions Recent Contribution Award, American Sociological Association 2019 and the Fred Buttel Distinguished Contribution Award, Environmental Sociology Section of American Sociological Association 2019. See her website at the University of Oregon for more information.

 

For more information about Prof. Norgaard’s groundbreaking research, visit her websites:

• https://cas.uoregon.edu/directory/global/all/norgaard
• https://pages.uoregon.edu/norgaard/

Registration to the IKG conference 2025.

The detailed program of the IKG conference 2025 will be published soon.

For presenters: Instruction on the presentation details will be published soon.

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:

• B&B Bielefeld City
  Europa Platz 2, 33613 Bielefeld
  Tel.: +49 (0) 521 / 304 33-0
  E-Mail: bielefeld@hotelbb.com
  Website.

 

• IBIS Styles BIELEFELD
  Niederwall 31 - 35, 33602 Bielefeld
  Tel.: +49 (0) 521 / 525300
  E-Mail: HB8G6@accor.com
  Website.

 

• JBB JUGENDGÄSTEHAUS UND BILDUNGSZENTRUM BIELEFELD
  Herrmann-Kleinewächter-Straße 1, 33602 Bielefeld
  Tel.: +49 (0) 521 / 5 22 05-0
  E-Mail: jgh-bielefeld@djh-wl.de
  Website.

 

• COMFORT GARNI HOTEL
  Bahnhofstraße 32, 33602 Bielefeld
  Tel.: +49 (0) 521 / 52 19 80
  E-Mail: hotel@comfort-garni.de
  Website.

 

• LÉGÈRE HOTEL EXPRESS Bielefeld
  Kavalleriestr. 9, 33602 Bielefeld
  Tel: +49 (0) 521 / 923844-0
  E-Mail: lx.bielefeld@legere-hotelgroup.com
  Website.

 

• LÉGÈRE HOTEL Bielefeld
  Neumarkt 2, 33602 Bielefeld
  Tel: +49 (0) 521 / 4 89 58 -0
  Email: 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
  Website.

 

• HOTEL STEIGENBERGER
  Am Bahnhof 3, 33602 Bielefeld
  Tel.: +49 (0) 521 / 5 28 20
  E-Mail: info@bielefelder-hof.de
  Website.

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

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.

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

Navigation address: 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/