Institute for Social Research API | Research Themes

Local Patterns of Election-Related Violence and Peace

This project is a partnership between the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA) and University of Michigan, with support from the University of Witwatersrand (Wits) to leverage election observer missions and local election results to inform the challenges of building sustainable peace in Africa. It collates results from roughly 300 polling stations in… Continue reading Local Patterns of Election-Related Violence and Peace

xSub: Cross-National Data of Sub-National Violence

xSub is a repository of micro-level, subnational event data on armed conflict and contention around the world. Our goal is to preserve and consolidate multiple open-source data collections in one comprehensive electronic archive, creating a “database of databases” for purposes of research, education, policy-making and evaluation. The archive currently includes data on armed conflict and contention… Continue reading xSub: Cross-National Data of Sub-National Violence

RAPID: Quasi-Experiment on the Effect of Disaster-induced Displacement

This project examines the political consequences of Hurricane Harvey by studying post-Harvey migration patterns as an event with serious political and economic consequences. This framework examines variations in the decision of displaced individuals to move to different areas and how this affects their associated experience. Researchers also examine how people’s political attitudes change in response… Continue reading RAPID: Quasi-Experiment on the Effect of Disaster-induced Displacement

Election Forensics

Election forensics are statistical methods used to determine whether the results of an election accurately reflect citizens’ voting behavior. These methods rely on the analysis of officially reported election results, and are often conducted at the level of polling stations, precincts or ballot boxes and voting machines. Compared to observational methods, election forensics analyses tend… Continue reading Election Forensics

The Consequences of Contention

This project seeks to understand how diverse forms of political conflict and violence (e.g. genocide, civil war [insurgency/counter-insurgency], human rights violations, protest, protest policing, terrorism, counter-terrorism, revolution, counter-revolution) influence various key political and economic outcomes, such as the type of political system, mass participation, economic development and foreign direct investment. In previous research, our understanding… Continue reading The Consequences of Contention

Conflict & Peace, Research & Development

This is a scholarly community focused on political conflict and peace through the use of rigorous, evidence-based research as well as community-building related efforts around relevant themes. The Conflict & Peace, Research & Development (C&P, R&D or CPRD) group comprises individuals and activities broadly concerned with political conflict (e.g., genocide, civil war, human rights violation,… Continue reading Conflict & Peace, Research & Development

Arab Barometer

The Arab Barometer was established in 2005 by the Institute for Social Research of the University of Michigan in close collaboration with institutions and scholars in the Arab world. The project is a multi-country survey project that provides data for theory-driven scholarly inquiry and for dissemination and outreach activities that are useful for political development.… Continue reading Arab Barometer

Immunosenescence, socioeconomic disadvantage and dementia in the US aging population

abstract illustration of a woman head

While risk factors for cognitive decline and Alzheimer ’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) have been widely studied, there is still much unknown about the biological pathways that lead to ADRD. This project seeks to improve our understanding of the pathophysiology of cognitive decline and ADRD by examining the role of peripheral immunosenescence in these… Continue reading Immunosenescence, socioeconomic disadvantage and dementia in the US aging population