About us

The Richardson Institute is the oldest peace and conflict research centre in the UK, based in the Department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion at Lancaster University.

The Richardson Institute is the oldest peace and conflict research centre in the UK, based in the Department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion at Lancaster University. Lancaster has a strong tradition of exploring issues in Peace and conflict studies and the Lancaster Peace Research Centre was formed in 1959, at the same time as the Norwegian Peace Research Institute Oslo. The Richardson Institute was formed in 1969, named after the Quaker Scientist Lewis Fry Richardson, although it emerged out of a number of embryonic initiatives in both Lancaster and London. After a period of time in the capital, the institute moved to Lancaster in 1978 where it has since been directed by Michael Nicholson, Paul Smoker, Morris Bradley, Hugh Miall, Feargel Cochrane and Simon Mabon, who was appointed Director of the institute in 2012. Lucia Ardovini has been appointed Director in 2023.

The Institute engages in a series of activities, ranging from conducting and supporting academic research, hosting externally funded projects, and engaging with policy actors and stakeholders. In 1998 a MA in Conflict Resolution was established at Lancaster University under the Institute’s lead, and the following year a combined major in Peace Studies and International Relations was approved. Since 2012 the Institute has been running an Internship Programme for students that runs across the academic year. The Richardson Institute Internship Programme (RIIP) is open to Part II Undergraduates and Master's students in the Department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion. The RIIP is run in coordination with a wide range of external partners, and gives our students the opportunity to work alongside leading policy and research organizations, developing analytical and research skills and putting into practice what they learn during their degree. The Institute is currently undertaking the Sectarianism, Proxies and De-Sectarianisation project, funded by Carnegie Corporation.

Richardson Institute Blogs

Does the Online Safety Act violate privacy too harshly over security concerns?

The Online Safety Act became law in Britain in 2023 and has seen security concerns minimized in favour of prioritizing child safety online. This decision has seen criticism from tech companies who have strongly argued in favour of privacy concerns around the future of end-to-end encryption.

Someone holding a sign saying 'fight misogyny'

Engaging with the other side: What are we meant to do about the violence attached to online hate groups?

Most would have heard of the phrase “bite your tongue”, if not, the phrase simply means to stop yourself from saying what’s on your mind specifically in a disagreement. There is this idea still instilled in a lot of us to ignore what we disagree with to maintain peace.

Why we need to regulate Online Platforms and what states are missing

Digital Regulation has become both increasingly talked about and implemented across the globe. In 2022, the European Union passed the Digital Services Act, while in 2023 Britain passed the Online Safety Act which sought to shift existing liability and placed expectations on platforms to moderate content.

A diagram of incel/red pill/blue pill overlaps.

Entering the mainstream: How extreme groups are making their way into mainstream media and ultimately gaining real life political power

Recently, my housemates and I gathered around the TV and – as the PPR students we are -we ended up watching Louis Theroux’s 2022 docuseries 'Forbidden America' available on BBC iplayer. We watched the first episode titled ‘Extreme and Online’ in which Theroux explores the American alt-right presence on the internet.

A placard that says: some of my colleagues use food banks

The UK in 2023: Food banks and homelessness

Ask yourself, how many bad days are you away from not being able to afford your next meal? The answer is significantly lower than you think.

Gaza After October 7th: Setting The Context – Perspectives From Geopolitics and International Law

On Wednesday 6th December, 2024, the Richardson Institute hosted a public lecture to examine and contextualise the events taking place in the Gaza strip.