Breaking Cycles of Conflict

We are delighted to announce that we will be holding an international conference to mark the end of the Cross-Border Conflict Evidence, Policy and Trends (XCEPT) research programme. ‘Breaking Cycles of Conflict’ will take place at King’s College London on Monday, 16 – Tuesday, 17 November 2026.

Our conference will bring together leading academics, policymakers, practitioners, and activists to discuss the future of international peace and conflict by drawing on evidence across three key themes:

Memory and narratives
Mental health and trauma
Moral psychology

This event is likely to be oversubscribed, so we strongly encourage early registration. For planning purposes, we ask you to indicate your preferred breakout sessions for the second day; these will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note that registration does not automatically confirm attendance, and registrants will receive an email with further details once their place is confirmed.

Please read on for the provisional conference programme.

Day 1: Monday, 16 November

09:00-09:30 | Arrival and Registration

09:30-09:45 | Welcome and Opening Remarks – Dr Fiona McEwen and Dr Nafees Hamid

09:45-10:15 | Memory and Narratives – XCEPT Findings from Dr Craig Larkin

10:15-11:30 | Panel 1: Memory, War and Peace

Chair: Dr Craig Larkin, King’s College London
Dr Ammar Azzouz, University of Oxford
Prof Brandon Hamber, Ulster University
Dr Inna Rudolf, King’s College London

11:30-11:45 | Break

11:45-12:15 | The Impact of Trauma on Violence and Peace – XCEPT Findings from Dr Fiona McEwen

12:15-13:30 | Panel 2: Trauma and Cycles of Violence in Conflict-Affected Communities

Chair: Dr Fiona McEwen, King’s College London
Dr Rajan Basra, King’s College London
Stéfanie Fréel, Amsterdam University Medical Center

13:30-14:30 | Lunch

14:30-15:00 | Moral Psychology: What Drives People to Violent and Peaceful Behaviours – XCEPT Findings from Dr Nafees Hamid

15:00-16:15 | Panel 3: Identities, Relationships, and Emotions in Conflict

Chair: Dr Nafees Hamid, King’s College London
Dr Rahaf Aldoughli, Lancaster University
Dr Andrés Casas, Neuropaz
Dr Nils Mallock, King’s College London

16:15-16:30 | Break

16:30-17:30 | TO BE CONFIRMED

17:30-19:00 | Drinks Reception

Day 2: Tuesday, 17 November

09:00-09:30 | Arrival and Refreshments

09:30-09:45 | Welcome by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

09:45-11:00 | Beyond Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Chair: Dr Fiona McEwen, King’s College London
Dr Rezhna Mohammed, Bielefeld University
Michael Niconchuk, Searching for Safe
Dr Victoria Williamson, University of Bath

11:00-11:15 | Break

11:15-12:30 | Morning Breakout Sessions

Recalibration of the Axis of Resistance
Drivers of Violence in South Sudan
Psychology in Mediation and Negotiation

12:30-13:30 | Lunch

13:30-14:45 | TO BE CONFIRMED

14:45-15:00 | Break

15:00-16:15 | Afternoon Breakout Sessions

Ethical Challenges in Doing Research in Fragile and Conflicted-Affected Settings
Transitional Justice in Post-Conflict Settings: Syria, Lebanon and Beyond
The Role of the Arts in Understanding and Challenging the Way We Think About Conflict
What Can Behavioural Science (Psychology) Actually Offer Peacebuilding?

16:15-16:30 | Break

16:30-17:30 | Closing Panel: Where Do We Go Now?