What this life looks like
You make sense of violence and instability so that others can respond more effectively. Conflict Analysts investigate the causes, dynamics, and consequences of violent conflict — producing analysis that guides the decisions of governments, international organisations, NGOs, and investors operating in fragile and conflict-affected environments. The quality of conflict analysis directly determines the quality of the interventions designed to address or prevent violence.
What she actually does
You research the political, economic, social, and historical drivers of conflict in specific countries or regions, map conflict actors and their interests, monitor conflict dynamics and indicators of escalation or de-escalation, produce conflict analysis reports and scenario planning documents, advise organisations on conflict sensitivity in their programming, develop risk assessments for humanitarian operations, and communicate complex political dynamics to non-specialist audiences.
Where you can work
| Sector | Places in Africa |
|---|---|
| Research Organisations | Institute for Security Studies (ISS Africa), Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), SIPRI Africa |
| International Orgs | UN DPPA, ICG (International Crisis Group), USIP Africa, Conciliation Resources — conflict advisory roles |
| Government & Diplomacy | Foreign ministries' policy planning units, intelligence agencies, conflict advisor to embassies |
| Development Sector | World Bank Fragility, Conflict & Violence Group, DFID/FCDO Stabilisation Unit, USAID conflict advisors |
Why it matters in Africa
Africa has 17 of the world's 32 ongoing armed conflicts. Understanding why Sudanese communities take up arms against the state, why intercommunal violence flares in the Sahel, what is really driving instability in eastern DRC, or how to interpret Mozambique's insurgency requires deep, contextually grounded analysis. Conflict analysts who combine rigorous methodology with genuine understanding of African political economies are in high demand across the development, diplomatic, and security sectors.
Your pathway in
- Study Political Science, International Relations, History, Economics, or Area Studies at university
- Pursue postgraduate specialisation in Conflict, Security, and Development, or African Studies
- Develop qualitative research skills: fieldwork, elite interviewing, and political economy analysis are the core tools of conflict analysis
- Build regional expertise — the best conflict analysts know specific countries and regions deeply, including their languages, histories, and power structures
- Connect with the Institute for Security Studies (ISS Africa), ACLED, and the Conflict Research Programme (CRP)
Skills you will need
- Political economy analysis
- Conflict mapping and actor analysis
- Qualitative field research
- Scenario planning
- Report writing for policy audiences
- Regional area expertise
A woman in this field
Comfort Ero
Nigeria
Comfort is the President and CEO of the International Crisis Group — the world's most respected independent conflict analysis and prevention organisation — and one of Africa's most accomplished analysts of peace and security. A Nigerian expert on African conflicts, she has spent three decades producing the analysis that shapes how international actors respond to crises in Sudan, Somalia, Nigeria, DRC, and across the continent. Her appointment as Crisis Group's leader represents both a personal achievement and an important recognition that African analysts should lead the global institutions that analyse African conflicts.
Take your first step
- Subscribe to the International Crisis Group's Africa reports at crisisgroup.org — their briefings on African conflicts are the gold standard of conflict analysis and reading them regularly builds your analytical framework
- Research ACLED (Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project) at acleddata.com — they map every political violence event in Africa in real-time and their data visualisations are an extraordinary introduction to conflict analysis
- Study the 'Do No Harm' framework developed by Mary Anderson — it is the foundational conflict sensitivity framework used by development organisations operating in conflict-affected settings
- Find a specific African conflict that interests you and read everything you can about it from multiple sources: government statements, opposition claims, independent analysis, and journalistic accounts. Holding multiple perspectives simultaneously is the core skill of conflict analysis