About Us

The Empirical Studies of Conflict Project (ESOC) identifies, compiles, and analyzes micro-level conflict data and information on insurgency, civil war, and other sources of politically motivated violence worldwide. ESOC empowers the nation’s best minds with the quality of data and information needed to address some of the most enduring and pressing challenges to international security. Ultimately, ESOC is committed to providing war fighters and policy makers with greater expert analyses and recommendations for responding to security threats.

  • ESOC Working Paper: Image of Mining Locations in Africa and Start Years

    ESOC Working Paper: Concession Stands: How Foreign Investment Incites Protest in Africa Read more

  • Map of local government proliferation across Indonesia

    ESOC Working Paper: Local Government Proliferation, Diversity, and Conflict Read more

  • Export Crops and Civil Conflict: image of banana production areas

    ESOC Working Paper: Export Crops and Civil Conflict Read more

  • ESOC Working Paper: Controlling Civilians? photo

    ESOC Working Paper: Does Counterinsurgent Success Match Social Support? Evidence from a Survey Experiment in Colombia Read more

  • ESOC Working Paper: Reading Between the Lines-word cloud

    ESOC Working Paper: Reading Between the Lines Read more

  • Map for Employment and Support for Wartime Violence

    ESOC Working Paper: Employment and Support for Wartime Violence Read more

  • Afghanistan Read more

  • Iraq Read more

  • Pakistan Read more

  • Philippines Read more

Research Highlights

Afghanistan Stabilization Program: A Summary of Research and Key Outcome Trends

To provide evidence about which programs best foster stability in fragile and conflict-affected areas we systematically review the relationship between stabilization programming and a broad range of outcomes in Afghanistan.

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The Wrong Way to Stop Terrorism: What the Data Show About Attacks and Immigration

On January 27, true to his campaign promise to suspend Muslim immigration, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order restricting all immigration from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen, and indefinitely barring Syrian refugees from entering the United States.

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Working Papers

Concession Stands: How Foreign Investment Incites Protest in Africa

Why do foreign investments that can improve economic welfare also induce protest? Using a newly compiled dataset on commercial mining, commodity prices, and protest in Africa, I first establish that foreign investment projects increase the probability of protest.

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