The aim of the Standing Group on Political Violence is to create new contacts and strengthen existing contacts between researchers studying political violence across disciplines and geographical regions as well as to further develop scientific research on the subject in Europe and globally. Within this network, an ongoing exchange of ideas, research and discussion of current issues in the discipline is expected to take place

Key areas of interest to the group include:

• Mobilisation into Political Violence – What are the processes by which violent conflict begins and escalates? How and why do organisations and individuals initially become engaged in the use of violence for political ends?
• The Politics of Violence – What difference does violence make to politics? How does it affect the nature of party competition and the character of political parties? How does it impact on state apparatuses and security forces? Decision-making on the kinds of violence to employ during a conflict; the path-dependent character of political violence. Intra-party disputes on the use of violence. Territory and violence.
• Exits from Political Violence – Demobilisation, both individual and collective; negotiated settlement of violent conflicts.
• Consequences of Political Violence – The political, social, economic and biographical impacts of political violence, both intended and unintended.