State Department

Satellite imagery could aid in seeking justice for human rights violations in Sudan

Sarah Holland — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 13:26:43 +0000

Satellite imagery could aid in seeking justice for human rights violations in Sudan Sarah Holland Wed, 08/21/2024 - 09:26

On April 15, 2023, intense violence erupted in Sudan’s capital city of Khartoum between the state-run military and a non-state militia group. Over the past 16 months, the conflict has continued to expand in scale. Peace negotiations have collapsed. Civilians have experienced catastrophic humanitarian conditions.

��AV’s Daniel Rothbart has for many years investigated the plight of civilians in war globally. He believes that out of the 59 protracted violent conflicts around the world, the civil war in Sudan is among the most horrific.

“This conflict has had catastrophic humanitarian implications,” explained Rothbart, the Druscilla French Chair in Conflict Analysis and Resolution in the Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter School of Conflict Analysis and Resolution. “There have been an estimated 16,000 fatalities and numerous cities destroyed. Right now, Sudan has the largest number of internally displaced persons in the world at 10.7 million people.”

As peace talks failed and conflict escalated, the Conflict Observatory, managed by the MITRE Corp and funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization operations, approached Rothbart and the Carter School to support an investigation into the human rights violations associated with the civil war.

In areas of violent conflict, scholars like Rothbart must find remote methods of data collection. One such method is through Open Source Investigations (OSINT), where publicly and commercially available information, such as satellite imagery, social media posts, and news reports, are collected and analyzed.

Because the Conflict Observatory specifically requested satellite imagery evidence, Rothbart enlisted a team of researchers from the College of Science’s Department of Geography and Geoinformation Science, including department chair Dieter Pfoser, to gather and analyze the images. Through this method, they can show side-by-side images of the large-scale destruction of civilian areas over the course of the conflict, such as markets, neighborhoods, and health care facilities.

Comparison photos of an area of El Fasher, North Darfur, Sudan showcasing the destruction of civilian property as a result of the ongoing civil war, as featured in the Sudan Conflict Observatory Situation Report "Impact on Civilians from Fighting in El Fasher, North Darfur, May 9-27, 2024"

This is a valuable kind of data for understanding the impact and trend of protracted violence, Rothbart said. “It captures the evolution of events over time in a particular region, and the amount of detail these experts are able to gleam from these images has been used to great effect.” As detailed in the report, the experts can distinguish between a building burned and a building bombed: important evidence for building a future case in prosecuting human rights violations.

But satellite imaging only tells part of the story of the destruction and devastation. Other information comes from witness testimonies, which Rothbart and his team gather with the help of the Sudan Human Rights Hub. By combining these two methods of data collection, they can paint a more robust picture of the breadth and depth of violence.

“For example, with both testimonies and open-source intelligence, we have documented that some militant forces have systematically killed civilians, bombed hospitals, and engaged in large-scale gender-based violence, ” Rothbart said.

Through these reports, Rothbart and his team are the primary source of evidence of civilian devastation in the war in Sudan. And while the evidence submitted by the team is under the discretion of the State Department, it could be used to prosecute the perpetrators of the described human rights violations.

The project is also an opportunity for students to gain valuable experience. Current conflict analysis and resolution PhD student Beltina Gjeloshi, and alumnus Mathieu Bere, PhD Conflict Analysis and Resolution ‘22, are both supporting members of Rothbart’s team.

“I’ve learned best practices in open-source investigations, a myriad of new digital tools, and how to capture evidence via different channels, such as satellite images and social media,” said Gjeloshi. “Coupling the training with my human rights and conflict resolution background has allowed me to formulate unique insights and use tools transdisciplinarily.”

“This deliberate violence against civilians requires that the international community takes measures to enforce international humanitarian law, protect civilians, and hold perpetrators accountable. The work that we have been doing in this project contributes to the fulfillment of that moral and legal requirement,” said Bere.

Daniel Rothbart. Photo by Creative Services/Office of University Branding

"On a purely academic and scientific side, we have been using, and hope to contribute to improve, some innovative technological tools, especially OSINT and GIS tools, for remotely monitoring and documenting what is happening in conflict zones, and for conducting real-time conflict research,” said Bere. “For example, we are exploring the possibility of developing an AI model that will facilitate some of the steps of the data-gathering process that may be automated. The project is an interdisciplinary work, which requires collaboration between experts from various disciplines."

Every conflict is unique, but there are repeated patterns in motivations, actions, and strategies. Rothbart hopes that the global peace community can learn from why and how peace talks have been unsuccessful in Sudan to improve their approaches to other protracted conflicts.

“We must be prepared to recognize that under certain conditions human beings can commit horrific acts,” Rothbart explained. “But in every case of protracted violent conflict, we find human beings who show an enormous degree of courageous compassion in the face of horrific violence. And that’s important to keep in mind.”

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Daniel Rothbart

Dieter Pfoser

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State Department initiative brings Carter School students to the forefront of peacebuilding

Sarah Holland — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 20:13:07 +0000

State Department initiative brings Carter School students to the forefront of peacebuilding Sarah Holland Thu, 06/06/2024 - 16:13

Presentations aren't an uncommon final exam component. But few are as high stakes as presenting research to the U.S. Department of State in the hopes of paving the pathway to peace in fragile countries.

Photo provided

As part of the new Academic Centers of Conflict Anticipation and Prevention (ACCAP) initiative, ��AV students in the new Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution course Fragile States Policy had the opportunity to work with the U.S. Department of State on priority research.

ACCAP is a national academic partnership between American higher education institutions and the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations (CSO) to anticipate, respond to, and prevent conflict in the global system that impacts U.S. national security interests.

“No matter how great the expertise of our staff or contractors, there’s only so much capacity we have to address some very critical topics,” explained Keith E. Noble, CSO’s Chief Data Officer and Advanced Analytics Office Director, who served as the instructor for the course in Carter School. “The idea for ACCAP is that we can reach out to our university partners to get supplemental analysis, research, and data that can help us expand our priorities.”

The U.S. Department of State initiated a search for the inaugural cohort of institutions conducting research in the conflict and stabilization space. The Carter School was, according to Noble, one of their first picks.

“The Carter School, which is the largest school in the country focused on conflict and stabilization-related issues, is right in our backyard,” he said. “And there was unique alignment in CSO’s core mission and the Carter School’s expertise, values, and willingness to engage the department to help us make better data-driven decisions in this space.”

This first cohort includes eight institutions, with hopes for expansion.

Based on conversations with its office directors and other agencies, CSO compiled a list of research opportunities pertaining to countries represented in the Global Fragility Act (GFA). Each institution can then claim the opportunities through a database, based on whether they have faculty with expertise, or interest in teaching a course or capstone around a relevant topic. The Carter School took it one step further: what if Noble himself taught a course based on this consortium, and selected the topics for Carter School students to research?

Noble, who saw this as an opportunity to demonstrate how CSO wanted each institution to approach their selected research, agreed.

For the course, Noble selected topics that he thought would be achievable within the semester time frame as well as appropriately challenging for the students—Coastal West Africa: Social Network Analysis (Ghana and Togo); Women, Peace, and Security (Haiti); Women in Politics (Haiti); and Communal Impact Mining (Papua New Guinea).

Chad Cline, MS in Conflict Analysis and Resolution ‘24, was on the Women, Peace, and Security team. “I learned so much about each country in the GFA,” he said of his classroom experience. “It gave me a different perspective.”

With ACCAP’s goal being delivering valuable research to CSO, Noble wanted stakeholders involved in his students’ research from the start. “We wanted this to be an iterative process where department staff spent time investing in the students, providing mentorship and building relationships so the department could, first, get a better final product, and second, show these students that CSO could be a destination after they graduate,” Noble said. “It was mutually reinforcing incentives.”

At the end of the course, Carter School students presented their work at the U.S. Department of State; George Mason was the first institution to submit completed projects.

Chief Data Officer and Advanced Analytics Office Director Keith Noble. Photo provided.

“It was a mix of anticipation, preparation, and planning, as well as a deep sense of responsibility,” recalled Hamad Aldhlea, a PhD student in conflict analysis and resolution. His team worked on Coastal West Africa: Social Network Analysis. “I received invaluable feedback, and it was an excellent opportunity to build a network with State Department officials.”

The course is planned to run again in the fall.

“There are any number of internships and opportunities for students within this department and other USG agencies that offer great experience, but rarely reach the critical point where the work the students are doing is impacting policy,” Noble said. “This work, however, is filling critical gaps and will have real and practical impacts on our offices and the work we do. We’re looking to the Carter School to make substantive contributions to our global mission.”

Karina Valenzuela, a PhD student in conflict analysis and resolution, also worked on Women, Peace, and Security. “It’s one thing to write a paper for a grade and quite another to present research to a group of professionals working in these complex situations who tell you the work you’ve done is valuable,” she said.

Noble believes that the Carter School’s proximity to Washington, D.C. and the expertise and quality of its faculty and students will allow it to play a leading role in the developing ACCAP community.

“I think this will not only enhance the prestige of the university, but will help deliver real-time, value-added analyses that will help this government make better data-informed decisions,” Noble said, “and that’s something the Carter School should be very proud of.”

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Carter School partners with U.S. State Department for conflict prevention program

Colleen Rich — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 20:39:40 +0000

Carter School partners with U.S. State Department for conflict prevention program Colleen Rich Wed, 11/29/2023 - 15:39

��AV, led by the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, is one of seven universities partnering with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations (CSO) as an Academic Center of Conflict Anticipation and Prevention.

Mason Square. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Developed under the supervision of Dean Alpaslan Özerdem and faculty members Susan Allen and Karina Korostelina, this partnership will allow Carter School students to contribute to international peacebuilding efforts with actionable research, and provide valuable insight as to how the State Department considers approaches to conflict prevention or mitigation in regions around the world.

“This is an excellent partnership for building bridges between policymaking and academia on myriad topics in conflict prevention,” said Özerdem.

Undergraduate and graduate students in the Carter School will conduct research, under faculty oversight, on “current, real-world conflict-related issues” as identified by CSO offices in the interest of supporting conflict resolution and stabilization efforts.

“I am pleased that when the U.S. State Department sought out leading university research centers in conflict analysis and resolution, they approached the Carter School,” said Susan Allen, director of graduate programs at the Carter School. “Our diverse student body comes from all over the world, and our faculty focuses on peace and conflict resolution from diverse methodological approaches.”

Students will be able to advance their research skills and write policy-oriented papers and briefs, said Karina Korostelina, director of the Peace Lab on Reconciling Conflicts and Intergroup Divisions at the Carter School. “The access to vast databases and localized data is essential for the understanding of conflict dynamics and complexities of peace and justice processes.”

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Carter School Partners with U.S. Department of State to Provide Research on International Conflicts

Paul Snodgrass — Fri, 10 Nov 2023 16:20:27 +0000

Carter School Partners with U.S. Department of State to Provide Research on International Conflicts Paul Snodgrass Fri, 11/10/2023 - 11:20

Carter School to become an Academic Center of Conflict Anticipation & Prevention Partner

The Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at ��AV and the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Conflict & Stabilization Operations (CSO) have signed an agreement, along with a select number of other universities, to become an Academic Center of Conflict Anticipation & Prevention (ACCAP) partner. As part of this public-private partnership, the Carter School will provide research on “current, real-world conflict-related issues” as identified by CSO offices in the interest of supporting conflict resolution and stabilization efforts.

Under this new initiative, research will be conducted by select students, at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, with oversight from Carter School faculty. Students will be able to select from different projects that have been requested by CSO offices. Developed under the supervision of Carter School Dean Alpaslan Özerdem, Dr. Susan Allen, and Dr. Karina Korostelina, this partnership will not only allow Carter School students to contribute to international peacebuilding efforts with actionable research, but it will also provide valuable insight as to how the State Department considers approaches to conflict prevention or mitigation in regions around the world.

Carter School Dean Alpaslan Özerdem stated, “This is an excellent partnership for building bridges between policymaking and academia on a myriad of topics in conflict prevention. We are proud to work with the US Department of State on this exciting initiative.”

Dr. Susan Allen, who is also the Director of Graduate Programs at the Carter School, added, “I am pleased that when the U.S. State Department sought out leading university research centers in conflict analysis and resolution, they approached the Carter School. Our diverse student body comes from all over the world, and our faculty focuses on peace and conflict resolution from diverse methodological approaches.”

When asked about the benefit to students, Carter School professor and Director of Peace Lab on Reconciling Conflicts and Intergroup Divisions, Dr. Karina Korostelina commented, “This initiative will not only advance students’ research skills but also develop their capacities to write policy-oriented papers and briefs. The access to vast databases and localized data is essential for the understanding of conflict dynamics and complexities of peace and justice processes.”

��AV is a Tier 1 research institution.

About the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

��AV’s Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution is a community of faculty, students, staff, alumni, and partners with a fundamental commitment to building peace. Through the development of cutting-edge theory, research, education, and practical work, we seek to identify and address the underlying causes of conflict and provide tools for ethical and just peacebuilding on the local, national, and global stages.

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Alpaslan Özerdem

Susan Allen

Karina Korostelina

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Conflict Analysis and Resolution

Peacebuilding

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Satellite imagery could aid in seeking justice for human rights violations in Sudan

Find pathways to peace at the Carter School

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State Department initiative brings Carter School students to the forefront of peacebuilding

Help build peace through the Carter School

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Carter School partners with U.S. State Department for conflict prevention program

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Carter School Partners with U.S. Department of State to Provide Research on International Conflicts

Carter School to become an Academic Center of Conflict Anticipation & Prevention Partner

About the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

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