Overview

The Mershon Center for International Security Studies seeks to advance interdisciplinary research and collaborative approaches to international, national, and human security. The overall aim of our peacebuilding portfolio is to foster durable peace through comprehensive research, effective practice, and sound policy. By working with national and international organizations dedicated to peacebuilding, the Mershon Center amplifies our outreach and outcomes. Our global affiliations lead to global solutions.
From programs to research to policy briefs, our Associate Director for Peacebuilding Research Teri Murphy spearheads initiatives with global impact.
The broader study and teaching of peace and conflict studies at Ohio State, which includes an undergraduate major and minor in International Conflict and Peace Studies, is supported by the Mershon Chair in Peace Studies. We are currently conducting a search for the next Peace Chair. For further information, please see the posting and apply by October 15, 2025.
Peacebuilding is crucial to human security, now more then ever. Globally in 2024, 1 in 7 people were exposed to conflict and 50 countries experienced extreme, high, or turbulent levels of conflict.
Source: Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED)