This is a self-guided virtual eCourse, accessible on desktop or on your mobile phone via the Teachable app.
Once enrolled, you'll have the opportunity to join one optional live cohort experience each year, connecting with peacebuilders from our global community to share experiences and deepen your learning.
If any of this resonates, this course was built for you.
Your conflict analysis doesn't translate into programming. You understand conflict. You may have years of experience working in conflict-affected contexts, or formal training in peace and conflict studies. But when it comes to turning that understanding into concrete project designs, proposals, or interventions, something gets lost. The gap between knowing what's driving conflict and designing programming that actually addresses those drivers is real, and most training never bridges it. You keep hearing "evidence-based programming" but nobody teaches you the step-by-step process to get from analysis to action.
The frameworks you've been given miss root causes. Standard conflict analysis tools tend to focus on the causes that donors are willing to fund responses to. Conflict trees, stakeholder mapping, and conventional frameworks can identify important dynamics, but they often stop short of naming structural drivers like militarism, colonial legacies, or intersecting systems of oppression. You can sense these deeper forces at work in the conflicts you engage with, but the analytical tools available to you weren't designed to surface them. The result is analysis that treats symptoms while root causes go unaddressed.
Your analysis doesn't change what your organization actually does. You've seen conflict assessments that took months to produce and sat in a report. Analyses that confirmed what everyone already knew without offering anything new. Studies commissioned by donors that were constrained in what they could say, kept confidential because organizations didn't want critique reflected back on them, and never shared beyond internal files. You want to produce your own analysis that you control, one that leads somewhere, whether that's better programs, stronger advocacy, partner mobilization, publishing your findings, or influencing the people who make decisions. And you want to know how to present your analysis in ways that different audiences can act on.
Your understanding of conflict dynamics runs deeper than the frameworks available to you can express. You have real knowledge built from lived experience, field work, or both. You can read conflict dynamics at multiple levels and see patterns that others miss. But without systematic analytical frameworks to back up what you know, your analysis stays informal. When you need to present your understanding to funders, organizational leaders, or policymakers, you can't always articulate it in the professional language they expect. You want tools that build on your expertise and give you the credibility to be taken seriously alongside formally trained analysts.
You work with conflict but have never had the tools to analyze it systematically. You engage with conflict in your professional work, in your community, or both. You may manage programs in conflict-affected contexts, be building a career in peacebuilding, or work in a nonprofit or social sector organization and recognize that the social issues you're tackling are shaped by conflict dynamics, even if "conflict analysis" isn't language your field typically uses. You can see how a systematic approach to understanding the causes and dynamics of conflict could strengthen your work, but you've never had access to practical, step-by-step training that shows you how. You want a clear methodology you can learn and apply, and you want to produce a real, professional-quality analysis you can use.
The Practical Conflict Analysis eCourse gives you original analytical frameworks that go beyond what conventional training offers, equips you with systematic tools to uncover the causes of conflict that standard approaches miss, and walks you through producing your own professional-quality conflict analysis of any conflict or social issue you choose.
What Makes Everyday Peacebuilding Different
Independent by Design
We operate outside formal peacebuilding systems and are not influenced by donor priorities that constrain most peacebuilding efforts. We support our students to find creative approaches to transform the causes of conflict as they define them, in ways that traditional peacebuilding efforts cannot.
Original Tools & Frameworks
Our courses are built around original tools and frameworks that exist nowhere else, all developed from over a decade of research mapping 5,000+ peace organizations worldwide, with insights on creative and effective ways to build peace drawn from 800+ community surveys across 100+ countries.
A Global Community of Peacebuilders
Our community includes peacebuilders from all walks of life in over 100 countries, building peace in a wide variety of ways. Through our scholarship program, our optional annual live cohorts bring together participants from diverse contexts and backgrounds to share experiences, perspectives, and ideas. Connect with fellow peacebuilders, support one another, and build friendships that last a lifetime.
Not Your Standard Peacebuilding Training
Our 3 Core Approaches
Our courses are grounded in three core approaches that inform everything we do. We apply them to help you develop a rich understanding of the causes and dynamics of modern conflict in a way that peacebuilding training operating within traditional systems is restricted from doing by the political interests of donor countries.
Demilitarist: We name militarism as a root cause of war and conflict. This includes military spending, weapons manufacturers, the arms trade, domestic militarization, and militarized cultures that produce and sustain violence. Our courses equip you to see these dynamics as they manifest in your society and empower you with creative ways to transform them.
Decolonial: We recognize how the lasting effects of colonization and neocolonial systems contribute to modern conflict dynamics, and how the structures that produce conventional peacebuilding efforts often reproduce these power dynamics rather than transforming them. Our courses help you identify and address these patterns. We do our best to center local, community, and indigenous knowledge over Western institutional frameworks.
Intersectional: We recognize that peace and justice are intertwined, and that for peacebuilding to be effective it must engage in transforming overlapping systems of oppression (race, class, gender, sexuality, ability) as interconnected drivers of conflict. Our courses draw linkages between social justice issues and the dynamics of peace, war, and militarism, strengthening the ability of peacebuilders to address social justice issues and social justice activists to build peace.
These aren't abstract values. They're diagnostic tools woven into every course, changing what you see when you analyze conflict and how you formulate solutions.
Everyday Peacebuilding's Diagnostic Frameworks
Analytical tools that exist nowhere else.
Most conflict analysis training relies on the same established frameworks that have been used across the field for decades. EP's courses go further by equipping you with original diagnostic tools developed from over a decade of research, designed to uncover the causes of conflict that mainstream frameworks were not built to find.
EP's Three Core Approaches as Diagnostic Lenses. The demilitarist, decolonial, and intersectional approaches described above are not just values that inform our courses. In Practical Conflict Analysis, they function as diagnostic tools you apply directly to your analysis, helping you to uncover causes of conflict that conventional frameworks miss, including how different elements of militarism, legacies of colonial and neocolonial systems, and overlapping systems of oppression produce conflict and violence.
Our Typology of Violence helps you map specific forms of structural and cultural violence relevant to the conflict or social issue you are analyzing, including how they cause direct violence and cause harm in themselves. It gives you the precision to zoom in on specific structures and institutions to identify concrete forms of structural violence they produce, such as policies and practices that drive inequality, militarization, or environmental harm, and to map specific elements of culture, including narratives, ideologies, and cultural norms, that justify or sustain violence. This level of specificity is what makes conflict analysis actionable: when you can name the exact forms of structural and cultural violence at work, you can design responses that effectively target them rather than addressing symptoms.
Our Peacebuilder Typology maps hundreds of approaches to building peace across 24 types of peacebuilders organized in 9 categories, developed from a database of 5,000+ peace organizations worldwide and insights from 800+ community surveys across 100+ countries. For this course, we have developed specific tools built from the Peacebuilder Typology that enable you to tailor your conflict analysis to specific themes such as education, environment, technology, economics, culture, and more, adding a layer of thematic depth that makes your analysis more concrete and more useful for informing strategic peacebuilding programming, peace actions, and advocacy efforts.
Together, these three diagnostic tools give you the ability to produce conflict analysis with a depth and specificity that standard training does not offer, analysis that is concrete enough to identify what needs to change and to inform programming that can effectively change it.
What you'll walk away with:
A completed conflict analysis of a conflict or social issue you choose. Throughout this course, you build your conflict analysis progressively, from a preliminary conflict profile through actor mapping, root cause analysis, and thematic deep dives, informed by desk review and practical primary data collection such as key informant interviews. By the end, you will have produced a professional-quality conflict analysis document with clearly identified areas for further research, a document that is yours to use and build on, whether for program planning, organizational strategy, partner and network mobilization, advocacy, or publishing your findings to inform wider action.
Diagnostic lenses that reveal what conventional analysis misses. You will apply EP's three core diagnostic approaches (demilitarist, decolonial, intersectional) directly to your analysis to uncover causes of conflict that standard frameworks structurally avoid, including how different elements of militarism, legacies of colonial and neocolonial systems, and overlapping systems of oppression produce conflict and violence.
Precision tools to map concrete examples of structural and cultural violence. Using our Typology of Violence, you will select specific structures and institutions relevant to your conflict analysis to identify concrete forms of structural violence they produce, and choose specific elements of culture, including narratives, ideologies, and cultural norms, to analyze how they justify or sustain violence in your context. This is where your analysis gets specific enough to see exactly what needs to change.
A thematic conflict analysis on a theme of your choice. Using tools we have developed from our Peacebuilder Typology, you will produce a thematic deep dive on one specific theme you select, such as education, environment, technology, economics, or culture, building on your general conflict analysis. You will also develop the ability to conduct thematic conflict analysis on other topics in the future.
A systematic conflict analysis process and unique set of tools you can apply again and again. You will learn EP's step-by-step conflict analysis process and a unique set of tools created by EP, a methodology that builds on your existing knowledge and experience and that you can use and adapt across different contexts, conflicts, and professional settings throughout your career.
The skills to use your analysis to identify entry points for action. Your completed conflict analysis will reveal concrete entry points for peacebuilding initiatives and actions that respond to the causes of conflict you have identified. You will learn how to match entry points to specific causes using tools built from the Peacebuilder Typology, giving you a foundation for designing strategic responses, which our subsequent Strategic Planning for Peacebuilders course takes further.
The confidence to share your findings and recommendations and get them used. You will learn how to present your conflict analysis, findings, and recommendations to different audiences, including organizational leaders, community partners, funders, and policymakers. You will also explore ways to disseminate your work more broadly, from publishing analytical pieces in online journals and news sites to sharing key findings through your networks and platforms, so your analysis informs action beyond the peace efforts you are directly involved in.
Who this course is for:
Peacebuilding, humanitarian, and development professionals who conduct or contribute to conflict analysis as part of your work and want original frameworks and tools that go beyond what conventional training offers, helping you uncover causes of conflict that standard approaches miss and produce analysis that drives more effective programming.
Program managers, technical advisors, and organizational leaders who want to strengthen your ability to plan conflict-sensitive humanitarian and development programs, build stronger analytical foundations to inform peacebuilding programming, and speak with confidence to funders, partners, and policymakers about how your programming engages with conflict dynamics.
Early-career professionals and graduates of peace studies or related fields who want to move beyond the traditional theories and frameworks taught in academic programs and gain a systematic conflict analysis methodology and unique suite of tools to conduct your own professional-quality conflict analysis.
Professionals in related fields (social justice, human rights, education, governance, environmental work) and nonprofit or social sector professionals who recognize that the social issues you work on shape and are shaped by conflict dynamics and want systematic analytical tools to deepen your understanding and strengthen the effectiveness of your programs.
Local and national organization practitioners who want to produce and publish your own independent conflict analysis, using original frameworks and tools to build on your knowledge and experience, rather than relying on analyses produced by external consultants or international agencies.
Experienced practitioners looking for deeper analytical tools. If you've worked in peacebuilding for years but feel that the analytical frameworks available to you don't go far enough, this course offers original diagnostic tools, including EP's Typology of Violence, three core analytical approaches, and tools built from our Peacebuilder Typology, that will take your analysis to a level of depth and specificity that standard training does not reach.
Course Curriculum
This course includes 5 modules with approximately 20 video lessons, downloadable workbooks with practical activities, and all the tools and frameworks you need to produce your own conflict analysis.
Module 1: Foundations of Conflict Analysis Build your analytical foundation and begin your conflict analysis project. You will explore foundational theories for understanding conflict dynamics, learn EP's step-by-step conflict analysis process, and examine how conflict analysis is typically employed in traditional systems, including what donor-driven, top-down approaches miss and why. You will define the scope and purpose of your own conflict analysis, use your existing knowledge and desk review inputs to create a preliminary conflict profile, and make a simple plan to collect data to fill key knowledge gaps that will inform the conflict analysis you will produce as part of this course. This module also introduces the distinction between two key applications of conflict analysis: conflict sensitivity (ensuring programs don't cause harm) and peacebuilding programming (directly addressing the causes and drivers of conflict).
Module 2: Mapping Conflict Dynamics and Actors Apply key conflict analysis tools to map conflict dynamics and analyze actors. You will learn practical tools for identifying and mapping conflict parties, conducting stakeholder analysis and relationship mapping, analyzing power dynamics through an intersectional lens, and examining the interests, positions, and needs of key actors. Each tool is applied directly to the conflict or social issue you are analyzing, building the core sections of the conflict analysis you will produce.
Module 3: Uncovering Root Causes To support programming that goes beyond addressing the effects of conflict, you will work to uncover deeply rooted causes and drivers of the conflict or social issue you are analyzing. You will use EP's three core approaches (demilitarist, decolonial, intersectional) as diagnostic lenses to reveal causes of conflict that conventional frameworks miss, and apply our Typology of Violence to map concrete forms of structural and cultural violence relevant to your analysis, zooming in on specific structures, institutions, narratives, and cultural norms to identify exactly what is producing and sustaining violence. You will also examine the gap between causes recognized by traditional systems and causes that those systems are not addressing.
Module 4: Thematic Conflict Analysis Tailor your conflict analysis to a specific theme of your choice. Using tools we have developed from our Peacebuilder Typology, you will learn how to conduct a thematic conflict analysis focused on any theme of your choice, such as education, environment, technology, economics, culture, and more. You'll select a theme and use our tools and guidance to produce a thematic deep dive as part of your conflict analysis report, building on the general analysis you developed in previous modules.
Module 5: Synthesis and Producing Your Conflict Analysis Bring everything together into a completed, professional-quality conflict analysis document. You will synthesize your findings, develop recommendations, and identify knowledge gaps and next steps for further research. You will learn how to communicate your analysis to different audiences, including organizational leaders, community partners, funders, and policymakers, and explore a range of ways to use and disseminate your work, from program planning and advocacy to publishing analytical pieces in online journals, news sites, and other platforms. With tools developed from the Peacebuilder Typology, you will also identify entry points for peacebuilding initiatives that can address the causes of conflict you have identified, or approaches for promoting conflict sensitivity in your programming. Our subsequent Strategic Planning for Peacebuilders course goes deeper into designing strategic responses and turning your analysis into action.
Course Facilitator
Taylor O'Connor, Founder of Everyday Peacebuilding
I'm Taylor, a big peace nerd at heart, long obsessed with exploring creative ways people build peace around the world. I got my Master's in Peace Education from the UN-Mandated University for Peace back in 2009, and I've worked as a peacebuilding specialist with NGOs and UN agencies in many countries since that time.
Driven by a curiosity about all the ways people build peace inside and outside of traditional systems, I began researching and mapping peacebuilding practice worldwide. After a decade of research, I built a database of 5,000+ peace organizations and collected data from 800+ community members around the world.
That research informed the creation of the Peacebuilder Typology, a framework mapping hundreds of ways to build peace organized across 24 distinct types of peacebuilders. It is the most comprehensive mapping of peacebuilding practice available anywhere. From this framework and research background, I've also developed a range of other original tools to help people from all walks of life find creative and effective ways to build peace.
I created Everyday Peacebuilding because I believe peace is built in a wide variety of ways, often by people who don't have fancy degrees and who operate outside traditional systems. Anyone can build peace. They just need to learn about the many diverse ways to build peace, get access to practical tools, and be part of a supportive community. Whether you're entering the field for the first time or you've been doing this work for decades, we are pleased for you to join our learning community. I hope to see you inside.
What peacebuilders say about our courses...
"From this eCourse, I gained a deeper understanding of the issues I'm passionate about and explored potential solutions. It helped me identify and leverage my peacebuilding strengths, aligning with my role at the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity. I learned to value diverse perspectives by engaging with individuals from around the world, each bringing unique experiences to our discussions. This global interaction enriched my understanding of peacebuilding in various contexts."
- Darwin Kana, Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity, Philippines
"After completing this training, I discovered that peacebuilding isn't just about humanitarian efforts — it's about transforming the systems that contribute to suffering. What sets Everyday Peacebuilding apart is the simplicity of its tools and resources, making peacebuilding accessible to anyone. Through the course, I gained practical resources to train my team and project beneficiaries."
- Fatoumata Djire, Peacebuilder-Activist from Mali
Payment options
Enroll for $350 USD using the enrollment button above.
For organizations: Looking to enroll staff members as part of professional development? Email Taylor for organizational pricing and group enrollment options: taylor@everydaypeacebuilding.com
Want to use your organization's professional development budget? Forward this page to your supervisor. Many organizations recognize our courses as professional development that directly improves effectiveness of peace initiatives. At $350, this is a fraction of the cost of comparable professional training.
Alternative payment methods available: If you need to pay via bank transfer, Wise, mobile money, M-Pesa, or in local currencies, email our community manager Mustapha at mustapha@everydaypeacebuilding.com who can help find a solution that works for you.
Our Scholarship Program
Everyday Peacebuilding is a community of peacebuilders from all walks of life in over 100 countries. We believe peacebuilding education should be accessible to everyone, regardless of financial circumstances.
Diverse participation strengthens our community and enriches the learning experience for everyone. When peacebuilders from different contexts, backgrounds, and experiences learn together, we all benefit.
Partial (25%, 50%, 75%) and full (100%) scholarships are available based on financial need. Applications are open year-round and reviewed monthly by Mustapha, our community manager. Decisions are communicated via email, typically after the first week of each month.
Questions?
Course questions: taylor@everydaypeacebuilding.com
Scholarship and alternative payment questions: mustapha@everydaypeacebuilding.com