How can creative and participatory approaches open up new perspectives on and understandings of international politics, peace, and conflict? This question brought together five international scholars for a workshop between 25 – 28 October 2026 in Rapallo, Italy. The workshop, entitled “Co-Creative Approaches in International Studies,” took place as part of the Exploratory Symposia of the European International Studies Association (EISA) and was co-organised by IFSH researcher Dr Philipp Schulz and Dr Christine Andrä from the University of Groningen.
Co-creative research approaches actively involve people and communities a in research processes and draw on artistic, visual, and other creative methods to collaboratively generate knowledge. Examples may include participatory photography, artistic workshops, or exhibitions. Particularly in peace and conflict research, such approaches can help make experiences and perspectives visible that are difficult to capture through conventional research methods, while also contributing to processes of societal transformation.
The workshop focused on the scholarly, methodological, ethical, and societal possibilities of these approaches. Participants discussed, among other questions, how co-creative research can generate new insights, what role it can play in processes of societal change, and how collaboration can be organised in ways that are equitable, meaningful, and mutually beneficial for everyone involved.
The workshop also marked the starting point for longer-term scholarly collaboration. A next step will be to develop and seek funding for an international research network on co-creative approaches in peace and security studies. Such a network would aim to bring together researchers from different disciplines and research contexts, strengthen scholarly exchange, and collectively advance the development of co-creative methods in peace and security research.
