How Does Data Shape the Way We Understand Peace Agreements?

In this episode of the Just Access podcast, host Dr. Miranda Melcher dives into the complex world of ceasefires with two leading experts:

🧠 Dr. Marika Sosnowski, legal scholar and author of Redefining Ceasefires: Wartime Order and Statebuilding in Syria, and

📊 Dr. Sanja Badanjak, Data Director at PeaceRep and Chancellor’s Fellow at the University of Edinburgh Law School.

Together, they explore:

• How and why ceasefires matter in war-torn societies
• The importance of wording in ceasefire agreements
• Power imbalances and what Dr. Sosnowski calls “strangle contracts”
• How the PA-X Peace Agreements Database supports both academic research and real-world peace negotiations
• The ethical and practical challenges of deciding which documents “count” as peace agreements

You’ll hear fascinating personal stories, including how field experiences and unexpected career moves led both guests into peace and conflict research, and why access to original texts and data is vital for shaping better peacebuilding strategies.

🔗 Mentioned in the episode:

• PA-X Peace Agreements Database: https://www.peaceagreements.org/
• Redefining Ceasefires by Dr. Marika Sosnowski
• PeaceRep: The Peace and Conflict Resolution Evidence Platform

🎧 Stay tuned for Part 2, where we continue the conversation on current ceasefire trends, peace process dynamics, and what’s next in peace research.

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