The Institute is an interdisciplinary research programme that aims to strengthen law, norms and institutions to restrain, regulate and prevent armed conflict. ILW seeks to develop a sophisticated framework of rules and stronger forms of international authority relating to armed conflict. Research activity addresses all aspects of armed conflict, including the recourse to war, the conduct of war, and post-conflict governance, transition and reconstruction.

The Institute advances an informed understanding of military affairs through reliable research, trusted analysis, and innovative education. We are committed to improving the nation’s ability to execute military operations and respond to emerging threats in order to achieve strategic objectives. ILW is a non-partisan, non-profit, public policy research organization.

We believe ground realities must drive the formulation of strategy and policy. In pursuit of this principle, ILW conducts detailed, open-source intelligence analysis to provide the most accurate information on current conflicts and security threats. ILW researchers spend time in conflict zones conducting independent assessments and enhancing their understanding of realities on the ground. Through reports and timely events, our research educates military and civilian leaders, reporters, and the public to enhance the quality of policy debates.