This project addresses issues related to the responsibility to protect (R2P), just war theory, and the prevention of mass atrocities. The commissioners of the 2001 International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty (ICISS) developed R2P and states accepted a modified version of it in the 2005 World Summit Outcome Document.

Despite widespread agreement on these topics, there remains much to be done to theoretically advance R2P and implement it. Creating the political will and incentives for actors to devote resources to prevention, reaction, and rebuilding, is an ongoing challenge.

This project aims to contribute to a more effective and just implementation of R2P by advancing normative debates addressing various areas of research including the U.S. atrocity prevention policy, moral principles of conflict prevention, assigning responsibilities and accountability, causes of mass atrocities, as well as national and international implementation of the norm. We will produce original, and policy relevant research, convene policymakers and stakeholders in order to advance the implementation of R2P, and disseminate our ideas to the broader public.