The Minerva Research Initiative

The Minerva Research Initiative, administered jointly by the Office of Basic Research and the Office of Policy at the U.S. Department of Defense, supports social science research aimed at improving our basic understanding of security, broadly defined. Supported projects are university-based and unclassified, with the intention that all work be shared widely to support the thriving of stable and safe communities.

Latest News

Minerva Annual Meeting and Program Review - REGISTRATION NOW OPEN

The 2018 Minerva Annual Meeting and Program Review is being held September 26-27, 2018. Click the image below to learn more and register.

DOWNLOAD SCHEDULE

The Owl in the Olive Tree


The Owl in the Olive Tree is the blog of Minerva, aimed at sharing social scientific contributions that advance our understanding of the social, cultural, political, economic, and environmental dynamics of security. The first issue of The Owl in the Olive Tree is forthcoming.

In the News

Minerva Researcher Generates New Database of Jihadist Activities with Indicators for Identifying and Tracking Radicalization
By Jytte Klausen | March 2, 2017
Jytte Klausen, a Minerva-funded researcher at Brandeis University, has compiled a unique
MORE
Scott Atran analyses the limits of rational choice in political and cultural conflict
By Scott Atran | Feb. 24, 2017
Scott Atran. 2017. Scott Atran analyses the limits of rational choice in political and cultural conflict.
MORE
Minerva researchers develop Rebel Contraband Dataset
By Justin Conrad, Beth Elise Whitaker, James Igoe Walsh | Feb. 17, 2017
Minerva researchers Justin Conrad, Beth Elise Whitaker, and James Igoe Walsh (University of North
MORE
J Is For Jihad: How The Islamic State Indoctrinates Children With Math, Grammar, Tanks, and Guns
By Robbie Gramer | Feb. 17, 2017
Robbie Gramer. 2017. J Is For Jihad: How The Islamic State Indoctrinates Children With Math, Grammar, Tanks, and Guns. Foreign Policy. February 16.
MORE
Rethinking the War on Terror, with the help of science
By Robert Gebelhoff | Feb. 3, 2017
Robert Gebelhoff. 2017. Rethinking the War on Terror, with the help of science. Washington Post. February 3.
MORE

Researcher Publications

The American Face of ISIS
By Robert A. Pape, Jean Decety, Keven Ruby, Alejandro Albanez Rivas, Jens Jessen, Caroline Wegner, Piper Mik, Sarah Starr, Ala Tineh, Walker Gunning, Jacinta Carroll | Feb. 6, 2017
A Special Report of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.
MORE
Do Women Matter to National Security?
By Joshua Busby and Heather Hurlburt | Feb. 2, 2017
Monkey Cage, Washington Post. February 2.
MORE
Challenges in Researching Terrorism from the Field: Research Must Focus On Youth
By Scott Atran, Robert Axelrod, Richard Davis, Baruch Fischhoff | Jan. 27, 2017
Science. 355(6323): 126-28. January 27.
MORE
What Do Pirates Want? To Steal Riches at Sea So They Can Pay for Wars On Land
By Brandon Prins, Ursula Daxecker, and Anup Phayal | Jan. 25, 2017
Brandon Prins, Ursula Daxecker, and Anup Phayal. 2017. What Do Pirates Want? To Steal Riches at Sea So They Can Pay for Wars on Land. Monkey Cage, Washington Post. January 25.
MORE
Disentangling Aid Dynamics in Statebuilding and Peacebuiding
By Naazneen H. Barma, Naomi Levy, Jessica Piombo | Jan. 17, 2017
Naazneen H. Barma, Naomi Levy, and Jessica Piombo. 2016. Disentangling Aid Dynamics in Statebuilding and Peacebuiding: A Causal Framework. International Peacekeeping. 1-25. (DOI: 10.1080/13533312.2016.1252677)
MORE

Minerva Social Media

Twitter
Logo
SAVE THE DATE - 2018 Minerva Meeting and Program Review scheduled for September 26-27 in Washington, DC. (pending c… https://t.co/bj6NZGMGIv
Facebook
Logo
2018 FOA released http://minerva.defense.gov/Research/Research-Priorities/ … Whi...
Twitter
Logo
@DoDMinerva 2018 FOA released https://t.co/zgQwGsIIfl White papers due: June 19
Facebook
Logo
Insightful paper on Russian Wheat Value Chain and Global Food Security by Ghada ...
Twitter
Logo
Insightful paper on Russian Wheat Value Chain and Global Food Security by Ghada Ahmed et al. https://t.co/FlPteG7kbP
Twitter
Logo
@MicheleJGelfand https://t.co/WcraZHAJCK
Facebook
Logo
Congrats to Dr. Gelfand (USA) for receiving Division 52's Outstanding Internatio...
Twitter
Logo
Congrats to Dr. Gelfand (USA) for receiving Division 52's Outstanding International Psychologist Award for 2017! https://t.co/Dvf1afOqEM
Facebook
Logo
2017 R-DEF information now available online. Please see the link for further inf...
Twitter
Logo
R-DEF Information now available on Minerva website. Please see link for further details. Due: April 12th 3:00pm EDT https://t.co/Eoc4W09O7z
Twitter
Logo
Scott Atran analyses the limits of rational choice in political and cultural conflict https://t.co/M83wtgY8cu
Facebook
Logo
The American Face of ISIS. A Special Report of the Australian Strategic Policy I...
Twitter
Logo
The American Face of ISIS. A Special Report of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. February 2017 https://t.co/jRBZ4bKhGl
Twitter
Logo
@DoDMinerva now has a facebook presence. Please visit us and like us at: https://t.co/51RcVZyTsl
Facebook
Logo
Photo by Naomi Levy. Field work in Laos as part of public services peace-buildin...
Twitter
Logo
Do women matter to national security? The men who lead U.S. foreign policy don’t think so. https://t.co/dhvrPy1Hv5
Facebook
Logo
Rethinking the War on Terror, with the help of science by Robert Gebelhoff http...
Facebook
Logo
Do women matter to national security? The men who lead U.S. foreign policy don’t...
Twitter
Logo
Rethinking the War on Terror, with the help of science by Robert Gebelhoff https://t.co/782UUp3BWP
Facebook
Logo
What do pirates want? Article by Brandon Prins, Ursula Daxecker and Anup Phayal....
Facebook
64
Like Us
Twitter
1,491
Follow Us