Central research topics and perspectives include:
- Arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation, emerging technologies
- International organizations, international law and normative orders
- Non-state violent actors, transnational corporations, civil society
- Radicalization and political violence
- Intrastate conflicts, organization and transformation of political rule
- Globalization and local life-worlds, African intervention politics
PRIF researchers provide information and advice to members of parliament, parliaments, ministries, and authorities at the state and federal levels. They are also available for media inquiries, information events, and discussions.
PRIF maintains the most comprehensive library on peace and conflict research in the German-speaking world and offers a large collection of digital publications from international specialist publishers. In the field of international relations, the library has extensive holdings focusing on theories of international relations, world politics, civil wars, European security, arms dynamics, and arms control.
PRIF cooperates closely with several German and international universities, in particular Goethe University Frankfurt and Darmstadt Technical University. PRIF also collaborates with numerous international networks and research institutions through cooperative research projects, programs, and reciprocal research stays. PRIF is also represented in several research networks within the Leibniz Association. Since 2021, the institute has been coordinating the Leibniz Research Network on Environmental Crises – Crisis Environments. In 2025, PRIF co-initiated the Leibniz Association's China Network. PRIF is also involved in the Leibniz Labs Pandemic Preparedness, Systemic Sustainability, and Upheavals and Transformations.
