The Peace Studies and Political Science doctoral program at the University of Notre Dame provides students with the theoretical and methodological tools of political science to answer these and related questions. Students in the program explore a variety of topics, including the causes of violent conflict, the role of international actors, law and peace accords in ending civil and international wars, the possibilities of justice and reconciliation after mass violence, the relation between politics, religion and peace, and the role of structural factors such as climate change in peace and conflict. The Kroc Institute also hosts the Peace Accord Matrix, an interactive database featuring data on comprehensive peace agreements signed since 1989, which is increasingly being used as a tool in peace negotiations around the globe. The doctoral program in peace studies and political science provides rigorous training in both peace studies and political science. Students receive advanced research training in qualitative and quantitative methods as well as normative political theory from faculty at the Kroc Institute and the Department of Political Science.