How to collaborate with International Affairs Watch
IAW is sustained by a network of volunteer analysts and by external contributions. If you work on a region or a thematic axis and want to publish with method and verifiable sources, there is room here.
- Conflicts covered
- 20
- Regions covered
- 14
- Actors on record
- 102
- Dated facts
- 6
How IAW works
The team works on a voluntary basis and IAW does not currently offer financial compensation for contributions. We state this from the first conversation so that no one assesses a proposal on different assumptions.
We ask contributors for the same standard we apply to our own production: explicit methodology, verifiable sources and an analytical, non-partisan tone. Accepted pieces are published under the author's byline.
- Access to the internal monitoring console, with the scope corresponding to the assigned role.
- Editorial support: every piece is worked through with an assigned editor before publication.
- Publication under your byline, with author bio and attribution in the public analyst network.
Join as a volunteer analyst
We're looking for analysts who can sustainably cover a region or a thematic axis. No degree required, but rigor, availability and willingness to learn the IAW method are.
Who we're looking for
Advanced students, graduates or self-taught analysts with a solid background in International Relations, Political Science, Journalism, History or Data Science. Fluent reading in English. Actual availability of 4–6 hours per week.
What we ask in concrete terms
- At least one published editorial piece per month (brief, analysis or follow-up note).
- Attendance at the bi-weekly regional team meetings.
- Compliance with the source-checking and verification checklist before each publication.
Send us an email with: (1) your region or axis of interest, (2) a sample of your own analytical writing, (3) short CV or LinkedIn, (4) estimated weekly availability.
Choose your region
Select the region you can cover and reach us in one click. You can apply to more than one.
Submit your research for publication
If you already have a finished or advanced piece of research and want to publish it on IAW without joining the staff, you can send it to us. We review it editorially and, if it meets our criteria, we edit and publish it under your byline.
What we evaluate
- Geopolitical relevance and timeliness of the topic.
- Methodological rigour: primary sources, Chicago author-date citation and claims traceable to their source.
- Analytical, non-partisan tone, no sensationalism.
- Originality: we do not accept texts already published elsewhere without prior agreement.
- Length: between 1,500 and 6,000 words depending on format (short analysis, paper, expert commentary).
How the process works
- You submit the proposal through the submission portal: a 200–400 word abstract, the central question, the intended structure and two or three key sources.
- The editorial team reads the proposal and replies within 15 working days with one of three answers: proceed, adjust the framing, or not a fit with our editorial line.
- If we proceed, you're assigned an editor and a date. Editing covers source verification, style and methodological consistency.
- If published, the piece runs under your byline with an author bio. You retain ownership of your work and grant IAW a non-exclusive publication licence, on the conditions set out in the Terms and Conditions.
Scope and limits of the process
We do not publish promotional content or partisan positioning. Authorship and responsibility for the text are human: AI tools may be used as instrumental support — search, translation, copy-editing — and that use must be declared when submitting the proposal; we do not accept pieces whose substantive content has been generated by a model. Submitting a proposal does not guarantee publication: the editorial decision is final and is made on the criteria above.
Companies, sponsors and donations
IAW does not currently have an open channel for individual donations. We do hold conversations with universities, foundations and organisations interested in sustaining specific lines of work.
Editorial sponsors
Funding for thematic reports — for example, a policy paper on energy in the Sahel — with explicit attribution. Content is decided by the editorial team; a contribution grants no part in that decision.
Institutional donations
One-off or recurring contributions directed to data infrastructure, editorial work or methodological development of the Conflict Severity Index.
Partnerships with think tanks and universities
Co-publication of papers, CSI data exchange, joint workshops and student access to the monitoring console.
Pro bono services
Law firms, design agencies, hosting providers or analytics tools that want to contribute their services. We list them publicly as partners.
Transparency
We publish annually every funding source above USD 500, with the contributor's name, amount and purpose. No contribution grants access to content before publication or participation in editorial decisions.
Sustain independent conflict monitoring
IAW is a non-profit project. The global monitor, the conflict profiles and the methodology are openly accessible and are sustained by volunteer work and our own infrastructure.
- Data infrastructure: source ingestion, verification and evidence archiving.
- Editorial work: human review of briefings, severity assessment and ES/EN translation.
- Open access: the monitor and dossiers remain free for everyone.
We welcome enquiries regarding institutional support, partnerships, research collaboration and general questions about our work.
There is no individual donation channel enabled at present. Institutional contact is the available route.
Want to see the team before reaching out? You can review who already collaborates, their areas of expertise and how authorship is credited.
See the IAW analyst network →Frequently asked questions
Do I need to live in the region I want to cover?
No. A good portion of the team covers regions from abroad. What we require is sustained reading of local sources (ideally in their original language) and an academic or journalistic contact network for validation.
Can I participate as an undergraduate?
Yes, if you can show prior analytical writing. Many academic internships at IAW are recognized as professional practice credits.
How long does a response to my editorial proposal take?
Up to 15 business days for the initial abstract. If we proceed, the full editing and publication cycle usually takes 4 to 8 weeks depending on format.
Do you accept anonymous or pseudonymous contributions?
Only in cases justified by personal risk to the author (e.g. journalists in restrictive contexts). Requires prior approval by the editorial committee.
What about the rights to my work?
You retain ownership of your work. IAW publishes it under a non-exclusive licence, and you may republish it elsewhere after 30 days, with attribution and a link to the original publication.
If your case doesn't fit any of these three paths, write to us directly →