Psychological Geographies: Mapping Minds for Social Health

Solution Summary

Social conflicts like racism, oppression, and violence exist across cultures. Yet to date, there have been no concerted efforts to explore and visually represent the psychological and cognitive underpinnings of these conflicts. Through its Psychological Geographies project, Beyond Conflict’s Innovation Lab measures and maps these underpinnings, enabling earlier and more effective diagnosis of social conflict.

Beyond Conflict combines data visualization and GIS technology with psychometrics and neuroscience tools to map indicators of conflict potential in vulnerable communities. The team creates psychological maps that provide comprehensive conflict information for humanitarian policy and decision makers.

Market Opportunity

• The solution uses a unique application of three distinct features: neuroscience, conflict prevention and peace building, and GIS technologies.
• Beyond Conflict can be used to inform policy interventions for mental and social health.

Highlights

• Production of the first biological and social cognition maps of one of the world’s largest refugee camps
• Use of maps as a diagnostic tool for community-level counter-extremism

Organization Goals

• Develop a for-profit wing of Beyond Conflict’s Innovation Lab
• Ongoing efforts to expand projects to new geographies
• Launch workplace readiness mapping of refugee populations in Greece and Turkey

Existing Partnerships

Beyond Conflict's current partnerships include:

• Contracts with City of Boston, Questscope, International Rescue Committee, Mercy Corps
• Funding from Open Society Institute and the Ford Foundation
• Research with One America Movement and the Tony Blair Institute
• Collaboration with MeWeSyria
• Partnership with GIS for Peace

Partnership Goals

Beyond Conflict seeks:

• Collaboration with big data and analytics experts
• Connection to health technology leaders
• Distribution partners with humanitarian organizations