Project Analysis
ACLED
The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project is an independent global monitor that collects, analyzes, and maps data on conflict and protest around the world. This page introduces ACLED as a Digital Humanities project by examining its purpose, audience, scope, significance, and the ways it uses data and digital methods to make complex political violence and protest information publicly accessible.
Project Snapshot
Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED)
Collects, analyzes, and maps data on conflict and protest.
Helps users identify, understand, and track patterns and trends in crisis situations around the world.
Independent, impartial global monitor.
Researchers, analysts, policymakers, and public users who need structured information about political violence and protest trends.
Data can be accessed through tools such as the export tool, curated files, and API after registration.
Project Overview
ACLED is a large-scale digital project focused on documenting political violence, conflict, and protest across the world. According to ACLED’s own description, the project collects, analyzes, and maps conflict and protest data in order to help users identify, understand, and track patterns and trends in crisis situations. This makes ACLED more than a static archive: it is an active data-driven platform designed to support research, interpretation, and public access.
As a Digital Humanities project, ACLED fits the model of DH work described in our class materials because it uses digital tools and structured data to analyze, preserve, and share knowledge about human activity and social conditions. DH projects often serve a dual purpose as both research and publication, and ACLED does exactly that by gathering event-level information and then presenting it through web-based tools, maps, and downloadable datasets that allow others to study it.
The scope of ACLED is especially important because it turns ongoing global conflict and protest events into organized, searchable, and mappable data. Rather than leaving this information scattered across reports and sources, ACLED creates a coherent digital infrastructure that makes those events easier to trace across time and geography. That broad scope gives the project significance both in conflict research and in Digital Humanities more generally.
Why This Project Matters
This Can Be Secondary Heading
Feature One
ACLED matters because it helps transform complicated and fast-moving global events into structured information that users can interpret more clearly. Its public-facing platform gives conflict and protest data a visible web presence, which aligns with the idea from class that DH projects make cultural and research work more accessible by publishing it digitally for wider audiences.
Feature Two
It also matters because the project is built around patterns and trends rather than isolated incidents. By collecting individual events and then mapping or organizing them in usable formats, ACLED allows users to move from raw reports to broader analysis. This reflects a core DH strength: using digital tools to reveal relationships, scale, and interpretation that are harder to see in scattered textual sources alone.
THE TEAM BEHIND ACLED
Members of the ACLED team work together across multiple departments, including the executive office, global programs, external affairs, fundraising and development, finance, and operations.
EXECUTIVES
Clionadh Raleigh
While guiding the development of ACLED, she is also Professor of Political Violence and Geography in the School of Global Studies at the University of Sussex in the UK.
Lennart Landman
Lennart Landman is the Director of Data at ACLED, where he oversees global data collection, methodology, quality assurance and special projects that drive enhancements in data collection, accessibility and interoperability.
Dara George-John
Dara George-John is the Head of Executive Office at ACLED. In this role, she provides high-level administrative support and assistance to the President & CEO, the Executive Director, and other senior leadership.
Uliana Chornenka
Uliana Chornenka is the Program Management Office Coordinator at ACLED and has been with the organization since the beginning of 2024. In this role, she supports annual planning and ACLED strategy implementation, supports the organization with contract management, procedures development, and compliance. She holds MAs in Law and Governance and has experience working with non-profit organizations and UN system.
Nohad Eltayeb
Nohad Eltayeb is a Senior Research Assistant with ACLED, where she supports the President and Executive Team with various research projects and publications. This includes data collection, cleaning, analysis, and visualization to better explore existing or emerging patterns of political violence around the world.
Anita Mantzari
Anita Mantzari is the Associate Design, Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (DMEL) Coordinator and has been with the organization since January 2023.
Loren Tarmo
Loren Tarmo serves on ACLED's Advisory Board and on the Finance Committee. He is a certified public accountant with over 20 years of experience.
Rachel Wilson
Rachel Wilson is a Design, Monitoring and Evaluation (DMEL) Officer with ACLED since June 2024. Prior to ACLED, Rachel gained significant experience in Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) of humanitarian programing in conflict zones in North and East African regions.
Eric Clark
Eric Clark is the Chief Revenue Officer at ACLED, overseeing all commercial sales and marketing efforts for the corporate licensing teams.
Nicole Amondi
Nicole Amondi is a Project Management Officer with experience leading cross-sector programs supporting displaced communities, youth, and vulnerable groups. She has a background in coordinating projects that blend humanitarian response and development goals, and enjoys helping teams stay organized and focused through clear systems and structured workflows. Nicole is passionate about advancing data-driven solutions in complex environments.
Daria Melchenko
Daria is currently overseeing ACLED's strategic planning and implementation efforts, as well as program management direction across the organization. She originally joined ACLED back in 2022 in the capacity of Head of Operations, advising on strategic development of the areas and teams to advance the organization’s mission.
