The ACLED Project (Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project) is a reputable organization that collects and analyzes data on political violence and protest events around the world
Data Collection Tools: Source Monitoring
Media Reports: They systematically review thousands of local, national, and international media outlets.
NGO Reports: Reports from human rights and civil society organizations.
Official Government Releases: Police, military, and government data.
Social Media: Platforms like Twitter and Facebook are monitored, especially in regions where mainstream media is sparse.
Crowdsourced Reports: Sometimes through local partners or direct submissions.
Technologies & Tools Used in ACLED
ACLED employs several advanced digital tools to collect, process, visualize, and share political conflict data globally. These tools are central to its efficiency, accuracy, and transparency — all of which reflect best practices in DH.
Tool 1: acledR (R Package)
- What it is: An official R package created by ACLED for working with its datasets in the R programming environment.
- Project Use: Researchers use it to pull in real-time data, filter events, and generate statistical reports or visualizations.
- Other Uses: Common in academic papers, research labs, and institutions analyzing conflict trends.
- DH Value: Encourages open data, code transparency, and reproducibility — key Digital Humanities priorities.
- 🔗 acledR Documentation
Tool 2: Conflict Alert System (CAST)
- What it is: A forecasting tool powered by machine learning, designed to predict violent events up to 6 months in advance.
- Project Use: Used internally and externally for proactive response planning by governments and NGOs.
- Other Uses: Forecasting humanitarian needs, managing refugee flows, and crisis prevention.
- DH Value: Integrates computational prediction with human-centered data, representing a bridge between tech and social impact.
Tool 3: ArcGIS Mapping Software
- What it is: A leading geospatial analysis tool for mapping events based on latitude, longitude, and time.
- Project Use: Visualizes the scale, spread, and frequency of political violence on an interactive map.
- Other Uses: Urban development, environmental studies, archaeology, and more.
- DH Value: A foundational technology in spatial humanities — bringing geography into cultural, political, and historical narratives.