Our mission and Vision
BDI is working for a future where thriving communities are prepared to respond in periods of risk, empowered to address long-term divides, and supported to build a pluralistic, multi-racial democracy.
Political violence endangers communities and erodes civic space. By delivering action-oriented research, facilitating cross-sector collaboration, and establishing frameworks for effective policy response, BDI advances collective efforts to track and mitigate the threat of violence across the United States. Established in 2019, BDI is based at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) and hosted by the Empirical Studies of Conflict (ESOC).
BDI’s contribution to this vision is grounded in our theory of change. We believe that BDI can help make this future a reality by achieving three strategic objectives.
-
Delivering Action-Oriented Research
-
Data-driven research is at the heart of our work. BDI seeks to fill gaps in information about political violence in the United States and translate these insights into timely, accessible, and actionable resources that empower people working to mitigate risk.
Key Projects
-
Creating Space for Cross-Sector Collaboration
-
Leveraging our unique cross-sectoral and multi-level implementation approach, we help our partner networks increase their awareness and understanding of other mission-aligned organizations, develop shared frameworks to address key issues that impact all groups working to mitigate political violence, and foster improved coordination before, during, and after moments of crisis.
Key Projects
-
Building Frameworks for Policy Response
-
Efforts to develop frameworks for effective policy response require approaches that are both holistic and generational. By addressing immediate needs and investing in long-term capacity, BDI engages with diverse stakeholders at the local, state, and national levels to advance whole-of-society solutions – building momentum to not only counter violence over the short term but also to increase trust in a shared vision of our democracy for the future.
Key Projects
Values + Culture
Situated at a policy school, addressing hard and often polarizing topics, BDI is by nature a values-driven enterprise. We succeed in our work through purposeful and principled engagement with our stakeholders – including our staff, local communities impacted by political violence, and the wide range of organizations and decision-makers working to bridge the nation’s divides.
Living our values begins by modeling them from within. BDI’s work is made possible by our people and the culture we’ve cultivated to support them. We strive to create a safe, humanizing, diverse, and cooperative environment within which our team and partners can thrive.
-
Collaborative
-
We tackle complex political and social crises, and we cannot do it alone.
We strive to promote ‘whole of society’ responses by working closely and cooperatively with others seeking to address political violence. We recognize rich exchange between academia, policy practitioners, and communities creates a virtuous cycle. Our strategic approach nurtures diverse collaborations and partnerships, encompassing both formal and informal arrangements. Combined with our expertise in data-driven research and analysis, we leverage this unique position to add both breadth and depth of insight within and across siloed spaces. We aim to be a responsive, reliable, and trusted partner, accountable to the communities we serve.
-
Inclusive
-
We believe in working across sectors, decision-making levels, and political divides.
BDI takes a conflict-sensitive, non-partisan approach to tracking and mitigating political violence. We engage diverse groups who share our commitment to non-violent resolution of political differences and respect for the dignity of all people. We value the direct inclusion and empowerment of communities impacted by political violence, translating data into accessible formats that can be linked to action.
-
Catalytic
-
We seek to drive positive change through all that we do.
By combining rigorous, accessible research with a focus on innovation, BDI aims to add value to existing efforts, avoiding duplication and stimulating new conversations that can further collective efforts to mitigate political violence. Our focus on community-informed, data-driven insights is not an end in itself, but a means to enable common understanding and galvanize broad-based action to address political violence.
Access our full 2023-2026 Strategic Plan for an overview of where we’ve been and where we’re headed.
Get to know the diverse network of donors and partners contributing to our mission.
Meet our expert research, programs, and operations staff and apply for open positions.