HPCR's work on economics and conflict sought to explore the dynamic, and often ambiguous, link between these two spheres of human interaction. In keeping with the Program's approach to conflict prevention, the project married key policy questions with substantive analysis and academic rigor. In developing the web portal, targeted content was selected to address such challenges as the cost of war, the role of international corporations in conflict zones, economic policy during war, control of natural resources, and post-conflict economies and the reintegration of combatants.

A specially commissioned essay on economics and violent conflict served as a focal point for the project. This article, prepared by Macartan Humphreys, reviewed recent research on the relationship between economics and conflict, with a particular focus on correlating research priorities with policy needs. Additional online research materials ranged from corporate responsibility reports from major corporations to scientific studies produced by the Bretton Woods institutions.