For centuries warfare was pretty clear. Two armies fought one another on the battlefield and after a while, one of them won. Wars were fought over territory. In today’s globalised world, it is more difficult to gain a clear view of conflict situations. In this lecture, Professor Verbeek will explore the new challenges and complexities of today's conflicts and crises. What factors can cause a conflict to escalate? When does such an escalation lead to an actual war? How about hybrid conflicts? How should international politics react? And is it possible to make any predictions about a conflict getting out of hand?