# Methodology & provenance

> Which Political Violence Map fields are imported, which are derived for display, and which are editorial. MVP seed — not a live ACLED/UCDP pull.

This page is the HTML twin of https://politicalviolencemap.com/methodology/

## Conceptual frame

- **ACLED Conflict Index** ranks countries on deadliness, danger to civilians, geographic diffusion, and armed-group fragmentation, then derives an overall ranking. ([About the Conflict Index](https://acleddata.com/general-guide/about-conflict-index))
- **UCDP** organizes organized violence into state-based, non-state, and one-sided categories. ([UCDP Downloads](https://ucdp.uu.se/downloads/))
- Humanitarian context: [IDMC](https://www.internal-displacement.org/), [UNHCR](https://www.unhcr.org/refugee-statistics/), [OCHA](https://www.unocha.org/), [IPC](https://www.ipcinfo.org/).
- Structural indices: [Fragile States Index](https://fragilestatesindex.org/), [Global Terrorism Index](https://www.visionofhumanity.org/maps/global-terrorism-index/).

## Source-backed fields

Intended to be filled by a planned import adapter. Never overwritten by display logic.

ACLED: overall / deadliness / danger / diffusion / fragmentation ranks; 12-month fatalities, events, civilian-targeting events.

UCDP: state-based / non-state / one-sided active flags; active dyad count.

Humanitarian: IDMC IDPs; UNHCR refugee outflow; OCHA people in need; IPC Phase 3+ share.

Structural: FSI score; GTI score.

In the MVP seed, ACLED rank fields are `null`. Numeric seed values are illustrative rounded figures from publicly reported ranges and must be replaced by the adapter.

## App-derived display fields

UI abstractions. **Not** ACLED or UCDP measurements.

- `risk_score` — 0–100 composite used to order the watchlist
- `risk_band` — Extreme · High · Elevated · Monitor · Low Visibility
- `trend_direction` / `trend_8wk`
- `civilian_risk_level` / `displacement_pressure`
- `primary_violence_type` / `hazard_tags`

## Editorial fields

`summary`, `key_actors`, `named_theaters`, `conflict_systems` — short curated text, not an authoritative actor list.

## Refresh plan

1. ACLED Conflict Index import (planned weekly).
2. UCDP downloads adapter (planned).
3. Recompute derived fields only.
4. Update `metadata.generated_at`.