Collective decision making in (animal) warfare

• Applicant: Dr. Mirjam Borger
• Subject Area: Sensory and Behavioural Biology ; Evolution, Anthropology ; Ecology and Biodiversity of Animals and Ecosystems, Organismic Interactions
• Term: since 2026
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 587131517

Warfare, broadly defined as lethal or injurious intergroup conflict, typically involves intense fighting between groups, often with the goal to appropriate resources (e.g. food, land, individuals) from other groups. Warfare has major fitness consequences for individuals and groups, and has a large impact on societies. Understanding the biological reasons why conflicts between social groups escalate into war is thus important for scientific and social reasons. Previous theory suggests that the mechanisms by which individuals reach collective decisions likely have a major influence on the probability of conflict escalation. However, these decision making mechanisms have never been explored in evolutionary models, also not in other contexts than warfare. Here we aim to study the effect of mechanisms of decision making on the evolution of warfare. To this end, we will use analytical models and individual-based simulations to obtain predictions and to improve our general understanding of decision making in warfare. Moreover, to communicate our findings clearly, we will write a perspectives paper in collaboration with empirical researchers to link our modelling outcomes with empirical research and to give suggestions how to test the predictions that will be made by the models. Given my background studying various aspects at the interface of cooperation and conflict, this project would be ideal for me to research in one of the best theoretical evolutionary ecology departments in the world. I will gain essential training in developing analytical models, while bringing my own skills in individual-based simulations. I will gain many collaboration opportunities to establish my own lab in the future. The framework for collective decision making we will develop will have considerable impact on the field of sociality and group-living.

• DFG Programme: Position