# Arnold A. Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies

> American research institute

**Wikidata**: [Q16161700](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q16161700)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnold_A._Saltzman_Institute_of_War_and_Peace_Studies)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/arnold-a-saltzman-institute-of-war-and-peace-studies

## Summary
The Arnold A. Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies is an American research institute founded in 1951 and located at Columbia University in New York City. Named after diplomat and philanthropist Arnold A. Saltzman, the institute conducts scholarly research on international security, conflict, and peacebuilding. It operates as a dedicated research organization within Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs, maintaining its own administrative structure and research agenda.

## Key Facts
- Founded in 1951 as a specialized research institute focused on war and peace studies
- Named after Arnold A. Saltzman, a former U.S. Ambassador and international affairs figure
- Located in the International Affairs Building at Columbia University in the United States
- Classified as a research institute, distinct from universities and think tanks in its singular research mission
- Maintains official website at http://www.siwps.com/ (English language only)
- Holds VIAF ID 159065609, GND ID 1004442-5, and Library of Congress Authority ID nb2008023311
- Registered with Bibliothèque nationale de France ID 119903712 and IDREF ID 027975401
- Assigned Yale LUX ID group/c6117dce-2387-4ac9-ac1f-55cc6e1da560
- Freebase identifier: /m/0zgd1_c
- Features institutional logo and building photographs available through Wikimedia Commons
- Documented in English Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons categories
- Recognized across 2 Wikipedia language editions (English and Commons)

## FAQs
### What is the Arnold A. Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies?
The Arnold A. Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies is a research institute at Columbia University dedicated to studying international conflict, security, and peace. Unlike a think tank that focuses on policy advocacy, it conducts fundamental scholarly research across disciplines to advance understanding of war and peace dynamics.

### When was the institute established and who was Arnold A. Saltzman?
The institute was founded in 1951 and named after Arnold A. Saltzman (1906-1997), a prominent American diplomat who served as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Economic and Social Council and as a special assistant to President Eisenhower. Saltzman was also a successful businessman and philanthropist who supported international affairs education.

### Where is the institute physically located?
The institute is housed in Columbia University's International Affairs Building in New York City, placing it at the center of one of the world's foremost academic communities for international relations scholarship.

### How does the institute differ from other research organizations at Columbia?
As a dedicated research institute, its sole purpose is generating new knowledge through systematic investigation, unlike university departments that combine teaching and research. It focuses specifically on war and peace studies rather than broader international affairs topics.

### What resources does the institute provide to the public?
The institute maintains a public website at www.siwps.com and contributes to Wikimedia Commons with institutional imagery. Researchers can access its scholarly output and information about ongoing research projects through these channels.

## Why It Matters
The Arnold A. Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies represents a critical node in the academic infrastructure for understanding international conflict and security. Founded in the early Cold War era, it emerged when the study of war prevention and peacebuilding became urgent national priorities. By concentrating exclusively on research without undergraduate teaching obligations, the institute enables scholars to pursue long-term, in-depth investigations into the causes of war and conditions for peace that might not fit within traditional academic timelines. Its location at Columbia University provides unique access to UN archives, diplomatic communities, and global policy networks in New York City. The institute's work informs both academic theory and practical policy, contributing to international security scholarship that helps address ongoing conflicts, nuclear proliferation, and humanitarian crises. As a named institute honoring Ambassador Saltzman, it preserves the legacy of diplomatic service while advancing contemporary research on the most pressing security challenges of our time.

## Notable For
- Named after a distinguished American diplomat who served at the highest levels of international governance
- Founded in 1951 during the formative years of international security studies as a discipline
- Occupies a dedicated space within Columbia University's International Affairs Building, a landmark for international relations scholarship
- Maintains unique identification across major library systems including VIAF, GND, Library of Congress, and BnF
- Documented in Yale's LUX cataloging system with a specific group identifier
- Features institutional visual assets publicly available through Wikimedia Commons
- Represents one of the few research institutes exclusively focused on war and peace rather than broader international relations
- Operates with institutional independence within a major Ivy League university while leveraging Columbia's global network
- Serves as a specialized research hub that attracts leading scholars in security studies and conflict resolution

## Body

### History and Founding
The Arnold A. Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies was established in 1951, positioning it among the earliest post-World War II academic centers dedicated to systematic study of international conflict and peacebuilding. The institute's creation reflected growing recognition that specialized research institutions were needed to address nuclear age security challenges. Named for Arnold A. Saltzman, the institute honors his diplomatic career including service as U.S. Ambassador to the UN Economic and Social Council and as Special Assistant to President Dwight D. Eisenhower for Foreign Economic Policy. Saltzman's philanthropic vision supported the creation of enduring academic infrastructure for international affairs research.

### Institutional Identity and Classification
The institute is formally classified as a research institute, distinguishing it from membership-based scientific societies, policy-oriented think tanks, and sub-unit research centers. This classification appears in major knowledge organization systems: the Library of Congress assigns authority control number nb2008023311, the German National Library catalogs it under GND ID 1004442-5, and the French Bibliothèque nationale de France recognizes it with ID 119903712. The Virtual International Authority File (VIAF) consolidates these identities under ID 159065609, while IDREF (France) lists it as 027975401. Yale University's LUX system includes the institute as group/c6117dce-2387-4ac9-ac1f-55cc6e1da560.

### Location and Physical Presence
The institute operates from Columbia University's International Affairs Building, a facility that houses multiple international relations programs and provides proximity to UN headquarters and diplomatic missions. This location enables unique research opportunities including access to practitioners, archives, and real-time policy developments. The building itself is documented through photographs available on Wikimedia Commons, providing visual documentation of the institute's academic setting.

### Digital Presence and Resources
The institute maintains an English-language website at www.siwps.com, serving as its primary public information portal. Institutional branding materials including logos are hosted on Wikimedia Commons under the category "Arnold A. Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies." The institute's digital footprint extends across two Wikipedia language editions—English Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons—reflecting its specialized focus compared to more broadly covered institutions.

### Research Mission and Focus
As a dedicated research institute, its organizational purpose centers exclusively on generating new knowledge about war causation, conflict resolution, and peacebuilding mechanisms. This singular focus differentiates it from university departments that divide attention between teaching and research, and from think tanks that prioritize policy advocacy over fundamental inquiry. The institute's work spans multiple methodological approaches and disciplines, contributing to both theoretical advancement in security studies and practical understanding of contemporary conflicts.

### Legacy and Recognition
The institute preserves the memory of Arnold A. Saltzman's contributions to international diplomacy while advancing scholarship in fields he championed. Its establishment created a permanent institutional home for war and peace studies at Columbia, complementing the university's broader strengths in international affairs through the School of International and Public Affairs. The institute's continued operation since 1951 demonstrates sustained academic and philanthropic commitment to understanding and preventing international conflict.