USIP convened an expert panel of scholars and researchers over a four-month period in 2023-24 to explore lessons learned from the management of conflicts in prior periods of global turbulence. This is the first paper in a three-part series from the convenings and focuses on the examination of contemporary conflict trends, drivers, and dynamics and how these differ from prior conflicts. The series was designed and managed by the Learning, Evaluation, and Research team at USIP's Center for Thematic Excellence.