Quantifying instability: A study of global unrest through different composite indices

In this work, we quantify global instability by developing a comprehensive framework of indicators that capture unrest events across countries. Our goal is to summarize the intensity and impact of such events into single, up-to-date measures that provide practitioners and policymakers with manageable tools for prevention and strategic planning, thereby enabling more informed decisions in future crises. To achieve this, we define three composite indicators by combining diverse data sources: big data from the temporal progression of ACLED (Armed Conflict Location and Event Data) variables and an ad hoc dataset curated by our team, which documents wars, armed conflicts, civil wars, violent demonstrations, and non-violent protests since 2010.