Alain Gilles

Alain Gilles is a Professor of Sociology with a Ph.D. from Columbia University. He currently serves as vice-president in charge of academics at the University of Quisqueya in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. His research focuses on social structures, conflict, and violence in Haitian society, with particular attention to the relationship between urbanization, social bonds, and political violence.

His research interests center on the sociological dynamics of Haitian society, particularly examining how social bonds, trust, and institutional relationships contribute to patterns of violence. Gilles investigates how rural-to-urban migration has transformed Haitian social structures, leading to the formation of slums where weak social ties and low trust create environments conducive to violence. His work explores the connections between everyday social relations and political violence, challenging conventional understandings of Haiti's social challenges.

Gilles' publications reveal a consistent focus on understanding violence in Haiti through sociological frameworks. His work demonstrates how political violence is often instrumentalized from pre-existing social tensions and weak community structures. The research shows how trust (or lack thereof) in social relationships versus institutions creates different risk factors for violence in different community contexts. His studies provide nuanced analyses of how Haiti's specific social configuration shapes its political landscape.

Gilles has primarily published through academic channels including PRIO (Peace Research Institute Oslo) and scholarly journals such as CONJONCTION, the Franco-Haitian Review of the French Institute of Haiti. His work has been featured in the 'Contemporary Social Sciences' Collection and he has collaborated with institutions like the Center for Studies and Research on the Development of Cultures and Societies (CERDECS).