Kieran Mitton

Kieran Mitton is a Reader in Conflict, Security and Development at King's College London's Department of War Studies. He serves as Research Director of the Conflict, Security & Development Research Group and co-Chair of the Africa Research Group. His work focuses on urban violence, youth marginality, and the crime-conflict nexus, with fieldwork in Sierra Leone, Brazil, South Africa, and the UK. He holds a PhD from King's College London and has consulted for international organizations like the Igarapé Institute and the Safety and Violence Initiative.

• B.A. Politics & Philosophy, University of York
• PhD, King's College London

Research interests include:

• Comparative analysis of urban violence across global cities
• Effectiveness of public health vs securitized approaches to violence reduction
• Psychological dimensions of atrocity in civil wars

Recent projects include a British Academy-funded study on Sierra Leonean street gangs and collaborative work with Fourah Bay College. His 2015 book Rebels in a Rotten State remains a seminal work on Sierra Leonean conflict atrocities.

Teaching responsibilities include MA courses on Conflict & Development and PhD supervision spanning 10+ students researching topics from Colombian reintegration to Nigerian military politics.