Robert R. Sauders

Robert R. Sauders is a Professor in the Department of Geosciences at Eastern Washington University. His work bridges political anthropology, political geography, and geographic information systems (GIS) to examine transnational activism, cooperative peacebuilding, and the intersection of space/place with conflict dynamics. Specializing in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, he conducts fieldwork with activist groups, peace initiatives, and NGOs to analyze socio-political-economic dimensions of conflict. He uses GIS to map issues ranging from homelessness in Spokane to the Israeli separation barrier's spatial impact.

His research emphasizes cultural heritage's role in Palestinian national identity and conflict resolution. He has explored urbanization's impact on heritage sites in Ramallah, Ukrainian civil society dynamics, and material culture analysis in Jordan. Saunders holds a PhD and has advised numerous projects linking geospatial data to socio-political challenges.

Notable contributions include examining graffiti as resistance, cooperative grassroots peace strategies, and the liminal status of Palestinian cultural heritage. His work underscores the practical and theoretical connections between space, identity, and conflict mitigation.