Zacharias Pieri

Dr. Zacharias Pieri is an Associate Professor of International Relations and National Security at the University of South Florida’s School of Interdisciplinary Global Studies (SIGS), part of the College of Arts and Sciences. He holds a PhD in Ethno-Politics from the University of Exeter, with prior degrees from Exeter and the University of St. Andrews. His research focuses on extremism, religion’s role in conflict, and African security, with notable expertise on Islamist groups like Boko Haram and far-right movements in the U.S.

Pieri’s work bridges academia and policy, advising U.S. and UK governments on African conflicts and contributing to outlets like the BBC and Washington Post. His research interests include white power music cultures, climate activism’s use of music, and negotiations with extremist groups like JNIM in Mali. He has published three books and over 30 peer-reviewed articles, including landmark works on Boko Haram and Tablighi Jamaat.

Teaching areas encompass global security, religious movements, terrorism, and qualitative methodologies. He advises Ph.D. students on topics like religion and conflict, white supremacy, and great power competition. Pieri’s grants include studies on white supremacist music drivers ($45k, 2023) and cybersecurity motivations ($20k, 2023). He chairs USF’s National Security Initiative and serves on committees including the Provost’s Academic Analytics Advisory Group.

Awards include the 2021 Regional Chancellor’s Professional Development Award and 2019 USF Excellence in Research Award. His work frequently intersects with counterterrorism strategies, government briefings, and interdisciplinary collaborations addressing global security challenges.