Prof. Dr. Olena Palko is a historian specializing in Eastern Europe, the Soviet Union, and Ukraine. She holds the SNSF Professorship at the University of Basel's Department of History, focusing on East European History. Her research emphasizes Soviet minority policies, cultural politics, and national identity formation in interwar Ukraine. She is a leading scholar with notable works including Making Ukraine Soviet (2021), awarded the 2023 Alexander Nove Prize. Her current SNF-funded project, Red Tower of Babel , examines Soviet minority experiments in Ukraine. Education: PhD from University of East Anglia (2017); Kandydat nauk from National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (2013). Research Interests: Soviet nationality policy, minority history, Ukrainian twentieth-century history, transnational border dynamics. Her work bridges archival analysis with transnational perspectives, addressing contested borderlands between Poland and the USSR. Key publications include co-edited volumes like Making Ukraine (2022) and Ukraine's Many Faces (2023). She actively contributes to academic governance roles, including co-convening the BASEES Study Group for Minority History and serving on the Scientific Advisory Council of the Council of Europe's history observatory.
Karl Gustafsson is a Professor at Stockholm University within the Department of Economic History and International Relations. His work bridges security studies , collective memory , and digital research methods in international relations. Current Role: Professor of International Relations, Stockholm University Previous Positions: Post-Doc at Lund University, Researcher at Swedish Institute of International Affairs Visiting Appointments: University of Tokyo, Osaka University, Keio University, Academia Sinica, Nordic Institute of Asian Studies Research Focus: Karl specializes in memory politics , ontological security , and anxiety-driven international dynamics , particularly in Sino-Japanese relations and digital platforms . His studies explore how historical narratives and online memory construction influence state identity and policy. Awards & Grants: Recipient of the Wang Gungwu Prize (2014) and Stockholm University Association’s award (2011). Holds Swedish Research Council and Marianne & Marcus Wallenberg Foundation grants for projects on apologies in international politics and digital memory in East Asia . Publications: His work appears in journals such as International Studies Quarterly , European Journal of International Relations , and Memory Studies , addressing topics like narrative power in East Asia, anxiety’s role in policy change , and digital humanities applications in IR.
Adam King is an Assistant Professor in the Labour Studies Program at the Faculty of Arts, University of Manitoba. His research focuses on labor regulation, employment standards enforcement, Indigenous labor dynamics, deindustrialization impacts, and labor market policy. He co-investigates a SSHRC Partnership Grant project on migrant labor in settler-colonial contexts. Education: PhD in Sociology (York University, 2019) MA in History (University of Toronto, 2011) BA in Sociology/History (Trent University, 2010) His research examines the political economy of labor regulation, including enforcement mechanisms in federally regulated sectors and contested Indigenous labor relations. He analyzes deindustrialization's social consequences and contributes to debates on job guarantee proposals and right-wing populism's influence on labor movements. Recent publications explore topics like Indigenous labor law frameworks, precarious creative workers' unionization, and gendered identities in deindustrializing communities. He actively engages with media outlets such as CBC, The Globe and Mail, and The Maple's 'Class Struggle' newsletter.
Raffaella A. Del Sarto is a Full-time Professor holding a Joint Chair in Mediterranean Studies between the Department of Political and Social Sciences and the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies at the European University Institute (EUI). Previously, she served as Associate Professor of Middle East Studies at Johns Hopkins SAIS Europe and held an ERC-funded BORDERLANDS project at the EUI. She earned her PhD (summa cum laude) in International Relations from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a MA in Political Science from Albert-Ludwigs University in Freiburg, Germany. Her research focuses on Middle East-North Africa (MENA) international relations, Europe-MENA relations, regional order dynamics, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Notable works include Borderlands: Europe and the Mediterranean Middle East (2021) and Israel under Siege (2017). She is fluent in English, German, French, Italian, Hebrew, and has intermediate knowledge of Arabic and Spanish. Her publications analyze regional alliances, EU foreign policy, and border governance, reflecting her expertise in qualitative methods and constructivist approaches. Awards include the Robert Schuman Distinguished Fellowship (2019-2020) and Italian habilitation as Full Professor (2019). She advises on topics linking Mediterranean IR with comparative frameworks, emphasizing conceptual innovation beyond 'exceptionalism' narratives. Her research projects include the MENARA initiative (2016-2021) on post-2011 Middle East transformations and the BORDERLANDS ERC project (2011-2017), exploring EU-MENA border dynamics.
Professor Catherine Allerton is a faculty member in the Department of Anthropology at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). She specializes in the materialities and mobilities of everyday life, with a focus on place, kinship, childhood, migration, and temporalities in island Southeast Asia. Her fieldwork spans a two-placed village in Flores, Indonesia, and Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, East Malaysia. Her research emphasizes interdisciplinary ethnographic methods, particularly involving child participants to challenge adult-centric approaches. She launched the 'Childhood in the Migrant City' exhibition using child-taken photographs from her ESRC-sponsored research. Current projects include exploring discordant temporalities between migration systems and childhood development, as well as completing a book manuscript on moral economies of belonging. Key research interests include the social and political dimensions of landscapes, the anthropology of children, and the impacts of legal status on marginalized youth. She teaches an LSE course on 'Children and Youth in Contemporary Ethnography' and actively supervises PhD students focusing on childhood, migration, citizenship, and Southeast Asian studies. Her work addresses exclusionary practices tied to race, religion, and legal frameworks in Malaysia and Indonesia. Languages spoken include Bahasa Manggarai, English, Indonesian, and Malay. No part-time status is mentioned, indicating full-time faculty commitment.
Richard Caplan is Professor of International Relations at the Department of Politics and International Relations (DPIR), University of Oxford, and an Official Fellow of Linacre College. His academic career spans several decades with significant contributions to the field of international relations, particularly in the areas of international organizations, conflict management, and peacebuilding. Professor Caplan holds an MA and PhD from the University of London. His academic journey has included visiting positions at prestigious institutions including the European University Institute (EUI), University of Konstanz, University of Pavia, Princeton University, and Sciences Po (Paris). Professor Caplan's principal research interests focus on international organizations and conflict management, with particular emphasis on peacekeeping and post-conflict peace- and state-building. His work explores critical questions about how international institutions manage conflicts, the effectiveness of peacekeeping operations, and the complex processes of rebuilding societies after conflict. His research has significantly contributed to understanding the challenges of measuring peace, the dynamics of international administration in war-torn territories, and the recognition of new states in contested contexts. Professor Caplan has received considerable recognition for his scholarly contributions through fellowships and grants from leading organizations including the British Academy, the British Council, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the Folke Bernadotte Academy, the John Fell OUP Research Fund, the Leverhulme Trust, the MacArthur Foundation, the Oxford Martin School, and the US Institute of Peace. As a dedicated educator and mentor, Professor Caplan has supervised numerous graduate students including Ishrat Hossain, Ebenezer Azamati, Michaela Coplen, Lucy Maycox, John Helferich, Gwendolyn Whidden, Alejandro Posada Téllez, Colm Trant, Salma Daoudi, Nadila Ali, and Katharina Engel. His current research focuses on the aftermath of UN peacekeeping operations through the ESRC-funded "After Exit" project, which investigates conditions in countries following the withdrawal of large-scale UN peacekeeping missions. Professor Caplan leads the "After Exit" research team, which includes collaborators from Oxford, Cornell University, and the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Previously, he contributed to the Oxford Martin Programme on Transboundary Resource Management, which explored cross-border cooperation on natural resource management in the eastern Nile River Basin and the Jordan River Basin.
Muhammad Farooq is an Assistant Professor of English at Seton Hall University's Department of English. He specializes in 20th- and 21st-century British, postcolonial, and global Anglophone literature, with research focusing on postcolonial studies, necropolitics, memory, and spatial literary studies. His current book project, The Production of Necrospace: Literary Imaginary and Ungrievable Lives in the Af-Pak Frontier , examines necrogeographies through literary texts from the British colonial era to contemporary Af-Pak works. Education: PhD in English, Kent State University (2023) His research explores intersections between literature and socio-political structures, particularly in contested regions like the Afghanistan-Pakistan frontier. Farooq’s work often addresses how literature conceptualizes spaces of death (necrospace) and the politics of grievability. His recent publications analyze Afghan American fiction’s soundscapes, Pashto poetry’s engagement with drone warfare, and modernist narratives like Virginia Woolf’s works. He has received multiple awards including the 2024 University Research Council Grant and the 2023 Ohio International Consortium Award. Farooq teaches courses such as Postcolonial Theory and Literature and Death, Memory, and Resilience , emphasizing critical thinking across cultural divides. Grants: University Research Council Grant (2024), Newberry Renaissance Consortium Grant (2020) No specific labs or research teams are mentioned, but his interdisciplinary approach bridges literary analysis with geopolitical and cultural studies.
Chia-rong Wu serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Global, Cultural and Language Studies at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, holding this position since June 2019. His academic work centers on Sinophone literature, film, and video games through postcolonial theories, Indigenous studies, diaspora, and ecocriticism frameworks. Dr. Wu earned his PhD in Comparative Literature from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His scholarly contributions include two monographs: Supernatural Sinophone Taiwan and Beyond (Cambria Press, 2016) and Remapping the Contested Sinosphere: The Cross-cultural Landscape and Ethnoscape of Taiwan (Cambria Press, 2020). He has co-edited Taiwan Literature in the 21st Century: A Critical Reader (Springer, 2023) and is preparing The Southern Discourse in Sinophone Literature: Moving Borders (Routledge, forthcoming September 2025). His research examines cultural production across Taiwan and the Sinophone world, with particular focus on how literature, film, and video games engage with historical trauma, identity formation, and cultural politics. Recent projects explore youth narratives in Taiwanese horror video games, Indigenous perspectives on Oceanic Taiwan, and the global South discourse in Sinophone literature, revealing connections between transnational migration, racial dynamics, gender politics, and indigenous awareness. Dr. Wu serves as executive editor and Advisory Board member of Taiwan Lit and the Global Sinosphere (ISSN: 2994-6816), and holds positions on the Board of the American Association for Chinese Studies, the International Advisory Board of Interdisciplinary and Transcultural Approaches to Chinese Literature (Routledge Book Series), and the Cultural History Editorial Advisory Board (Bloomsbury Book Series). Currently supervising PhD students in Sinophone literary and cultural studies, Dr. Wu is developing a new monograph focused on transmedia narratives of youth politics, continuing his exploration of how contemporary media forms engage with political consciousness and historical memory in Taiwan and beyond.
Alberto Salvo is an Associate Professor at the National University of Singapore (NUS), holding a PhD from the London School of Economics. His research spans environmental economics, industrial organisation, and applied microeconomics, with a focus on urban pollution, consumer behavior, and climate action. Environmental Economics & Policy (Undergraduate) Economics of the Environment (PhD) Advanced Industrial Organisation (PhD) His work examines air pollution impacts on health and productivity, fuel switching dynamics in megacities, and behavioral responses to environmental stress. Recent publications analyze particulate pollution in China, temperature effects in tropical cities, and plastic waste patterns linked to food delivery. Notable awards include the JAERE Best Paper Award (2020), Robert Mundell Prize (2010), and Antitrust Policy Award (2007). His collaborations span institutions in Brazil, China, and Singapore.
Loretta Lees is a Professor & Faculty Director of the Initiative on Cities at Boston University. She previously held professorships at Leicester University and King’s College London. Her research focuses on gentrification, urban regeneration, global urbanism, and urban policy. She has authored/co-authored 14 books, including seminal works like Planetary Gentrification and Gentrification . Lees is a leading scholar-activist, advocating for just urban policies through collaborations with residents, planners, and policymakers. She chairs the London Housing Panel and has been recognized with fellowships from Academia Europaea (2022), UK Higher Education Academy (2018), and the Royal Society for the Arts (2012). Education: University of Edinburgh, U.K. Research Interests: Gentrification processes and their global manifestations Urban public space and defensible space theory State-led urban regeneration and displacement Activism and urban policy advocacy Awards: Marilyn J. Gittell Activist Scholar Award (2022) Fellow of Academia Europaea (2022) Fellow of Royal Society for the Arts (2012) Grants & Advocacy: Lees has worked with the Mayor of London and Trust for London to address housing inequities. Her research often bridges academic rigor with practical policy interventions, emphasizing participatory approaches. Labs/Teams: She leads the Initiative on Cities, a multidisciplinary urban research hub at Boston University.
Kate Ogg is Professor and Associate Dean (Higher Degree Research) at ANU Law School. Her interdisciplinary research examines refugee law, human rights litigation, and feminist legal theory through works including the monograph 'Protection from Refuge: From Refugee Rights to Migration Management'. Ogg's scholarship investigates how courts shape refugee journeys globally. She holds a BA/LLB (First Class Honours, University Medal) from Griffith University, MSc (Distinction) from Oxford, and PhD from ANU. Ogg provides expert testimony to the Australian Federal Parliament and contributes to international media discourse on refugee policy. Research Focus: Current ARC-funded projects examine community sponsorship for refugees and movement litigation. Key research streams include: COVID-19 border restrictions' impact on citizenship conceptualizations Feminist engagements with international refugee law Deliberative democratic approaches to human rights adjudication Constitutional struggles in displacement contexts Recent publications analyze pandemic border controls as internal displacement events and refugee law's response to democratic backsliding. Collaborative work advances methodological innovation through refugee-centered legal scholarship. Leadership: As Director of the Rewriting Jurisprudence project, Ogg collaborates with scholars and lawyers with displacement experiences to reimagine legal precedents. She co-leads the Law, Governance & Institutions cluster at ANU's Institute for Climate, Energy & Disaster Solutions.
David Manuel Bozzini is a Full Professor at the University of Fribourg , affiliated with the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences within the Department of Social Sciences . He also serves as a Lecturer in the Department of Computer Science (Faculty of Science and Medicine), indicating interdisciplinary expertise. Joined University: 2017 Research Focus: Bozzini's work examines state surveillance mechanisms in militarized contexts, particularly in Eritrea and its diaspora. His research spans political anthropology, digital security, and cryptography, analyzing how insecurity is socially constructed and resisted through both traditional and technological means. Publications: His recent works explore: Ethnographic analysis of surveillance practices Digital repression in authoritarian regimes Political mobilization among exiles Technological resistance strategies Contact: Email: david.bozzini@unifr.ch Phone: +41 26 300 7840
Jaremey McMullin is a Senior Lecturer in the School of International Relations at the University of St Andrews, where he conducts research on post-conflict reintegration, youth peacebuilding, and veterans' politics. His work spans academic research, policy advising, and documentary filmmaking, with a focus on Liberia and the United States. Education: PhD in International Relations, University of Oxford (2006) Master of Studies in Forced Migration, University of Oxford (2001) MA in Comparative Ethnic Conflict, Queen's University Belfast (2000) BA in Government (International Relations) and Italian, Georgetown University (1999) His research centers on disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR), particularly how ex-combatant youth reintegrate through livelihoods like motorcycling in Liberia. He investigates veterans’ return, stigma, and peer support, employing qualitative and ethnographic methods. His 2013 monograph Ex-Combatants and the Post-Conflict State is a key contribution to the field. His recent work explores gendered dynamics in peace processes and youth-led peacebuilding narratives. McMullin’s publications span top journals such as Review of International Studies , Peacebuilding , and Conflict, Security & Development . His recent articles examine masculinities in peace processes, community dialogues in the Mano River Basin, and the role of documentary filmmaking in peace research. He integrates visual media into scholarship, producing acclaimed films like Silkies and Liberia: Legacies of Peace . Scientific Awards and Recognition: Award of Recognition, Close:Up Edinburgh Docufest (2020) Official Selection, Ethnografilm, Paris (2022) Official Selection, Film for Peace, Toronto (2020, 2021) Official Selection, MHSA Film Festival, Colorado (2021) He advises the United Nations on DDR programming, serving on the Research Working Group of the Integrated DDR Training Group. He has led multiple funded projects, including those supported by the Scottish Funding Council. He regularly delivers invited talks and participates in international policy workshops. He supervises graduate research and contributes to public discourse through media engagement and peer review. McMullin is actively involved in research networks and has contributed to public policy impacts, particularly in shaping UN approaches to ex-combatant reintegration. His work supports UN Sustainable Development Goals related to peace, justice, and strong institutions.
Dr Zbigniew Wojnowski is Associate Professor in Soviet History at St Antony’s College, University of Oxford . He completed his PhD at the School of Slavonic and East European Studies, UCL in 2011, and previously held posts at Nazarbayev University (Astana) and the University of Roehampton (London), joining Oxford in 2022. Education: PhD, School of Slavonic and East European Studies, University College London, 2011 Research Interests: Dr Wojnowski is a historian of Ukraine, Russia, and Central Asia whose work explores interethnic relations , imperial dynamics and identity politics in the USSR. His first monograph, The Near Abroad: Socialist Eastern Europe and Soviet Patriotism in Ukraine, 1956-1985 , traces how cross-border flows of people and ideas shaped Ukrainian and Soviet identities after Stalin. Current projects extend this focus into the 1980s-1990s, examining the collapse of the USSR through the prism of Soviet and post-Soviet show business , and an environmental history of late-twentieth-century Kazakhstan . Research Keywords: Cold War, Soviet bloc, systemic transformation, popular music, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, USSR, Central Asia, East-Central Europe. Publications Trends: Across more than twenty peer-reviewed articles and essays, Wojnowski’s scholarship bridges Soviet cultural policy , popular music industries , nationality politics and post-socialist transition . Recurring themes include the emotional and cultural dimensions of late socialism, the role of music and media in identity formation, and the legacies of 1956, 1968 and 1989 in Soviet borderlands. Current & Future Projects: Book project: From Red Stars to Pop Empires: Show Business and the Collapse of the USSR Environmental history of Kazakhstan in the late Soviet period Supervision of doctoral research on non-Russian Soviet republics, systemic transformation and USSR-Cold-War intersections Laboratory / Research Groups: While no formal lab is listed, Dr Wojnowski is embedded within Oxford’s vibrant Russian and Eurasian Studies community at St Antony’s College and welcomes prospective graduate students interested in late-Soviet and post-Soviet history.
Dr. Halefom Abraha is an Assistant Professor at the International and European Law (IER) Department of Utrecht University's School of Law. He specializes in Digital Human Rights, focusing on privacy, data protection, AI regulation, and algorithmic management in labor markets. His research addresses cross-border data access for law enforcement and digital sovereignty. Abraha holds a joint PhD from the University of Malta and Edith Cowan University (Australia) for his thesis on 'Cross-Border Data Access for Law Enforcement Purposes,' which earned the 2021 Dean's Award for Academic Excellence. He completed postdoctoral research at the Bonavero Institute of Human Rights, University of Oxford (2021-2024), and has advised the European Parliament’s LIBE Committee. His expertise spans EU and international law, with notable fellowships including Marie Sklodowska-Curie ITN (2017-2020) and AFRINIC (2017). Abraha is affiliated with the Netherlands Institute of Human Rights (SIM) and RENFORCE, focusing on governance challenges in the digital society. His research areas include the Future of Work under digital transformation, Security in Open Societies, and Contesting Governance paradigms. Key publications address workplace data protection frameworks, algorithmic management regulation, and cross-border data governance. Abraha advocates for contextualized legal solutions balancing innovation with human rights protections.
