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Dr Vera Axyonova is an Assistant Professor at the University of Birmingham's Department of Political Science and International Studies within the School of Government. Holding a PhD from the University of Bremen and Jacobs University Bremen, she has held prestigious positions including Marie Skłodowska-Curie REWIRE Fellow at the University of Vienna and Hurford Next Generation Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment. PhD: University of Bremen & Jacobs University Bremen (2013) MA: Fulda University of Applied Sciences (2008) Diploma: East Kazakhstan State University (2006) Her research focuses on international crisis management, cross-border norm transfer, and knowledge production in conflict environments. Recent projects examine European normative engagements in Eastern Europe and academic freedom challenges during forced migration. Her publications appear in top-tier journals like Peacebuilding and European Security . Notable awards include the Marie Skłodowska-Curie REWIRE Fellowship and Carnegie Endowment's Hurford Next Generation Fellowship. She co-chairs the ECPR Research Network on Statehood and Sovereignty and has held visiting positions at European University Institute, Freie Universität Berlin, and George Washington University.

• International Relations
• Conflict Management
• Normative Power in Global Politics
• +3 more

Andrea Ruggeri is a Professor of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Oxford, affiliated with Brasenose College and the Department of Politics and International Relations (DPIR). He previously served as Assistant Professor at the University of Amsterdam and earned his PhD from the University of Essex. His research focuses on civil wars, peacekeeping, and collective political violence, with a regional emphasis on Africa and the Middle East. Ruggeri has published in top journals like the British Journal of Political Science and International Security, and his book Composing Peace examines UN peacekeeping mission composition. His academic roles include directing the Centre for International Studies and serving on editorial boards of journals like the Journal of Peace Research. Ruggeri has advised on policy briefs for the UN and NATO, emphasizing data-driven approaches to peacekeeping effectiveness. He has supervised numerous students and contributed to teaching at both undergraduate and graduate levels, integrating quantitative methods through initiatives like the Oxford Q-Step Centre. Ruggeri’s awards include the 2022 Teaching Excellence Award and recognition for Composing Peace being shortlisted for a top literary award. His work bridges quantitative and qualitative methods, exploring themes like conflict management, human rights, and the impact of ideology on political violence.

• Civil Wars
• Peacekeeping
• Collective Political Violence
• +6 more

Dr. Meera Sabaratnam is an Associate Professor of International Relations at the University of Oxford and a Tutorial Fellow in Politics at New College. She previously held positions at SOAS University of London, the University of Cambridge, and the London School of Economics (LSE), where she earned her MSc and PhD. Her work focuses on the colonial and postcolonial dimensions of world politics, challenging Eurocentric frameworks in International Relations (IR) theory and practice. Education MA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE), Balliol College, University of Oxford MSc and PhD in International Relations, London School of Economics (LSE) Her research examines how imperial histories shape contemporary international order, with a particular focus on structural violence , epistemic justice , and anti-colonial resistance . She is currently writing a book titled Complex Indebtedness , analyzing material and moral debts in the liberal international order. Scientific Awards and Grants : Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy Leverhulme Trust Research Fellowship RF-2021-235 Co-investigator for Czech Science Foundation grant (2025-2027) on postcolonial order Previous funding from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Dr. Sabaratnam co-founded the Colonial/Postcolonial/Decolonial Working Group at the British International Studies Association (BISA) and serves on editorial boards of International Studies Quarterly , Security Dialogue , and Cambridge Review of International Affairs . Her methodological innovations include contrapuntal analysis and histories from below , particularly in studying the Great War's impact on southeast Africa.

• Colonial and Postcolonial Studies
• International Relations Theory
• Peacebuilding and Development Assistance
• +4 more

Tarik Oumazzane is an Assistant Professor in Middle East and North African Studies at the Faculty of Arts, University of Nottingham . His expertise spans North African Studies, Middle East Politics, Decolonization, and Peacebuilding , with a focus on Moroccan-British relations and South-South cooperation . Specializes in Political Economy of regional integration in the MENA region. Research interests include decolonization in Africa , Islamic history , and post-Arab Spring dynamics . Dr. Oumazzane has taught modules such as 'International History of the Middle East and North Africa' and 'Liberating Africa: Decolonisation, Development and the Cold War' . He has presented research at international conferences in Prague, Sarajevo, Athens, and London . His recent book, Regional Integration in the Middle East and North Africa , explores trade and peace dynamics. He is a member of academic associations including BRISMES, BISA, and ISA , and is fluent in English, Arabic, French, and Spanish .

• Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Studies
• Decolonization
• Political Economy
• +7 more

Maria Kett is a Professor of Humanitarianism and Social Inclusion at University College London (UCL), working in the Epidemiology & Public Health department. She is a leading social anthropologist with cross-disciplinary expertise in disability, global health, development studies, and humanitarian policy. Education: PhD from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London Her research focuses on disability inclusion in humanitarian contexts, climate justice, and health equity. She co-founded the Global Disability Innovation Hub and has shaped UN policies on disability inclusion. Publications Trends Recent work spans: assistive technology in disasters, AI ethics in humanitarianism, climate-resilient development, conflict health systems, and intersectional marginalization in Nepal. She emphasizes participatory approaches and policy translation. Teaching Programme Director for UCL's MSc Humanitarian Policy and Practice , with experience supervising PhD students in humanitarian research areas.

• Global Health
• Public Health
• Development Studies
• +5 more

Dr. Drew Mikhael is a Research Fellow at Queen’s University Belfast and a Visiting Scholar in the School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics. His work focuses on marginalization in ethnically divided societies, particularly in contexts managed by consociational power-sharing systems. He holds a PhD from Queen’s University Belfast (2014) examining Lebanon’s control mechanisms over Palestinian refugees. His research employs participatory methods to empower marginalized groups, including capacity-building workshops and policy co-creation. He advises international stakeholders like UNHCR, British Council, and Christian Aid. Key projects include the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust’s Transforming Divided Societies initiative and the ESRC’s Exclusion amid Inclusion study. Publications highlight themes such as refugee youth inclusion, conflict resilience, and UK ethnic disparities. His recent articles address Lebanon’s political crises and integrated peacebuilding strategies. He actively collaborates with global institutions to bridge academic research and policy impact.

• Conflict Studies
• Refugee Studies
• Ethnic Conflict
• +3 more

Professor Zoe Marriage is a leading scholar in the Department of Development Studies at SOAS University of London, specializing in the intersections of conflict, security, and development with particular expertise on African contexts including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, and South Sudan. As a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, she maintains an active teaching and supervision profile alongside her research. Department of Development Studies, SOAS University of London Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy Active PhD supervisor with multiple recent completions Marriage's research trajectory began with humanitarian assistance studies in conflict zones, evolving into deeper investigations of security conceptualization in contexts of structural violence, and most recently exploring cultural resistance through unconventional frameworks like capoeira. Her work consistently centers on marginalized voices excluded from formal security debates, examining alternative pathways to security constructed from below. Her three major monographs trace this evolution: Not Breaking the Rules, Not Playing the Game (2006) on humanitarian assistance, Formal Peace and Informal War (2013) on Congolese security conceptualizations, and Cultural Resistance and Security from Below (2019) on capoeira as resistance. Analysis of Marriage's recent publications reveals a sustained focus on African political economies of conflict, with increasing attention to cultural and embodied forms of resistance. Her 2024 publications continue examining South Sudanese state formation while maintaining her Congo expertise, demonstrating remarkable longevity in regional specialization combined with methodological innovation through cultural analysis. As an active PhD supervisor, Marriage mentors students working on diverse security governance topics across Africa including South Sudanese displacement, Ghanaian land conflicts, Congolese judicial reform, and Sierra Leonean decentralization. Her supervision portfolio reflects her interdisciplinary approach bridging political science, anthropology, and development studies. Marriage leads the reDe research group (visible through her website URL), which appears to focus on reimagining development and security paradigms through critical and cultural lenses, though specific details about the group's structure require further investigation.

• Conflict Studies
• Security Studies
• Development Studies
• +4 more

Dr. Aiko Holvikivi is an Assistant Professor of Gender, Peace and Security at the LSE Department of Gender Studies and an Associate Academic at the LSE Centre for Women, Peace and Security. She holds a PhD from LSE (2019), an MA in Political Science from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (Geneva), and a BA in International Relations from the University of St Andrews. Her research focuses on transnational movements of knowledge and people, particularly Gender training in peacekeeping Anti-gender politics Forced displacement in the WPS agenda Her monograph Fixing Gender: The Paradoxical Politics of Peacekeeper Training (Oxford UP, 2024) examines how gender training in peacekeeping produces paradoxical outcomes. She co-edited Transnational Anti-Gender Politics (Palgrave, 2024), analyzing global feminist resistance strategies. Awards: 2020 Michael Nicholson Thesis Prize, ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowship, multiple LSE teaching awards. Policy Engagement: Adviser to the Elsie Initiative for Women in Peace Operations and the UN Security Sector Reform Network. Previously worked at DCAF and the EU's Home Affairs Directorate. Teaching: Director of the MSc Gender, Peace and Security programme. Courses include Gender Theories and Thematic Topics in Gender (In)Security. Research Grants: OSUN Transnational Feminism Grant (2022), ESRC Fellowship (2020), LSE PhD Studentship (2015–2019).

• Women, Peace and Security
• Gender Training
• Peacekeeping
• +3 more

Dr. Anna Getmansky is an Associate Professor of International Relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) , based in the Department of International Relations. Her research focuses on the sources and consequences of intrastate and interstate conflicts, particularly examining how domestic political institutions influence conflict dynamics. She specializes in quantitative analysis of conflicts, including case studies on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Syrian refugee crises, and terrorism policy design. Her work explores topics such as Ethnic bias toward refugees in co-religious societies Public opinion shifts during interstate conflicts Military service’s impact on partisan preferences International organizations’ resource allocation mechanisms Dr. Getmansky’s recent publications analyze methodological pitfalls in terrorism research, refugee integration challenges, and the political ramifications of wartime experiences. She is actively supervising PhD students focusing on quantitative conflict analysis and welcomes applications for 2025/26. Her research has been published in top journals across political science and international relations, with a focus on empirical rigor and policy relevance.

• Conflict
• Terrorism
• Refugees
• +3 more

Dr. Maggie Dwyer serves as Senior Lecturer in African Studies and International Development at the University of Edinburgh, specializing in African security dynamics, peacekeeping operations, and political violence. Her research examines military institutions across West Africa with fieldwork conducted in Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, The Gambia, Liberia, Tanzania, and Kenya. Her primary research interests focus on African militaries , international peacekeeping interventions , and political transitions , particularly analyzing how security forces navigate democratic transitions and post-conflict environments. She investigates the social dimensions of military service including soldiers' family dynamics during deployments and the political implications of social media in African governance. Recent publications reveal consistent thematic development across three interconnected domains: (1) Peacekeeping effects on veterans and contributing nations, (2) Military fragmentation and coup dynamics in West Africa, and (3) Digital politics and security sector communication. Her 2023-2025 work increasingly examines post-deployment veteran welfare and transitional security challenges in The Gambia following the 2017 democratic transition. Dr. Dwyer has secured significant research funding including the ESRC-funded 'Return from Peacekeeping' project (2019-2024), Gerda Henkel Foundation support, Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation grants, and UKRI Global Challenges Research Fund awards. She has collaborated with Peace Research Institute Oslo and contributed to projects involving the U.S. State Department and World Bank. Her academic supervision focuses on African politics, peace and conflict studies, and security-development nexus topics for PhD candidates in African Studies, Politics, and International Development programs. She maintains active research partnerships with institutions across Africa and regularly contributes policy analysis to international media outlets including Washington Post, New Lines Magazine, and African Arguments.

• African Politics
• International Relations
• Peacekeeping
• +7 more

Elly Harrowell is an Assistant Professor at Coventry University's Research Centre for Peace and Security. Her research focuses on the intersection of peacebuilding, cultural heritage, and conflict transformation, with a particular emphasis on post-conflict and post-disaster reconstruction. She holds a PhD in Geography from the University of Birmingham (2015), an MA in Conflict Resolution from the University of Bradford, and a BA in French with International Studies from the University of Warwick. Her work integrates peace and conflict studies, political geography, and critical heritage studies to address how communities recover sustainably after crises. Key collaborations include projects with UNESCO, ICCROM, and the Erste Stiftung, leading to tools like the PATH framework for heritage recovery. She has conducted fieldwork in conflict-affected regions including Palestine, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, China, and Kyrgyzstan, exploring topics like memorialization, violent extremism, and youth agency in peacebuilding. Elly has organized major conferences like the UK’s first Peace Geographies event and contributed to initiatives such as a hybrid theatre performance on forgiveness. Her research aligns with UN SDGs, particularly those addressing peace, justice, and sustainable cities. She supervises PhD students and actively engages in policy discussions through workshops with international stakeholders.

• Peacebuilding
• Post-conflict reconstruction
• Cultural heritage
• +3 more

Chas Morrison is an Assistant Professor at Coventry University’s Research Centre for Peace and Security, specializing in conflict and disaster response. His academic career combines practical experience with NGOs in East Africa and South Asia, focusing on humanitarian reconstruction and civilian protection. He teaches postgraduate courses in project management and operating in challenging environments. Research Interests: Conflict Response, Disaster Reconstruction, Civil Society, Civilian Protection. Key projects include studies on civilian protection in Syria’s urban sieges, post-earthquake Nepal’s community-led reconstruction, and faith groups in Sri Lanka’s conflict dynamics. His work emphasizes participatory approaches, challenging donor-centric frameworks and advocating for technology-driven innovations in crisis management. Notable contributions include research on Buddhist extremism in Sri Lanka and the role of youth in peacebuilding in Bosnia. Projects funded by the EU, IIED, and DEC highlight his engagement with global humanitarian challenges. Morrison’s vision prioritizes listening to affected communities and leveraging new technologies to transform disaster and conflict response systems.

• Conflict Response
• Disaster Reconstruction
• Civil Society
• +3 more

Dr. Jonathan R. Beloff is a Research Associate at King’s College London’s Department of War Studies within the School of Security Studies. His work focuses on the regional politics, security, and development of the African Great Lakes region, particularly Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. He holds a PhD in Politics and International Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), a Master of Science in International Development and Humanitarian Assistance from New York University, and a Bachelor of Arts from Richard Stockton University of New Jersey. Research Interests : Central African Politics, Security and Development, Post-Genocide Reconstruction, Global North-South Relations, African Foreign Policy, Regional Security Dynamics, Military Strategy Affiliations : Kigali Genocide Memorial (Visiting Researcher) Dr. Beloff’s research examines military decision-making during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, focusing on the strategic implications of the Rwanda Patriotic Army’s actions. His publications include the 2021 book Foreign Policy in Post-Genocide Rwanda: Elite Perceptions of Global Engagement (Routledge) and numerous peer-reviewed articles in journals like African Security Review and Genocide Studies and Prevention . He has conducted fieldwork in Rwanda since 2008, collaborating with local institutions such as the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide and advising international policymakers on Central and East African affairs. His work bridges political science, genocide studies, and military strategy, with a particular emphasis on localized norm-building and the securitization of historical memory. Current projects include analyzing Rwanda’s diplomatic realignments (e.g., shifting engagement from France to the UK) and the strategic consequences of global conflicts (e.g., Ukraine-Russia war) on African states.

• Central African Politics
• Security and Development
• Post-Genocide Reconstruction
• +4 more

Tiril Høye Rahn is a DPhil (PhD) candidate and Research Assistant at the University of Oxford's Department of Politics and International Relations, affiliated with Hertford College. She holds dual roles as a UNAI Research Assistant and member of the Oxford Conflict, Peace & Security Hub. Her research focuses on peacekeeping, humanitarian access, and civilian protection in conflict zones, employing data-driven methodologies. Rahn is also a co-founder of Oxford’s Diplomatic Society and research associate at the John Porter Diplomacy Centre. Education: Bachelor’s in Political Science & Peace Studies from NYU Abu Dhabi (2016-2020) MPhil in International Relations from Hertford College, Oxford (2020-2022), funded by the Aker Scholarship Current DPhil candidate at Oxford Research Interests: Rahn combines academic rigor with practical policy impact, analyzing UN peacekeeping deployments, humanitarian access barriers, and diplomatic innovation. She emphasizes the interconnectedness of global sustainability challenges with conflict resolution, advocating for inclusive peace processes involving non-state actors. Awards: Recognized as one of Norway’s '30 under 30' leaders (2021), recipient of the Red Cross Research Grant (2021), and Aker Scholarship (2020-2022). Her work has been supported by prestigious institutions including PRIO and the Oxford-Radcliffe Scholarship. Professional Activities: Previously managed NATO defense projects, participated in UN Security Council peacekeeping negotiations for the UK Mission, and contributed to the UNAI Peace Hub at Oxford. Her eight-year part-time role at the Nobel Peace Center (2014-2022) shaped her early commitment to peacebuilding. Labs/Teams: Active collaborator in the Oxford Diplomatic Society (founded 2020) and affiliated with the John Porter Diplomacy Centre’s peacekeeping research initiatives.

• Peacekeeping
• Protection of Civilians
• Humanitarian Access
• +3 more

Dr Ezechiel Sentama is an Assistant Professor at Coventry University's Research Centre for Peace and Security, specializing in peacebuilding, transitional justice, and reconciliation. He has over 20 years of academic and research experience, with a PhD in Peace and Development Research from the University of Gothenburg (2010). His roles include leadership in research departments and advisory roles at institutions like the University of Rwanda and Rwanda Management Institute. Dr Sentama's work focuses on marginalized communities in post-conflict societies, particularly in Rwanda and the Global South. Education: PhD in Peace and Development Research, University of Gothenburg (2010) Master’s in Administration, University of the Western Cape (South Africa) Bachelor’s in Public Administration, National University of Rwanda Certifications in Local Democracy, Peacebuilding, Genocide Studies, and Security Paradigms Research Interests: Dr Sentama’s work bridges academic and applied research in peace education, public administration, climate change, and reconciliation. He emphasizes vulnerable populations, including Indigenous Twa communities, queer individuals, and Black youth. His recent projects include ‘Safe Spaces for Black Children’ (UK) and ‘European University Peace Education’ in Ethiopia/Sudan. Article Trends: His publications (2020–2025) analyze reconciliation mechanisms in post-genocide Rwanda, colonial legacies, and grassroots peacebuilding in Africa. Key themes include counter-narratives, cooperative economics, and marginalized identities. Awards: Transitional Justice and Reconciliation Fellowship (2019) Grants & Advising: Co-Investigator on projects funded by Barnardos (UK), British Council, and Marie S. Curie. Supervised MA dissertations at Clark University, Andrews University, and Linnaeus University. Former roles include ‘Head of Research Department’ at Rwanda’s Centre for Conflict Management (2014–2017). Teams/Labs: Leads the Africa Research Hub at Coventry University, collaborating internationally on peace education and transitional justice initiatives.

• Peacebuilding
• Peace Education
• Transitional Justice
• +6 more