معرفی
Ana Arjona is Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at Northwestern University, where she teaches courses on political violence, civil war, and drugs and politics. She serves as co-editor-in-chief of Perspectives on Politics and Founding Director of REDESDAL (Network of Studies on Drugs in Latin America). Previously, she directed the Center for the Study of Security and Drugs at Los Andes University in Bogota, Colombia (2018-2019), where she remains an Associate Researcher.
Her educational background includes:
- B.A. from Los Andes University (Colombia), 1999
- Ph.D. in Political Science from Yale University, 2010 (with distinction)
Dr. Arjona's research examines how institutions and individual behavior adapt in violent contexts and how these dynamics persist after violence ends. She investigates the dynamics and legacies of organized violence, particularly civil wars and organized crime, local governance, state building, and political order foundations. Her methodological approach combines qualitative fieldwork with quantitative analysis, primarily focused on Latin America. Her work challenges conventional wisdom about civil war chaos by demonstrating how armed groups establish social order in conflict zones.
Her scholarly trajectory reveals consistent engagement with civil war micro-dynamics, rebel governance, and post-conflict legacies. Arjona's publications demonstrate methodological sophistication bridging qualitative and quantitative approaches, with increasing attention to long-term effects of violence on political participation, economic development, and inequality. Her research has evolved from examining wartime social order to exploring how violence shapes democratic processes and human development outcomes long after conflicts end.
Her notable scientific achievements include:
- Farrell Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, Northwestern University (2018)
- Conflict Research Society Book of the Year Award for Rebelocracy (2018)
- Visiting Fellow, Kellogg Institute for International Studies, University of Notre Dame (2016)
- Public Voices Fellowship with the OpEd project (2014-2015)
- Postdoctoral Fellow, The Earth Institute, Columbia University (2010-2012)
Dr. Arjona has secured substantial research funding from diverse sources including the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation, Social Science Research Council (SSRC), United States Institute of Peace, and international organizations from Canada, Sweden, and the UK. Her policy engagement is evident through her role as Commissioner for Colombia's International Science, Innovation, and Technology Mission. While specific advisees aren't listed, her extensive teaching portfolio indicates active mentorship of students at all levels.
She founded and directs REDESDAL, which connects scholars across Latin America to advance understanding of drug production, trafficking, and consumption while strengthening regional voices in global drug policy debates. This initiative reflects her commitment to building scholarly networks that bridge academic research and policy impact in her region of expertise.
