Cyanne E. Loyle

Cyanne E. Loyle is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Pennsylvania State University, affiliated with the College of the Liberal Arts. She is also a Global Fellow at the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) and co-Director of the Northern Ireland Research Initiative (NIRI). Her work focuses on transitional justice during and after conflict, rebel governance systems, and state repression mechanisms. She holds a MA in Holocaust and Genocide Studies from Stockton University and MA/PhD in Political Science from the University of Maryland.

Dr. Loyle’s research combines fieldwork in Rwanda, Uganda, Mozambique, Nepal, Northern Ireland, and Turkey with dataset creation. Notable projects include the Post-Conflict Justice (PCJ) and During-Conflict Justice (DCJ) databases, as well as studies on rebel communication strategies via social media and climate change impacts on rebel governance. She has held prestigious positions such as the Leonard and Sophie Davis Genocide Prevention Fellow at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum (2016–2017).

Her research interests emphasize the strategic use of justice systems by governments and rebels, long-term impacts of judicial institutions on post-conflict stability, and ethical research practices in conflict zones. She has published in journals like Conflict Management and Peace Science, International Studies Quarterly, and Journal of Peace Research.

Dr. Loyle’s grants include funding from the NSF, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and US Institute of Peace. She advises students in graduate courses on civil wars, contentious politics, and human rights. Her current projects explore enforced disappearances in Nepal, climate governance by rebel groups, and the Northern Ireland Troubles dataset.

She leads the Rebel Governance Network and collaborates internationally on peace research. Her forthcoming book Escaping Justice (2025) examines impunity mechanisms in transitional justice contexts.