معرفی
Desirée Nilsson is Professor of Peace and Conflict Research and Director of Studies for the PhD Program at Uppsala University's Department of Peace and Conflict Research within the Faculty of Social Sciences. She leads the Swedish Research Council-funded project Civil Peace: Exploring the Diversity of Civil Society Involvement in Peacemaking and co-investigates research on mediation in civil war.
Her research centers on civil war dynamics and resolution mechanisms, with specific expertise in
- Rebel fragmentation and spoiler management
- Civil society roles in peace processes
- Islamist insurgencies and conflict intractability
- Peacekeeping operations and civilian protection
- Power-sharing agreements in peace settlements
Her 15 most recent publications (2018-2025) reveal three dominant research trajectories: (1) Civil society's strategic role in opening peace negotiation access, (2) The persistent challenges of resolving Islamist conflicts, and (3) Quantitative analysis of peacekeeping's local economic and protective impacts. This body of work consistently bridges theoretical innovation with policy-relevant insights.
Key professional recognitions include:
- Associate Editor of Journal of Peace Research
- Editorial board membership for Conflict Management and Peace Science and International Interactions
- Steering committee membership for Demscore national research infrastructure
- Previous roles with Peace Science Society and Network for European Peace Scientists
Nilsson has secured significant research funding including Swedish Research Council grants and participation in EU H2020's PAVE project. Her international collaborations span institutions like PRIO, Stanford, and Notre Dame where she held visiting fellowships. Current projects analyze civil society coordination during peace negotiations and the declining use of mediation in armed conflicts, with future work likely expanding on religious dimensions of conflict resolution.
