Giulia Piccolino

Giulia Piccolino is a Senior Lecturer in Politics & International Relations at Loughborough University and an Associate Research Fellow at the GIGA Institute of Global and Area Studies. She holds a PhD from the University of Florence (2012), with research focused on nationalism and conflict dynamics in Côte d’Ivoire. Her work integrates field experience in electoral observation (UN, Carter Center) with academic analysis of post-conflict governance, peacebuilding, and regional integration in Africa.

Research Interests: Her scholarship examines rebel governance legacies, civilian agency under conflict, and the intersection of international norms with local peace processes. Key themes include identification politics, victor’s peace dynamics, and neoliberal peacebuilding strategies. She critiques how global risk regimes impact African studies research and advocates for engaged pedagogic practices linking academia to societal transformation.

Publications Trends: Her articles (2016–2025) consistently analyze Côte d’Ivoire’s post-civil war trajectory, regional integration mechanisms in West Africa, and the evolving paradigms of UN peace operations. Recent work extends to Colombia’s stabilization post-2018 and the paradoxes of bottom-up peacebuilding.

Awards & Grants: No specific awards listed, though her editorial roles (Third World Quarterly, African Security) reflect peer recognition. Her research has been supported by post-doctoral fellowships at GIGA and the University of Pretoria.

Labs/Teams: Co-leads projects on rebel governance and post-conflict institutions through Loughborough’s Politics Department and collaborates with GIGA on regional integration studies. Active in editorial leadership to advance critical perspectives in African security studies.