Jennifer Hazen

Jennifer M. Hazen is an Adjunct Research Associate Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Public Policy Department. She concurrently serves as a Civil-Military Advisor with ZemiTek, supporting USAID and the U.S. Department of Defense. Previously, she held roles including Chair of Africa Regional Studies at the U.S. State Department's Foreign Service Institute, Senior Advisor at U.S. Africa Command, and Research Fellow at institutions like the University of Texas and the Small Arms Survey.

Educated at the University of Michigan (BA in Political Science) and Georgetown University (MA and PhD in International Relations), her research focuses on armed groups, conflict dynamics, and post-conflict peacebuilding. Key publications include the co-edited Global Gangs (2014) and her monograph What Rebels Want (2014).

Her work bridges academia and policy, addressing transnational threats, peace processes, and security challenges. Teaching roles have included positions at UNC Chapel Hill, Georgetown University, and the United Nations University for Peace.