Oliver Walton

Oliver Walton is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Social & Policy Sciences at the University of Bath, with affiliations to the Centre for Development Studies, MENA Social Policy Network, and Centre for the Study of Violence. He specializes in the political economy of post-conflict transitions, NGO legitimacy, and social policy’s role in peacebuilding.

• PhD in International Development from SOAS, University of London (2010)
• Director of Learning and Teaching, Department of Social and Policy Sciences

His research centers on the interplay between conflict and development, particularly how borderlands and brokers shape post-war political settlements. Recent projects analyze social protection as a tool for sustainable peace in the MENA region, and historical shifts in Sri Lankan and Nepali post-war governance.

Oliver’s 15 most recent publications (2021-2025) reveal a consistent focus on NGO legitimacy, security-development nexus, and conflict-sensitive social policy. Themes include brokerage dynamics, state-periphery relations, and humanitarian responses to conflict, with regional expertise in South Asia and the Middle East.

• Mary Tasker Award for Excellence in Teaching (2019)

As Director of Learning and Teaching, he oversees curriculum design and pedagogical innovation. He has secured major grants from the Arts and Humanities Research Council for projects on conflict and social protection and frontier governance, collaborating with institutions like the University of Birmingham and Royal Navy archives.