Sabrina Karim

Sabrina Karim is an Associate Professor in the Department of Government at Cornell University and serves as the Associate Director of the Reppy Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies. Her research focuses on conflict and peace processes, particularly state-building in post-civil war contexts, with a geographic emphasis on Sub-Saharan Africa and Bangladesh. She examines international security assistance to post-conflict states and gender reforms in peacekeeping, using experimental methods to explore topics like policing reforms and public perceptions of security sectors. Karim holds affiliations with the Institute for African Development, South Asia Program, and the Reppy Institute’s core faculty roles.

Her work bridges academic rigor and policy relevance, addressing issues such as election violence prevention in Liberia, the impact of epidemics on marginalized populations, and the economic consequences of peacekeeping withdrawal. She has conducted extensive fieldwork in Liberia, Bangladesh, and other post-conflict regions, producing evidence-based insights on gendered security sector reforms and democratic transitions. Karim’s research often integrates experimental designs with qualitative analysis to assess policy interventions, such as gender-balancing measures in police forces and UN peacekeeping mandates.

• Roles: Faculty Associate at Einaudi Center, PACS Steering Committee Member, SAP Faculty Associate
• Research Themes: Peacebuilding, Gender in Security, Post-Conflict Governance, Experimental Methods
• Geographic Regions: Liberia, Bangladesh, Sub-Saharan Africa

Karim’s publications emphasize the interplay between gender equality and conflict dynamics, arguing that women’s inclusion in security sectors and peace processes can reduce violence and improve governance. Her experimental studies in Liberia, such as testing police reforms’ impact on public trust, demonstrate practical applications of her scholarship.