Sarah Kenyon Lischer

Sarah Kenyon Lischer is an Associate Professor in the Department of Politics and International Affairs at Wake Forest University. Her work focuses on international security, conflict resolution, human rights, refugee issues, and African politics. She holds a BSFS from Georgetown University, an MPP from Harvard University’s Kennedy School, and a PhD from MIT.

Her research explores the intersections of humanitarian crises, refugee displacement, and political violence. She authored Dangerous Sanctuaries: Refugee Camps, Civil War, and the Dilemmas of Humanitarian Aid (2005) and is currently writing a book on atrocity narratives and reconciliation post-genocide. Her articles appear in journals like International Security and Global Governance.

Lischer has received fellowships from the Berghof Foundation, PRIO, Harvard’s Belfer Center, and the Guggenheim Foundation. Her grants and awards support research on genocide memorials, dark tourism, and refugee militarization. She advises on policy responses to displacement crises in Africa and the Middle East.

Her teaching and research emphasize fieldwork in conflict zones, ethical dilemmas in humanitarian aid, and the politics of memory. She collaborates with global organizations to address refugee-driven security challenges and post-conflict reconciliation strategies.