Thea Hilhorst

Prof. Thea Hilhorst is a Full Professor at the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) of Erasmus University Rotterdam. Her research focuses on disaster, conflict, and humanitarian aid dynamics in fragile contexts. She has supervised 30 PhD candidates and leads a research program on 'Conflict meets disaster', examining disaster governance in conflict-affected regions such as Afghanistan, South Sudan, and Ethiopia. She holds leadership roles in the International Humanitarian Studies Association and the Core Humanitarian Standard Alliance. Her work bridges academic research with applied policy, addressing issues like accountability in humanitarian action and gender dimensions in disaster resilience.

Her research spans over three decades, with a focus on aid-society relations, post-conflict recovery, and vulnerability analysis. She has conducted fieldwork in over 20 countries, emphasizing participatory methodologies. Prof. Hilhorst advocates for equitable research collaborations and ethical considerations in disaster studies, particularly in high-risk zones. Her interdisciplinary approach integrates policy analysis, qualitative studies, and quantitative methods to address complex humanitarian challenges.