Zoe Marks

Zoe Marks is a Lecturer in Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School (HKS), specializing in conflict studies, gender equality, and African politics. Her work examines rebel group dynamics, nonviolent resistance, and post-conflict reintegration. She holds a DPhil in Politics from the University of Oxford and a BA in Government and African American Studies from Georgetown University.

• Research focuses: Civil war dynamics, gender inclusion in social movements, African political systems
• Key projects: Co-authored Bread and Roses: Women at the Frontlines of Revolution (Princeton U Press), analyzing global gender-inclusive movements
• Formerly: Tenured lecturer at University of Edinburgh, directing African Studies programs

Dr. Marks pioneered the WiRe+ dataset tracking youth and LGBTQ+ participation in nonviolent campaigns. Her fieldwork includes two years in Sierra Leone interviewing 500+ former combatants, and conducting surveys in Nigeria/Congo on post-conflict reconciliation. She advocates for decolonizing academia and ethical research practices, editing Critical African Studies journal (2016-2020).

Her research has been supported by UK ESRC, Swedish Government, Carnegie Trust, and Fulbright. Publications appear in PLOS One, Political Geography, and African Affairs. She serves on editorial boards for Civil Wars and Journal of Peace Research.

Teaching emphasizes linking theory to practice through case studies of African governance, conflict resolution, and global inequality. Active in policy engagement through HKS centers: Ash Center, Belfer Center, Women and Public Policy Program.