Victoria Veguilla Del Moral is an Associate Professor in Public Law at Universidad Pablo de Olavide, specializing in Political and Administrative Science with a focus on Western Sahara politics. Her research examines the complex interplay between territorial administration, political mobilization, and identity in contested spaces, particularly in Dakhla, Western Sahara. She earned her PhD from the University of Granada in 2011 with a thesis titled Policies of the Octopus in Dakhla: Public Action, Halieutic Resources and Social Dynamics , supervised by Dr. Bernard Botiveau and Dr. Juan Montabes Pereira. Her academic journey reflects deep engagement with both theoretical political science frameworks and extensive fieldwork in North Africa. Veguilla Del Moral's research interests span International Politics of the Middle East, MENA region studies, political ethnography, and electoral processes in occupied territories. Her work particularly focuses on Sahrawi youth movements, Moroccan territorial policies in Western Sahara, and the dynamics of political mobilization in contested spaces. She approaches these topics through a lens that combines political science, anthropology, and postcolonial studies, revealing the complex ways local populations navigate occupation and political control. Her publication record shows consistent scholarly output with significant recent contributions including Regionalization under Occupation: Western Saharan Parliamentary Elites and the Moroccan Regionalization Strategy (2011-16) (2024) and Do Electoral Processes in Western Sahara Produce Representation Beyond the Context of Occupation? (2023). These works demonstrate her ongoing commitment to analyzing the political realities of Western Sahara through empirical research on governance structures, electoral participation, and resistance movements. While no specific scientific awards are mentioned in the available materials, her extensive publication record in reputable academic venues and her contributions to edited volumes like Arab Youths: From Morocco to Yemen: Leisure, Cultures and Politics indicate significant scholarly recognition. Her research methodology combines political ethnography with institutional analysis, often working across linguistic boundaries (publishing in English, French, and Spanish). She has established herself as a leading expert on Western Sahara politics, with particular expertise in the social dynamics of Dakhla and the political mobilization of Sahrawi youth. Her work contributes to broader discussions about governance in contested territories and the relationship between state administration and local populations in postcolonial contexts.
