I am Professor of International Security at the University of Birmingham, England, UK. A political scientist by background, I specialise in the management of contemporary security challenges, especially in the prevention and settlement of ethnic conflicts and in post-conflict state-building in deeply divided and war-torn societies. I have extensive expertise in the former Soviet Union and the Middle East, and have also worked on a wide range of other conflicts elsewhere, including in Africa and in Central, South and Southeast Asia. Bridging the divide between academia and policy-making, I have been involved in various phases of conflict settlement processes, including in the disputed territories in Iraq, in Transnistria and Gagauzia (Moldova), and in Yemen.Recent Publications
- Pluralism and Conflict Prevention, The Global Centre for Pluralism
- Subnational governance and conflict, The World Bank
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The dataset on political agreements in internal conflicts (PAIC), Conflict Management and Peace Science
Recent Talks
- COVID-19: What Future for Connectivity in the OSCE Region? OCEEA Webinar
- Economic Diplomacy and Connectivity: What Role for the OSCE? 25th Ministerial Council of the OSCE
- The OSCE in Moldova: From Confidence Building to Conflict Settlement? Workshop of the OSCE Network
Monographs
Edited Volumes
Notes
Libya: Amid Hope for Peace, Regional Rifts Still Pose Hurdles
2021 is meant to be Libya’s transitional year. The new interim government faces huge tasks.
Building peace through subnational governance: The case of Libya
Amidst the pandemic and an unprecedented economic downturn, millions of people continue to face the compounding effects of violent conflict. Disputes over control of territory and resources play an oversized role in many of these conflicts — as evident, for example, in Ethiopia, Ukraine, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Myanmar.
Yemen: Engaging, Not Isolating
Five years of war in Yemen have caused one of today’s worst man-made humanitarian crises. To resolve the conflict the Biden administration will have to grasp the nettle of subnational governance reform and be prepared to work with – not against – the Houthis in finding a sustainable political settlement.
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