I am an Associate Professor of Political Science and International Affairs in the Department of Political Science at Pennsylvania State University and a Global Fellow at the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO). My research is motivated by a desire to better understand and contribute to the prevention of violent conflict and the violation of human rights. I do this through assessing the intersection of violent behavior, political institutions, and political participation.
My current work focuses on transitional justice adopted both during and after armed conflict. I study the ways that justice processes can be used for good or for evil through political consolidation, political exclusion, social reconciliation, and narrative construction by both governments and rebel groups.
I have looked at these issues through field work in East Africa, primarily Rwanda and Uganda, as well as Northern Ireland, Turkey, and Nepal.
Developing ethical best practices for reserach on armed conflict is central to my work. I focus my attention on reserach-related trauma for scholars and in-country research team members.
I currently serve as the co-Director of the Northern Ireland Research Initiative (NIRI) funded by the National Science Foundation (SES# 1565409). I am co-creator of the Post-Conflict (PCJ) and During-Conflict Justice (DCJ) Datasets with Helga Malmin Binningsbø at PRIO.
Kathleen Cunningham and I co-convene the Rebel Governance Network. Join us!
