Introduction
I am Associate Professor in Development and Conflict at Durham University (UK) with 20 years of research and working experience in the Horn of Africa, mostly in Somalia and Kenya. My main research is on violent conflicts and wars, state-dynamics, and international peace and statebuilding. Currently, I focus on the link between violent conflicts, displacement and urbanisation and have finalized a research project that looked into war-induced urbanisation in Somalia from the view-point of displaced people (securityonthemove.co.uk). Another research project uses port cities as example to explore how (international) political dynamics shape infrastructural developments, and how these developments shape cities and are experienced by its residents. All my research projects explore global-local encounters and the way in which global processes are realized and experienced in particular contexts and settings and shape live-worlds of people.
Expert
I have a PHD in Social Sciences (Univesity of Hamburg, Germany), and have worked as conflict management expert in southern Somalia (2005/06) and manager of a Peacebuilding Project (focus Transitional Justice; 2009-12) in Kenya. Since 2012 I am working as Associate Professor Development and Conflict at Durham University. I have conducted a large number of consultancies for a number of International Organisations on topics such as Conflict Analysis and Interventions to build peace; inclusive development; statebuilding; durable solution and conflict prevention.
Fields of expertise: Education, Evidence for policy / knowledge valorization, Inclusive social development / inclusive societies / social inclusion, Migration, Participation, Social change / social transformations