Curriculum Vitae

Education

2004-2009
Doktor der Philosophie, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Research topic: “Negotiating with Terrorists”

2003-2004
MA in International Conflict Analysis, University of Kent, Brussels School of International Studies

1999-2002
Bachelor of International Relations, Technical University of Dresden

Academic Positions

Ongoing
Max Planck Research Group Leader, Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology, Halle, Research Group: “How Terrorists Learn”

2013-2015
Assistant Professor, L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs; Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), Richmond, U.S.

2011-2012
Visiting Research Scholar, Johns Hopkins University, Conflict Management Program, Washington DC, U.S.; Berghof Foundation for Conflict Research, Berlin, Germany

2009-2011
Transatlantic Post-Doc Fellowship for International Relations and Security, EU Institute for Security Studies, Paris, France; Rand Corporation, Arlington, U.S.

2008-2009
Marie Curie Pre-Doc Fellow, Department of Peace and Conflict Research (DPCR), Uppsala, Sweden

2008
Research Fellow, Young Scientists Summer Program (YSSP), International Institute of Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Laxenburg, Austria; Field Research in Syria

2005–2006
Visiting Researcher: London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK; Field Research in Egypt, Turkey and Colombia

Presentations at Conferences and Workshops

2018
"Terrorismus in Afrika", Afrika: Ein Kontinent in Bewegung, Max Planck Forum, Munich.

2018
"Getting the Story (Right) – When Active and Passive Recognition Coincide", Helmut Schmidt University, Hamburg.

2018
"Fighting Causes of Flight – Uncovering Mechanisms of Learning and Unlearning Violence", Event held by the Representation of the State of Sachsen-Anhalt to the European Union, Ministry of Sachsen-Anhalt, Brussels.

2017
"Religion and the Renunciation of Violence", Protestant Academy, Hofgeismar.

2017
"What Do We Gain from the Perpetrator Perspective?" Forum MPI for Social Anthropology, Halle.

2017
"How 'Terrorists' Learn", MPI for International and Criminal Law, Freiburg.

2017
"Recognition of Non-State Armed Actors – the Northern Irish Case", 5th Section Meeting of the German Political Science Association (GPSA), Bremen.

2017
"Terrorist Learning and Unlearning", Ethnological Colloquium, Hamburg University.

2017
Presentation of the Group "How 'Terrorists' Learn", Goethe University Frankfurt.

2017
Presentation of Research Group "How 'Terrorists' Learn", Frankfurt Research Center on Global Islam, Frankfurt.

2017
With Michael Fürstenberg: "Revise or demise: innovation and the longevity of terrorist groups", ISA Conference, Baltimore.

2016
"Researching 'terrorism' by (non-)state actors: ethical questions during field research in sensitive settings", Workshop: Field Research in Conflict Regions: Experiences, Input and Dialogue, MPI for Social Anthropology, Halle.

2016
"How 'terrorists' learn", Lead Net Meeting, Max Planck Society, Berlin.

2015
"Counterterrorism and terrorist learning", IMPRS REMEP Summer University, Bad Hersfeld.

2014
"Talking to terrorists: concessions and the renunciation of violence", Social Science and Public Policy Conference, Washington DC.

2014
"Near versus far enemy: the case of Al Qaeda affiliated groups in Mali", 4th Global International Studies Conference WISC, Frankfurt.

2014
"Getting terrorist groups to moderate: the strategic employment of terrorist proscription", International Studies Association, Toronto.

2013
"Islamist radicalization", Berglund Seminar, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond.

2013
"Strength and weakness: when to negotiate with terrorist groups", Annual Conference of Society for Terrorism Research, London.

2012
"Breaking the deadlock in the Middle East peace process", The Center for Transatlantic Relations, Johns Hopkins University, Washington DC.

2011
"Handling multi-actor conflict: the challenges of iterative negotiation efforts", WIN Meeting, Johns Hopkins University, Washington DC.

2011
"Transforming non-state armed groups through peace governance", Seminar of the Transatlantic Post Doc Fellowship Program for International Relations and Security, hosted by Johns Hopkins University, Washington DC.

2011
"Negotiating with terrorists", Presentation at the RAND Corporation, Arlington.

2011
"From conflict party to conflict mediator: a constructive role for the EU in the Middle East conflict", Roundtable with European decision makers on Hamas and the Middle East, organized by Brüssel Broederlijk Delen, a Belgian development NGO, and the Egmont Institute of Royal Affairs, Brussels.

2011
"Mediating peace with proscribed armed groups", A Policy Workshop on the Implications of European Union (EU) Counter-Terrorism Legislation for Mediation and Support for Peace Processes, Brussels.

2007
"Change through debate: the case of Egypt's counterterrorism strategy towards the Gamaa Islamia", SGIR-ECPR Conference, Turin.

2007
"Change through debate: the case of Egypt's counterterrorism strategy towards the Gamaa Islamia", APSA (American Political Science Association) Meeting, Chicago.

Media Experience

Debate participation and interviews on France24, DW World, Radio France International, Les Nouvelles News, Turkish Newsweek, The National, CBC Radio Canada, VCU News, NPR Radio

Reviewer for Journals

Security and Peace (Sicherheit und Frieden)
International Journal of Conflict and Violence
Marmara Journal of European Studies
Virginia Social Science Journal
Terrorism and Political Violence
Peacebuilding

Grants and Fellowships

2014-2015
Wilder School Center for Public Policy Small Grants Award (For research project: Radicalization of Muslim Immigrants and Integration Policies: the Transatlantic Comparison)

2013-2015
Participation in funded project on French West Africa, in cooperation with School of World Studies of Virginia Commonwealth University (sponsored by US Department of Education)

2011-2012
Fritz Thyssen Foundation Post-doc Scholarship

2009-2011
Transatlantic Post-doc Fellowship for International Relations and Security (sponsored by DAAD and German Institute for International and Security Affairs)

2008-2009
Marie Curie Pre-Doc Fellowship (Department for Peace and Conflict Research, Uppsala University, sponsored by EU Commission)

2008
International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis Laxenburg (National Member Organizations' Grant)

2007
HWP Fellowship (LMU Munich)

2001
DAAD (for internship in Argentina)

2001-2002
Erasmus (for winter semester in Madrid)

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