Abokouamekro, Côte d’Ivoire
Welcome
I am an Assistant Professor at the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University and the assistant director of the Center for Security Policy Studies (CSPS). My research focuses on the causes and consequences of armed conflict and contentious politics, with a regional focus on western and southern Africa. I received my PhD in Political Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where I was affiliated with the MIT Security Studies Program.
My first book, Strong Commanders, Weak States: How Rebel Governance Shapes Military Integration after Civil War (Cornell University Press) explores why effective wartime governance by armed groups can disrupt state consolidation after rebels integrate into militaries, drawing on field research in Côte d'Ivoire.
Outside of my academic life I enjoy rock climbing, backcountry camping, and NFL football. My hometown is Elmira, Ontario, Canada.