FCEO-UKRI Senior Research Fellowship - conflict

作为一个在冲突研究、政策咨询角色和国际发展方面有20多年经验的人，我发现这一奖学金与我的职业目标和专长非常一致。我职业生涯的相当大一部分时间都花在了南亚和中亚旷日持久的冲突地区，最初是作为一名非政府组织工作人员。这些经历为我作为一名研究人员、政策顾问和顾问的工作奠定了基础。我从实地到学术界的旅程是一次深思熟虑的选择，目的是弥合研究、政策和实践之间的差距。我特别被这个奖学金所吸引，因为它促进了UKRI和FCDO之间的合作--我有幸与这些机构进行了广泛的合作。我曾担任多个ESRC/AHRC资助项目的PI或Co-I，并担任过多个ESRC研究评估委员会的成员。在FCDO，我曾担任过白厅不同部门的政策顾问和顾问。我对这些机构内不同的机构文化有着深刻的理解，这使我特别有资格担当这一桥梁角色。我在提供与全面理解冲突、稳定和建设和平的研究格局和全球趋势相关的战略建议方面非常熟练。在进入学术界之前，我在救助儿童会和国际救援委员会等组织的能力建设方面获得了宝贵的经验。在我的整个职业生涯中，我在冲突研究和政策方面建立了国际网络，产生了被高度引用的成果，并参与了高级别的政策讨论。我领导的最新和最突出的项目是由英国禁毒署和GCRF资助的700万GB、为期4年的项目，题为《毒品和(混乱)秩序：在战争结束后建立可持续的和平时期经济》。该项目涉及来自12个组织的50名研究人员，他们在英国、阿富汗、哥伦比亚和缅甸工作。这项工作已经产生了50多份同行评议的出版物，还有更多的出版物正在筹备中。该项目的一个组成部分是能力建设；大量时间和资源用于在我们的案例研究国家培养早期职业研究人员。为了证明我对这一领域的承诺，我成立了非法经济、暴力与发展研究中心(CIVAD)。在我的领导下，CIVAD的目标是在更广泛的背景下扩大其对非法经济的关注，并渴望成为全球研究和政策参与的中心。冲突决策往往发生在高度敏感、政治化的环境中。我带来了对所涉及的风险、酌情决定权的必要性以及利益相关者利益和政策影响之间错综复杂的平衡的微妙理解。我坚信，找到一种有意义的语言和叙事是至关重要的，这种语言和叙事能够引起最终用户的共鸣，并提供新的见解和看待问题的方法。我一直有效地提炼复杂的数据和研究，为政策实施提供可操作的见解。此外，我的研究和政策方法深深植根于参与性和包容性的做法。我赞同阿拉伯国家联盟在非殖民化和伙伴关系领域的目标，并努力在我的工作中体现这些原则。我相信，通过提供学术严谨、实地经验和政策咨询技能的独特结合，我可以为这一奖学金做出有意义的贡献。我期待着有可能在英国和国际政策制定的这个关键时刻为塑造辩论和政策做出贡献。

As an individual with over two decades of experience in conflict research, policy advisory roles, and international development, I find this fellowship greatly aligns with my career goals and expertise.I have spent a considerable part of my career in areas of protracted conflict in South and Central Asia, initially as an NGO worker. These experiences laid the foundation for my work as a researcher, policy advisor, and consultant. My journey from the field to the academic world has been a deliberate choice to bridge the gap between research, policy, and practice. I am particularly attracted to this fellowship because it fosters collaboration between UKRI and the FCDO - institutions with whom I have had the privilege of working extensively. I have been the PI or Co-I for various ESRC/AHRC-funded projects and have sat on multiple ESRC research assessment committees. At the FCDO, I have acted as a policy advisor and consultant across different sectors of Whitehall. My deep understanding of the varying institutional cultures within these bodies makes me uniquely qualified for this bridging role. I am highly skilled in providing strategic advice tied to a comprehensive understanding of the research landscape and global trends in conflict, stabilisation, and peacebuilding. Before entering academia, I gained valuable experience working for organizations like Save the Children and the International Rescue Committee, in capacity-building roles. Throughout my career, I have built international networks in conflict research and policy, produced highly cited outputs, and engaged in high-level policy discussions. The most recent and prominent programme I have led was the £7 million, 4-year UKRI-GCRF-funded project titled "Drugs and (dis)order: Building sustainable peacetime economies in the aftermath of war." This project involved a team of 50 researchers from 12 organizations working across the UK, Afghanistan, Colombia, and Myanmar. The work has resulted in over 50 peer-reviewed publications, with more in the pipeline. An integral part of this project was capacity building; substantial time and resources were devoted to nurturing early career researchers in our case study countries. As a testament to my commitment to this field, I founded the Centre for the Study of Illicit Economies, Violence and Development (CIVAD). Under my leadership, CIVAD aims to extend its focus on illicit economies within wider contexts, and aspires to become a global hub for research and policy engagement. Conflict policy-making often happens in highly sensitive, politicized environments. I bring a nuanced understanding of the risks involved, the need for discretion, and the intricate balance between stakeholder interests and policy implications. I firmly believe that it is crucial to find a language and a narrative that is meaningful and resonates with end users, and provides new insights and ways of looking at problems. I have been effective in distilling complex data and research into actionable insights for policy implementation. Furthermore, my approach to research and policy is deeply rooted in participatory and inclusive practices. I am aligned with SOAS's goals in the areas of decolonization and partnership, and strive to reflect these principles in my work. I am confident that I can contribute meaningfully to this fellowship by offering a unique blend of academic rigour, field experience, and policy advisory skills. I look forward to the possibility of contributing to shaping debates and policies at this critical juncture for the UK and international policy-making.