I teach courses related to security, including civil war and terrorism; violent and non-violent political conflict; non-state actors; as well as qualitative research methods.

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Violent and Non-violent Conflict

University College London, MSc core module

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The module introduces students to the major themes and debates in the study of conflict processes with a focus on non-state actors, their interactions with states, and their impact on international security. It surveys key issues such as the causes and management of civil wars, terrorist violence, violence against civilians, individual participation in political contention, as well as post-conflict economic, political, and social reconstruction. In addition, the module covers the causes and impact of non-violent challenges to state authority. Thus, the module aims to equip students with the conceptual and methodological tools necessary to empirically analyze the causes of both violent and non-violent political contention, the processes of conflict escalation, the individual, organizational, and societal roots of grievances and mobilization, as well as the mechanisms of conflict management and resolution.

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Fall Term 2019: Syllabus

​​Fall Term 2018: Syllabus

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Strategies of Terrorism & Terrorism

University College London, BSc & MSc modules

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This module acquaints students with the main theoretical debates and empirical findings in the research on terrorism. Drawing on insights from political science, sociology, psychology, criminology, economics, and history, it sheds light on such topics as the historical trends in terrorist activity, the use of one-sided violence in civil conflicts, the system and individual-level roots of terrorism, the role of religion in contemporary transnational terrorism, as well as the effects and effectiveness of this strategy of political violence. It also examines the policy responses available to political decision makers, including the ethical concerns arising in the context of counter-terrorist strategies. Thus, the module aims to equip students with the empirically based scientific knowledge necessary to answer crucial practical questions such as: why and when do organizations resort to terrorist strategies? Under what conditions are grievances and opportunities for terrorism most likely to emerge? How does violence spill across borders, and what drives transnational terrorism? What leads individuals to the point at which they feel that violence is their only option to bring about political change? How does terrorism affect politics and society in the target countries? How do terrorist organizations collapse, and what options do policymakers have to counter the threat of terrorism?

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Spring Term 2021: Syllabus BSc & Syllabus MSc

Spring Term 2020: Syllabus MSc

​Spring Term 2019: Syllabus BSc & Syllabus MSc

​Spring Term 2018: Syllabus BSc

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International Peace and Security

University College London, MSc core module

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The module introduces students to major themes and debates in the contemporary study of international security, peace and conflict. It surveys a range of issues, including the causes and management of inter-state warfare, terrorism, civil wars, and violence against civilians. Students acquire an overview of the literature in contemporary security studies, as well as a set of conceptual tools that can be used for analyzing the causes of violent conflict, the sources of international stability and instability, and the mechanisms of international conflict management and conflict resolution. In addition, students become familiarized with the main issues confronting contemporary policy-makers in the field of international security, and equipped to conduct independent research on contemporary security issues and debates.

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Fall Term 2017: Syllabus

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Political Order and Conflict

ETH Zürich, MACIS seminar (co-taught with Lars-Erik Cederman)

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This graduate-level seminar covers the literature on political institutions and various types of political violence, most importantly civil war. It exposes students to the core topics of political mobilization, inequality, democracy and democratic transitions, institutions of governmental and territorial power sharing, ethnic violence, political economy perspectives on war, and the international dimensions of civil conflict. The seminar places emphasis on strengthening students’ analytical skills and critical reasoning. Students are required to write a full-length term paper developing and examining an original research question after presenting their research designs in the course.

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Spring Term 2017: Syllabus

​Spring Term 2015: Syllabus

​Spring Term 2014: Syllabus

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El método comparativo en la ciencia política

Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, Short course (April 12-14, 2016 & July 31-August 1, 2018)

Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, PhD guest lecture (August 4, 2018)

Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras, Short course (August 7-8, 2018)

Este curso corto inicia a los estudiantes en los fundamentos epistemológicos y las aplicaciones prácticas del método comparativo en las ciencias sociales. Se abordarán preguntas como: por qué comparamos? Qué métodos de comparación existen? Y cómo tenemos que escoger nuestros casos? Cuáles son las trampas de esta metodología y cómo podemos evitarlas? El curso ofrece una introducción a diferentes diseños de investigación, técnicas para la selección de casos y los procedimientos concretos de la comparación, incluyendo el uso de datos cuantitativos. Durante las sesiones del curso los estudiantes trabajarán en grupos en varios ejercicios prácticos y podrán presentar ejemplos de sus propios trabajos de investigación.

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Verano 2018: Programa