"[Her new book] will change the way you see the world around you."

Leymah Gbowee, Nobel Peace Laureate

Welcome

I am an award-winning author, peacebuilder, and researcher, as well as the Ann Whitney Olin Professor and Chair of Political Science at Barnard College, Columbia University. I am the author of The Trouble with the Congo, Peaceland, and The Frontlines of Peace, in addition to articles for publications such as Foreign Affairs, International Organization, and The New York Times.

Latest Book

The Frontlines of Peace

An Insider's Guide to Changing the World

At turns surprising, funny, and gut-wrenching, this is the hopeful story of the ordinary yet extraordinary people who have figured out how to build lasting peace in their communities.

“A captivating and inspiring story that invites readers to act.”

Denis Mukwege, 2018 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate

Peaceland

Conflict Resolution and the Everyday Politics of International Intervention

Peaceland suggests a new explanation for why international peace interventions often fail to reach their full potential.

“Indispensable reading.”

African Arguments

The Trouble with the Congo

Local Violence and the Failure of International Peacebuilding

The Trouble with the Congo suggests a new explanation for international peacebuilding failures in civil wars.

“It should be standard reading for those interested in international peacebuilding in the DRC, Africa, and elsewhere.”

Journal of Peace Research

Watch my TED Talk on ending mass violence

Discover more about my work

Articles

Explore my scholarly articles, policy papers, and book chapters on international relations, peacebuilding, conflict resolution, and the ongoing war in Congo.
Virtually all of my articles are available for free.

Speaking

Find details about my upcoming events and see videos and photos of past events, such as a World Summit of Nobel Peace laureates, meetings of the U.S. Congress and the United Nations Security Council, and over 380 seminars, lectures, and keynotes.

Teaching

Read the syllabi and evaluations for my undergraduate, Masters, and doctoral classes on war and peace, international relations, and African politics, or explore useful resources for students, scholars, and early-career researchers.

Media

Watch the TV shows on which I've appeared, listen to the radio programs and the podcasts in which I've participated, read my Op-Eds, or browse through the news articles, blog posts, and other online sources in which I'm featured.