I am a postdoctoral fellow at the Clements Center for National Security at UT Austin.
I study how states use informal political bargains to manage armed challengers when military victory, formal peace agreements, or direct state control are costly, infeasible, or strategically undesirable.
My research examines interaction in the "gray zone" between war and peace, asking how governments bargain with armed groups, tolerate de facto authorities, delegate security functions, and manage conflict through informal institutions. My work draws on original data collection, statistical analysis, archival research, and qualitative case studies.
I received my PhD from the University of California San Diego, and hold an MA in Government, Diplomacy and Conflict Studies from Reichman University.
RESEARCH PROGRAM
My research broadly stretches four themes:
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Armed Coexistence and Conflict Termination: How and why governments tolerate armed groups instead of defeating them or signing formal peace agreements.
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Rebel Governance and Political Order: How armed groups govern territory, negotiate authority, and shape state formation during and after conflict.
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Proxy Warfare and Host State Strategies: How states use indirect partnerships with armed groups and how target states respond to external support.
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State Capacity and Shared Sovereignty: How governments delegate authority, invite external actors, or share sovereign functions to address security challenges.