Current academic positions:

Since 10/2022: Visiting Professor, Political Science, Institute for Latin American Studies, Freie Universität Berlin

Since 10/2022: Senior Associate, Global Security Programme, Pembroke College, University of Oxford

Since 03/2021: Co-Investigator, OX|BER Centre for Advanced Studies Cooperation Group "Transitions and Social Cohesion in Context of Multiple Crises“, University of Oxford/Freie Universität Berlin

Since 01/2021: Co-Principal Investigator, Research project "Colombian Lessons? Assessing the Practical and Normative Consequences of Latin American South-South Security Cooperation“, University of Oxford

Past academic positions and employment:

10/2021 – 9/2022: Researcher,CONPEACE, The Global Security Programme, Pembroke College, University of Oxford

10/2021 – 03/2022: Tutor, Registered Visiting Student Programme, Hertford College, University of Oxford

01/2020 – 09/2021: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, CONPEACE, Changing Character of War Centre, Pembroke College, University of Oxford

01/2020 – 09/2022: Affiliate Member, Latin American Centre, St Antony’s College, University of Oxford

11/2019 – 07/2022: Co-Investigator OX|BER Research project "The Comeback of the Latin American Armed Forces“, University of Oxford/Freie Universität Berlin

04/2019 – 07/2019: DAAD Postdoctoral Fellow | Academic Visitor Latin American Centre, St. Antony’s College, University of Oxford

11/2018 – 09/2022: Associated researcher, Postgraduate Program for Research on Inequalities and Sustainable Development in the Andean Region (trAndeS), Freie Universität Berlin

01/2018: Doctorate (Dr. phil.) in Political Science, Freie Universität Berlin

10/2017 – 03/2018: Associate Lecturer in International Relations, Otto Suhr Intitute of Political Science, Freie Universität Berlin

11/2017 – 10/2018: Associated Fellow Research College "The Transformative Power of Europe“, Freie Universität Berlin

01/2014 – 12/2017: Research Associate and PhD Candidate (SFB 700) "Governance in Areas of Limited Statehood“, Research Project C3 "Police Building and Transnational Security Fields in Latin America“, Freie Universität Berlin

02/2014 – 04/2016: Associated Researcher, International Research Network on Interdependent Inequalities (desiguALdades.net), Freie Universität Berlin

09/2012 – 12/2013: Research Associate and Lecturer in Latin American Politics, Institute for Latin American Studies, Freie Universität Berlin

11/2012 – 12/2012: Research Associate Collaborative Research Center (SFB) 700 – “Governance in Areas of Limited Statehood”, Freie Universität Berlin, Research Project C3 “Transnational Security Governance in Latin America”

09/2012: Master of Arts in Political Science, Freie Universität Berlin

07/2009: Bachelor of Arts and Título Propio de Grado in German-Spanish Studies, Universität Regensburg and Universidad Complutense de Madrid

Current courses

Sicherheit und Entwicklung in Lateinamerika

Police and Prison Abolition in the Americas (with Markus Kienscherf)

Etnografías de la violencia: una mirada interseccional desde América Latina (with Ximena Alba Villalever)

Sozialwissenschaftliches Kolloquium 

Previous Courses

Winter Term 2023-24

Kriminalität, Staat und Recht in Lateinamerika aus transnationaler und intersektionaler Perspektive

Globalizing Critical Security Studies

Interdisziplinäre Lateinamerikaforschung / Investigación interdisciplinaria sobre América Latina I (with Ximena Alba Villalever)

Sozialwissenschaftliches Kolloquium für Abschlussarbeiten

Wissenschaftspraxis I

Summer Term 2023

Sozialwissenschaftliches Kolloquium für Abschlussarbeiten

Organisierte Kriminalität in Lateinamerika und der Karibik 

Police and Prison Abolition in the Americas (with Markus Kienscherf)

Staatsgewalt in Lateinamerika: Neue Perspektiven auf Recht, Ungleichheit und Sicherheit

Winter Term 2022-23

Critical Security Studies

Security Politics and the Rule of Law in Latin America and the Caribbean: Policy - Military - Justice

Social Science Colloquium (with Marianne Braig)

Scientific Practice I (with Ximena Alba Villalever, Karlotta Bahnsen and N.N.)

2022

Organised crime and international politics (Tutorial, Registered Visiting Student Programme, Hertford College, University of Oxford), Hilary Term

Crime, politics, and the law in Latin America (Tutorial, Registered Visiting Student Programme, Hertford College, University of Oxford), Hilary Term

2021                                  

Organised crime and international politics (Tutorial, Registered Visiting Student Programme, Hertford College, University of Oxford), Michaelmas Term

2017

Statebuilding and Security Sector Reform in the Global South (Seminar, Otto Suhr Institute of Political Science, Freie Universität Berlin), Winter term

2014

Entre el orden y la represión: discursos y prácticas policiales en Europa y su ‘exportación’ a América Latina (Seminar, Freie Universität Berlin International Summer and Winter University)

2013                                  

Organized Crime and Security Governance in Mexico and Central America (BA seminar, Institute for Latin American Studies, Freie Universität Berlin), Summer term

Statehood. Local and Transnational Processes in Latin America (Lecture series, Institute for Latin American Studies, Freie Universität Berlin, with Manuela Boatcă), Summer term

2012

Democratization in Latin America (Seminar, German Academic Exchange Service Summer School for Doctoral Students, Wandlitz, Brandenburg, mit Marianne Braig)

Research interests:

• Critical Security Studies
• Transnational Security Governance
• Statehood and Development in the Global South
• International Peace- and Statebuilding (Focus on Security Governance Reform)
• Policing, Public Security, Counterinsurgency
• Border Governance
• International Political Sociology
• Sociology of knowledge (focus on expert knowledge)
• Organized Crime and Violence

Regional focus:

• Central America (esp. Guatemala)
• Colombia
• Mexico

Current research projects:

"Colombian Lessons? Assessing the Practical and Normative Consequences of Latin American South-South Security Cooperation“, Global Security Programme, University of Oxford (Co-Principal Investigator; with Markus-Michael Müller)

CONPEACE: From Conflict Actors to Architects of Peace, Global Security Programme, University of Oxford (Research Associate; Project lead Annette Idler)

OX|BER Centre for Advanced Studies Cooperation Group "Transitions and Social Cohesion in Context of Multiple Crises“, Global Security Programe, University of Oxford and Intitute for Latin American Studies, Freie Universität Berlin (Co-investigator; with Annette Idler, Sergio Costa and Jan Boesten)

Journal articles:

• „Militarism and Militarization in Latin America: Introduction to the Special Issue", Alternatives: Global, Local, Political (2024) (with Carlos Solar and Carlos A. Pérez Ricart). 

• „The Myth of Demilitarization in Costa Rica", NACLA Report on the Americas, 55:4 (2023), 370-376 (with Markus-Michael Müller).

• „Assembling Prevention: Technology, Expertise and Control in Post-War Guatemala”, Security Dialogue , 54(1) (2023), 54-75. 

• „Urban Insecurity, Contested Governance, and Civic Resistance at the Colombia-Venezuela Border“, Journal of Illicit Economies and Development, 4(3) (2022), pp. 351-369.

• „COVID-19 in Colombia’s Borderlands and the Western Hemisphere: Adding Instability to a Double Crisis“. In: Journal of Latin American Geography 19/3 (2020), 280-288 (with Annette Idler).

• „From Regime Protection to Urban Resilience? Assessing Continuity and Change in Transnational Security Governance Rationales in Guatemala“, In: Geoforum 84 (2017), 389-400 (with Markus-Michael Müller).

• „Locating Guatemala in Global Counterinsurgency“, In: Globalizations 13/1 (2016), 94-109 (with Markus-Michael Müller).

• „Editorial. Lateinamerika: Transnationale Dynamiken der Sicherheit und Justiz“. In: Kriminologisches Journal, 4/2016 (with Lars Ostermeier).

• „Encountering Knowledge Production: The International Crisis Group and the Making of Mexico‘s Security Crisis“, In: Third World Quarterly 35/4 (2014), 705-722 (with Markus-Michael Müller).

Book chapters:

• "Experts, Elites, and the Making of Safe Cities in Guatemala“. In: Carlos A. Pérez Ricart and Carlos Solar (Eds.): Crime, Violence, and Justice in Latin America: Themes and Trends. Abingdon: Routledge (2023), 131-141.

• "Men of Honour or Traitors of la Patria? Corruption in the Armed Forces in Latin America“ (with Carlos Solar). In: Carlos Solar (Ed.): Governing the Military: The Armed Forces and Democracy in Chile. Manchester: Manchester University Press (forthcoming).

•  "Countering Criminal Insurgencies: Fighting Gangs and Building Resilient Communities in Post-War Guatemala“. In: Louise W. Moe and Markus-Michael Müller (Eds.): Reconfiguring Intervention: Complexity, Resilience and the “Local Turn” in Counterinsurgent Warfare. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan (2017), 163-186 (with Markus-Michael Müller).

•  "Politik in verflochtenen Räumen / Los espacios entrelazados de lo político: Einleitung“. In: Markus Hochmüller, Anne Huffschmid, Teresa Orozco Martínez, Stephanie Schütze and Martha Zapata Galindo (Eds.): Politik in verflochtenen Räumen. Los espacios entrelazados de lo político: Festschrift für Marianne Braig, Berlin: edition tranvía / Verlag Walter Frey (2013), 9-24 (with Anne Huffschmid, Teresa Orozco Martínez, Stephanie Schütze and Martha Zapata Galindo).

•  "Einleitung: Von failed states und Räumen begrenzter Staatlichkeit: organisierte Kriminalität, Gewalt und Staat in Lateinamerika“. In: Günther Maihold and Daniel Brombacher (Eds.): Gewalt, Organisierte Kriminalität und Staat in Lateinamerika, Opladen: Verlag Barbara Budrich (2013), 9-23 (with Günther Maihold).

•  "Die Kolumbianisierung der mexikanischen Drogenökonomie? Kartelle und kriminelle Netzwerke im Vergleich“. In: Günther Maihold and Daniel Brombacher (Eds.): Gewalt, Organisierte Kriminalität und Staat in Lateinamerika, Opladen: Verlag Barbara Budrich (2013), 57-84.

Edited books and journal special issues:

• Militarism and Militarization in Latin America, Alternatives: Global, Local, Political (2024) (with Carlos Solar and Carlos A. Pérez Ricart). 

• "Transnationale Dynamiken lateinamerikanischer Sicherheit und Justiz“, Kriminologisches Journal 4/2016 (with Lars Ostermeier).

• "Politics, Societies and Cultures in Contemporary Central America“, CROLAR – Critical Reviews on Latin American Research, Vol. 3, No. 1 (2014) (with Alexandra Ortiz Wallner).

• Politik in verflochtenen Räumen. Los espacios entrelazados de lo político: Festschrift für Marianne Braig, Berlin: edition tranvía / Verlag Walter Frey (2013) (with Anne Huffschmid, Teresa Orozco Martínez, Stephanie Schütze and Martha Zapata Galindo).

Book manuscript:

• “The Struggle over Security in Post-War Guatemala”.

Policy briefs and commentary:

• Construyendo una arquitectura de seguridad integral: Caminos para la implementación efectiva de la nueva política pública de seguridad en Colombia, Policy brief, June 2023 (with Jorge E. Delgado and Annette Idler)
• Prácticas de seguridad y paz integral: experiencias territoriales y articulaciones nacionales, Civil society toolkit, July 2023 (with Stefany Bastidas Rivera, Annette Idler, Dáire McGill, Mónica A. Ramírez Guevara and Inge Helena Valencia). 

• "Avanzando los mecanismos de protección y las garantías de seguridad en los territorios marginalizados de Colombia", Policy Brief, September 2022 (with Jorge Delgado and Dáire McGill)

• "Peace, development, and community protection in the borderlands“, Civil society toolkit, July 2022 (with Dáire McGill).

• "Why Police Reform Won't Do the Trick in Colombia“. The Oxford University Politics Blog, 24.6.2021.

• "Towards Peaceful and Safe Futures: Overcoming Conflict and Crisis in Colombia and Beyond“, CONPEACE Summary Report, June 2021 (with Annette Idler and Dáire McGill).

• "Venezuelan migrants face crime, conflict and coronavirus at Colombia’s closed border.“ The Conversation, 5.6.2020 (with Annette Idler).

• "The Double Crisis in the Colombian Borderlands: Addressing the Humanitarian-Security Nexus“, CONPEACE Policy Brief, April 2020 (with Annette Idler and Dáire McGill).

Short essays:

• "The Frontier City, Or: What Defines the Urban Condition in Contested Border Areas?“ PoLAR: Political and Legal Anthropology Review, Emergent Conversation 13 ILLICITIES: City-Making and Organized Crime, 31.8.2021.

• "Participatory Governance in Urban Latin America: An Opportunity or A Trap? A Response to Andreza A. de Souza Santos’ ‘Trading Time and Space’“ In: Oxford Urbanists Magazine, 2019.

• "Cantar contra el olvido o la re-construcción de la memoria“. In: Revista Istmo, 23 (2011) (with Gabriel Caballeros Gálvez and Sabine Erbrich). 

• Rezension zu Riekenberg, Michael (2019): Gewalt. Eine Ontologie. Frankfurt am Main: Campus. Kölner Zeitschrift für Soziologie und Sozialpsychologie, 73 (2021): 319-321.

Reviews:

• Kampfplatz Stadt. Review of Sassen, Saskia, and Mary Kaldor (eds.) (2020): Cities at War. Global Insecurity and Urban Resistance. New York: Columbia University Press. Soziopolis – Gesellschaft beobachten (2020).

• Review of Carey Jr., David (2013): I Ask for Justice. Maya Women, Dictators, and Crime in Guatemala, 1898-1944. Austin: Texas University Press. CROLAR – Critical Reviews on Latin American Research, Vol. 4, No. 1 (2015), 18-20.

• Review of Levenson, Deborah T. (2013): Adiós Niño: The Gangs of Guatemala City and the Politics of Death. Durham and London: Duke University Press. CROLAR – Critical Reviews on Latin American Research, Vol. 3, No. 1 (2014), 33-36.

• Review of Kuzmarov, Jeremy (2012): Modernizing Repression: Police Training and Nation Building in the American Century. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press. geschichte.transnational (2014).

• Review of Müller, Markus-Michael (2012): Public Security in the Negotiated State: Policing in Latin America and Beyond. Houndmills and New York: Palgrave. CROLAR – Critical Reviews on Latin American Research, Vol. 2, No. 2 (2013), 32-34.

• Review of O’Neill, Kevin Lewis and Kedron Thomas (Eds.) (2011): Securing the City – Neoliberalism, Space, and Insecurity in Postwar Guatemala. Durham and London: Duke University Press. CROLAR – Critical Reviews on Latin American Research, Vol. 1, No. 2 (2012), 11-13.