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  • Find a PhD Supervisor

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Dr Andrew Thomson

School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics
Andrew Thompson 364

Dr Andrew Thomson

School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics

Dr Andrew Thomson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen’s University Belfast and a Fellow at the Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice. His research interests include pro-government militias and civilian defence forces, dynamics of violence in civil war, counterinsurgency and "irregular" warfare, state violence and the Colombian peace process. These broad research interests are divided into three strands.

First, he focuses on the role of militias and mercenaries in US foreign policy. His book, Outsourced Empire: How Militias, Mercenaries and Contractors Support US Statecraft, examined US support to various non-state armed forces in US interventions around the world. Secondly, Andrew examines the effects of mobilizing civilian self-defence forces on the dynamics of violence during civil conflict as well as on the long-term effects on peace processes. He is specifically interested in how mobilizing civilians in counterinsurgency settings, such the Sons of Iraq program, impact insurgent targets of violence.

Finally, he also focuses on the current peace process in Colombia in the context of multiple armed groups. He recently completed a project funded by the Global Challenges Research Fund on how FARC members’ interactions with other armed organizations influenced their disarmament process. He is currently developing a project examining ex-combatant dialogues towards reconciliation and conflict transformation.

Contact info

  • View Academic Profile
  • a.f.thomson@qub.ac.uk
  • +44 (0)28 9097 2526

Research Interests

Open to PhD applications in the field of

  • Political Violence
  • Terrorism
  • Counterinsurgency
  • US foreign policy

Make a PhD enquiry


Public outreach & key achievements

  • Dr Andrew Thomson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen’s University Belfast and a Fellow at the Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice. He is also on the board of the Conflict Research Society.

Research students

PhD Title International Relations
Country Pakistan 
   
PhD Title International Relations
Country Northern Ireland 
   
PhD Title International Relations
Country Italy

 


Alumni: Where are they now

PhD Title International Relations
Country Colombia
Current Position UN anti -corruption unit Colombia 
   
PhD Title International Relations
Country USA
Current Position High ranking U.S. Army officer

Discover More

  • Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Science

  • School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics

  • The Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice

Postgraduate research
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