Research Interests

My primary research interests percolate around four interrelated areas:

  • 1. African Terrorism and Insurgencies
    • The Islamic State and its affiliates in Africa
    • Al-Qaeda and its affiliates in Africa
    • Relationship between “core” jihadi groups and their African affiliates
    • Inter-jihadi branch interactions, including conflict and cooperation
    • Terrorist tactics and targeting
  • 2. African Military and Security Policy 
    • Defense policy
    • Counterterrorism and counterinsurgency policy
    • National security policy and conceptions
  • 3. African International Relations and Foreign Policy  
    • Foreign policymaking processes
    • Intra-African relations, especially around collective security
    • Extra-African relations, especially between African states and the United States, France, China, and Iran
  • 4. International Organizations and Collective Security in Africa
    • African Union, especially the  African Peace and Security Architecture, the African Standby Force and the right of intervention
    • ECOWAS and IGAD, especially in collective security
    • United Nations, especially counterterror legislation, African peacekeeping, and UN Security Council reform