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