Joanne Richards

Biography

Joanne holds a B.A. in Geography from the University of Oxford, an M.A. in Comparative and International Studies from ETH Zurich, and a PhD in Political Science from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva. Her PhD examined armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, focusing on dynamics of recruitment and desertion. Previously, Joanne worked for the Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies as a senior researcher and technical advisor. During this time, she was seconded to the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa and the United Nations Department of Peace Operations in New York City. Joanne has also worked with Adam Smith International (UK) on the rehabilitation program for former members of al-Shabaab in Mogadishu, Somalia. Her current research focuses on ex-combatants with disabilities and the prevention of recruitment in contexts of ongoing armed conflict.