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Research Fellow and Director of RISING Global Peace Forum, Coventry University

Laura Payne is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations, Coventry University. She has particular expertise in working with people from non-academic and non-expert backgrounds operating on the front lines of conflict in their communities, including extensive experience collaborating with local civil society groups in Africa and Asia.

She is also the director of RISING Global Peace Forum, a new high-level platform where great minds to inform and inspire to promote a more peaceful world. Her work curating RISING brings state-of-the-art research and innovative ideas to policymakers, activists and the media.

Laura’s own research focuses on the contributions that faith groups can make in efforts to prevent violent conflict, particularly in the evolving area of faith-based conflict prevention. Her field experience includes applied research in Turkey, Israel and Palestine, and Iraqi Kurdistan.

Laura holds an MA in Conflict Studies & Human Rights from the University of Utrecht in The Netherlands.

Experience

  • 2012–present
    Research Associate, Coventry University

Education

  • 2010 
    University of Utrecht, The Netherlands, MA Conflict Studies and Human Rights (Cum Laude)

Grants and Contracts

  • 2015
    Travel grant: Investigating new Muslim aid organisations responding to the Syria crisis
    Role:
    Principal investigator
    Funding Source:
    British Council
  • 2014
    From early warning to response in conflict prevention: Transforming conflict through citizen engagement
    Role:
    Principal investigator
    Funding Source:
    Making All Voices Count
  • 2014
    Commonwealth professional fellowships (host): Asset based approaches to diversity in current and post-conflict environments.
    Role:
    Principal investigator
    Funding Source:
    Commonwealth Scholarship Commission
  • 2013
    Faith-based conflict prevention and early warning scoping project
    Role:
    Co-investigator
    Funding Source:
    ESRC Knowledge Exchange Opportunities
  • 2013
    Understanding the involvement of faith groups and leaders in conflict prevention activity during the 2011 elections in Jos, Nigeria
    Role:
    Co-investigator
    Funding Source:
    Coventry University pump priming funds