Amalendu Misra

Amalendu Misra has researched and written on the the Sri Lankan civil war. He also researches and writes about violence in the political process in south Asia and Latin America, including the politics of sexual violence in armed conflicts as well as the role of violence in the sacred. He also researches ways of managing violence in post-conflict societies.

Other subsidiary research interests are: ethno-politics; conservative nationalism; religious radicalism; and peace-building in deeply divided societies.

PhD supervision
I welcome promising committed research students with original and innovative ideas in any of these broad areas:
- Radical Nationalism
- Religious Extremism
- Political Violence
- Conflict Management in Divided Societies

Current PhD Supervision:

Rahaf Aldoughli: 'Gender and Nationalism in Lebanon.'
Vincent Hejirika: 'Political Economy of Conflict in the Niger Delta.'
Nawar Kassomeh: 'Shi'a and Sectarian Identity formation in Pakistan.'
Dala Mohammad: 'Nigerian Peace Keeping and Foreign Policy.'
Mona Abdel Rahman: 'Media and Conflict in Egypt.'
David Suntha: 'Rescuing Failed States.'

Completed Doctoral Project:

Jonathan Ajere : 'Regional Actors as Peacemakers: Exploring the role of Nigeria in intra-state conflicts in Africa'.
Azrul Anaz : 'Politics of Multiculturalism and Nation Building in Malaysia'.
Yinka Olomojobi : 'Muslims, Minorities, and Conflict '.
Beth Rempe: 'Elite Intervention & Northern Ireland Peace Process'.

Current Teaching

Principal teaching commitments:

Undergraduate Module:

PPR225: Introduction to Peace Studies

PPR340: Islamic Politics

PPR337: Society and Politics in Latin America

Graduate Modules:

PPR.420: Conflict Management in Contemporary Conflicts

Additional Information
Publications
Books:

• Afghanistan: The Labyrinth of Violence, Cambridge: Polity / Malden, MA: Blackwell, 2004. 219 pp. ISBN 0-7456-3114-2 http://www.polity.co.uk/book.asp?ref=9780745631158

'....his writing often betrays welcome hints of Ryszard Kapuscinski's prose style, and a rare desire to integrate classical scholarship with modern political science brings a fresh approach to global conflict' - Joseph Tucker, Nations and Nationalism, vol. 11, no. 2: 322.

'....conveys the impression of a deeper knowledge, providing something of an 'insider's' perspective' - Thomas S. Wilkins, International Peacekeeping, vol. 15, no. 2: 284.

'....the book is an important contribution to the effort to understand the roots of today's terrorism' - Vesna Bolka, Journal of International Relations & Development, vol. 8, no.2: 95.

• Identity and Religion: Foundations of anti-Islamism in India, Thousand Oaks, CA / New Delhi: Sage, 2004. 262 pp. ISBN 0-7619-3226-7 http://www.sagepub.com/authorDetails.nav?contribId=531761

'....' interesting, controversial and useful discussion of the two rival nationalisms in South Asia that created two, and eventually three nation-states from the British Indian empire.'- Ainslie T. Embree, Nationalism and Ethnic Politics, vol 14, no. 1: 151.

'....refreshingly forthright' - Radhakrishnan Nayar, The Times Higher Education Supplement, 24 June 2005.

'....very insightful and sharp' - Shelly Walia, The Book Review, December 2005.

• Politics of Civil Wars: Conflict, Intervention & Resolution, London / New York: Routledge, 2008. ISBN 13: 978-0-415-40345-0 http://www.routledgepolitics.com/books/Politics-of-Civil-Wars-isbn9780415403467

'....compared to its appetizing size, the book is extremely rich. It is spiced up with fresh research literature, rendering a heavy smell of informed scholarship.' - Kristoffer Lidén, Journal of Peace Research, vol. 46, no. 4: 604.

'...delivers an excellent introduction to the study of civil wars.' - Nina Wilen, Politikon, vol. 15, no. 2: 76.

'...innovative in its approach and helps to move the debate out of its stagnant recent history.' - Ady Gray, Political Studies Review, vol. 9, no. 1: 109.

Edited:

• Conflict Resolution (ed.)

Oxford: Oxford University Press (Forthcoming 2009).

• Small and Micro States of South Asia,

Contemporary South Asia, vol. 13, no. 2, 2004. ISSN 0958-4945