Dr. Saskia Baas: “Organization of Armed Groups”

Dr. Saskia Baas is a lecturer in international relations at the University of Amsterdam. She has extensive research experience in Sudan where she studied the organizational structures of armed opposition groups that fought during Sudan’s Second Civil War (1983-2005). For this research, she interviewed individual members of four different armed groups that fought during the war. The resulting analysis of mobilization processes was published in her book From Civilians to Soldiers (Amsterdam University Press, 2012). Her post-doctoral research focused on the process of state formation in South Sudan and its impact on ethnic conflict. Outside academics, she has worked as a consultant to the UN Peacekeeping mission in Sudan where she assisted the development of post-conflict socio-economic programming. During the Sudan referendum she also worked as a political analyst for the Carter Center’s observation mission. Her current research investigates the role of media actors in civil war escalation. She teaches courses on conflict, international crimes and global politics at Amsterdam University College.