Necla Tschirgi joined the Centre for International Policy Studies at the University of Ottawa as Research Associate in April 2009. From January 2007 to March 2009, Dr. Tschirgi was an in-house consultant/Senior Policy Advisor with the Peacebuilding Support Office at the United Nations Secretariat in New York. Previously she served as the Vice President of the International Peace Academy (IPA) from 2001-2005 where she also led IPA’s Security-Development Nexus research program. Prior to moving to New York to join IPA, Dr. Tschirgi helped to establish and led the Peacebuilding and Reconstruction Program at the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) in Ottawa from 1997 to 2001.

A native of Turkey, Dr. Tschirgi received her BA and MA from the American University of Beirut and her Ph.D. from the University of Toronto.   Her career has spanned research, policy analysis, teaching, research management and grant making.  She is committed to promoting social science research in the global south and building policy research networks. Her current research interests focus on the changing landscape of international relations since the end of the Cold War, with special attention to the evolution of international responses to conflict prevention and peacebuilding.

She is currently involved in two parallel research projects.  The first is a case study on state building and nation building in Turkey as part of the “Successful Transitions” project by the Institute for State Effectiveness in Washington D.C.  The second is a paper on the security-development nexus for the European Development Report Conference on “Challenges of institution building and governance in areas of limited statehood” hosted by the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies at the European University Institute in Florence.  She will also serve as the guest editor of the special issue of the Journal of Peacebuilding and Developmenton Integrated Strategic Frameworks for Peacebuilding.  In addition, Dr. Tschirgi serves on the International Development Policy Council of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Stockholm and on the Expert Panel of the Social Cohesion project of the Club of Madrid.

Email: [email protected]

Professional Experience

January 2007-March 2009:  Senior Policy Advisor/Consultant, Peacebuilding Support Office, the United Nations Secretariat, New York

April 2006-December 2006: Independent Researcher/Consultant, The Ford Foundation, New York

September 2001–December 2005:  Vice President, International Peace Academy (IPA), New York and Director, Security-Development Nexus Research Program (2003-2006), IPA

April 1997-September 2001: Team Leader and Senior Specialist, Peacebuilding and Reconstruction Program Initiative, International Development Research Centre, Ottawa

May 1992-April 1997:  Senior Program Officer, Social Sciences Division, International Development Research Centre, Ottawa

April 1986-December 1991:  Middle East Research Competition (MERC), the Ford Foundation, Cairo, Egypt

January 1985-September 1991:  Adjunct Professor of Political Science, American University in Cairo, Egypt

January 1982-July 1984:  Adjunct Professor of International Relations, Universidad de las Americas, Puebla, Mexico

Education

1980:  Ph.D., Political Science, University of Toronto

1970:  M.A., Political Science, American University of Beirut

1968:  B.A., Political Science, American University of Beirut

Selected Publications

Security and Development: Searching for Critical Connections, edited volume, with Francesco Mancini and Michael Lund (Boulder, CO.: Lynne Rienner Publishers, forthcoming)

“The Security-Development Nexus: From Rhetoric to Complex Causal Dynamics,” Swiss Yearbook of Development Policy Vol2/06 (Fall 2006)

“Security and Development: Untangling the Relationship” in Stephan Klingebiel (ed.), New Interfaces between Security and Development: Changing Concepts and Approaches  (Bonn: German Development Institute, 2006)

“Political Economy of Armed Conflicts and Peace Building,” Conflict, Security and Development (Vol. 4, no. 3, December 2004)

“Post-Conflict Peacebuilding Revisited: Achievements, Limitations, Challenges,” IPA Policy Report (October 2004)

“Peacebuilding as the Link between Security and Development: Is the Window of Opportunity Closing?” IPA Policy Report (December 2003)

“A Regional Conflict Approach to Peacebuilding,” Journal of Peacebuilding and Development (Vol 1, no 1, 2002)  

“The Role of Research and Policy Analysis” with Maureen O’Neil, in From Reaction to Conflict Prevention: Opportunities for the UN System, edited by Fen Osler Hamspon and David M. Malone (Boulder, Co.: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2002).

Reforming Social Policy: Changing Perspectives on Sustainable Human Development, co-editor with D.Morales-Gomez and Jennifer Moher (Ottawa: IDRC Books, 2000)

The War-torn Societies Project and Third Party Neutral Models of Conflict Management, with Fen Osler Hampson (IDRC: PBR PI Working Paper No.3, May 1999)

“Transitions from War to Peace: Issues, Challenges and Policy Lessons,” Canadian Journal of Development Studies (XVII, 3, 1996)