Dr Sara Polo

Biography

Sara Polo is a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in Government at the University of Essex. She was previously an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Rice University in Houston, Texas. Sara’s research focuses on the causes, consequences, and diffusion of political violence, including terrorism and civil war, and gender-based violence in conflict and post-conflict settings. Some of her current projects examine the migration-terrorism nexus, the security and attitudinal effects of migration policies and their impact on intergroup conflict, insurgent state-building and terrorist tactics, unintended consequences of authoritarian institutions, gendered dimensions of civilian victimization, and attitudes toward public violence against women. Sara’s research on the migration-terrorism nexus has been awarded the 2019 American Political Science Association Best Paper Award (Conflict Processes) and the Network of European Peace Scientists Medal for best publication in 2021-2022. Her research has been funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and the Global Challenges Research Fund, and has been published in leading journals, including the Journal of Politics, Comparative Political Studies, Journal of Conflict Resolution, Journal of Peace Research, International Studies Quarterly, and European Journal of International Relations, among others.

Qualifications

• PhD in Government University of Essex,

• MSc in International Relations University of Essex,

Appointments

University of Essex

• Senior Lecturer, University of Essex (1/10/2021 - present)

• Lecturer, Government, University of Essex (1/1/2019 - 30/9/2021)

Other academic

• Assistant Professor, Political Science, Rice University (1/7/2015 - 31/12/2018)