Laura Payne

Laura’s research investigates the contributions of local actors in efforts to prevent violent conflict. Her social action research projects build supportive partnerships with community groups in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, enabling targeted local responses to early signs of violence. She works with civil society groups, churches and mosques to identify forms of conflict prevention that build on local people’s existing capabilities and grounded understanding.

Laura’s field experience includes research in Nigeria, Solomon Islands, South East Turkey, Israel/Palestine, and Iraqi Kurdistan. She also teaches an annual summer school in Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution hosted by Kadir Has University in Istanbul.

Laura currently implements projects funded by the UK’s Economic and Social Research Council (on faith-based conflict prevention in Nigeria and Solomon Islands), the British Council (on Islamic NGOs responding to the Syria crisis), Making All Voices Count (on linking warning and response in conflict prevention) and the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission.

Previously Laura was the institutional lead for peacebuilding for the Anglican Alliance, an international development and advocacy organisation working with local church partners in Africa, Asia and Latin America. She holds an MA in Conflict Studies and Human Rights from the University of Utrecht in The Netherlands.

I believe that normal people can take action to help prevent violence and resolve conflicts. In my research I work with people living through conflict to address real world research gaps and to bring a wider range of perspectives to issues of peace, conflict and security.

My participatory research projects and knowledge exchange projects respond to the priorities of conflict-affected people, building resilience and developing existing capabilities. They produce evidence-based research findings that reflect the views and values of these partners.

My work cuts across academia, government and the third sector to produce new thinking on peace and conflict that is empirically grounded, academically informed and policy-oriented.