Patricia Sellick

Dr Patricia Sellick is an experienced practitioner who has worked for Minority Rights Group International, Save the Children Alliance, Voluntary Service Overseas, and both UK and US Quaker organisations. She has lived and worked in the Middle East, Central Asia and Horn of Africa designing, developing and managing programmes in conflict affected areas. She has also conducted research on Muslim Housing Experiences in the UK for the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies and the Housing Corporation. She has a PhD in Peace Studies from Bradford University.

Area of Expertise:

The role of international non-governmental organisations (INGOs) in areas of violent conflict with particular interest in the relationship between INGOs and the people directly affected by violent conflict. My geographical areas of expertise are Middle East, Central Asia and Horn of Africa.

I am motivated by my experience of working with people living with conflict across the Middle East, Central Asia and Horn of Africa as well as in the UK. As a member of the research group in Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation I am keen to develop understanding of the margin of agency for individuals to deal with conflict and transform power relations without recourse to violence. I understand violence can be both coercive and intersubjective. This has led me to research issues such as the way that individuals will put their own lives on the line, the way in which people act in solidarity with each other, and the way in which people tell stories of the past. Since March 2020 I have been the Course Director for the MA Peace and Conflict Studies and I welcome the opportunity to engage with practitioner students.