Johanna Birnir

Jóhanna Birnir is a Associate Professor in the Department of Government and Politics and the Research Director of the Center of International Development and Conflict Management at the University of Maryland. Her research is in the field of Comparative Politics. Broadly speaking, Dr. Birnir focuses on political developments in new democracies in Latin America and Eastern Europe. More specifically, she studies the effects of institutions on party system development and ethnic politics with a special emphasis on conflict and terrorism. Her current work on The Social Determinants of Terrorist Organizations' Resilience in Latin America examines the trajectories of terrorist organizations in Peru and Colombia and is funded by the Department of Homeland Security through START.