CRG Seminar: Returning home from war - Mission effects on West African peacekeepers and communities

Dr Maggie Dwyer is a Lecturer in African Studies and International Development. Her research focuses on conflict, security, and politics in Africa. She is particularly interested in African militaries and international security interventions. Related to these interests she has conducted field research in Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, The Gambia, Liberia, Tanzania, and Kenya. Maggie is also a Global Fellow at the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO).

From November 2019 to April 2024, Maggie led the ESRC funded research project titled 'Return from Peacekeeping: Mission Effects on Veterans, States, and Communities.' The project examined the social and political effects of deployments on veteran peacekeepers, their families, and contributing countries in Africa. It involved comparative analysis through four case study countries: Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, and The Gambia. 

Maggie has also been a researcher on other projects including Security Force Assistance (SFAssist) based at the Peace Research Institute Oslo and the ESRC/DFID funded project Social Media and Security in Africa (SMS: Africa) based at University of Edinburgh. Additional funding for her research on African security issues has come from the Gerda Henkel Foundation, the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation, and the UKRI Global Challenges Research Fund.

Maggie completed her PhD in African Studies at University of Edinburgh. She also holds an MSc from Syracuse University and a BS in political science and psychology from University of Mary Washington. Maggie’s experience researching security issues builds on a previous career working for the U.S. Department of Defense (2004-2010). She has also been involved in projects with various government agencies and international organizations such as the U.S. State Department and the World Bank.