Erin McCandless is an independent scholar and policy advisor, with affiliations as Research Associate in the Politics Department at the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa and an Associate Researcher at Institute for Development and Sustainability (IDOS) in Bonn, Germany. A widely published scholar, she has near three decades of experience working on and in conflict affected settings, broadly on issues of peacebuilding, statebuilding, development and resilience - and their intersections. Her current research is focused on forging resilient social contracts, and the role of social cohesion, in countries affected by conflict, fragility and fraught transition. Her work builds upon a multi-country research and policy dialogue project that she directed from 2015-2018. Dr. McCandless is author of more than 100 publications (see: google scholar profile), including three books (one edited) and several influential, policy-shifting United Nations reports, and several policy- and program-shifting United Nations reports, including “Peace Dividends: the Contributions of Administrative and Social Services on Peacebuilding,” and “Second Generation DDR Practices in Peace Operations.” She is also co-founder, former Chief Editor and current Virtual Collections Editor of the international, peer reviewed Journal of Peacebuilding and Development.
Her research/publication and policy/practice areas of specialisation include:
- Peacebuilding, statebuilding and transformative social change
- Forging social contracts in countries affected by conflict, fragility and fraught transition
- Crisis-conflict-fragility contexts and the humanitarian, development, peace ("triple"/"HDP") nexus
- Climate and just transitions in countries affected by conflict and fragility
- Inclusive transitions, peace processes, social contracts (processes and outcomes) and national / local ownership
- Hybrid political orders and systems
- Conflict analysis and prevention
- Assessing and measuring progress in peacebuilding and statebuilding
- Context and conflict sensitivity in policy (i.e., Agenda 2030, New Deal for Engagement in Fragile States, sectoral policies) and programming
- UN peace operations, integrated missions, aid coordination and strategic policy frameworks, transition strategies, national development plans
- Natural resources, the environment and conflict/peacebuilding
- State-(civil)society-international actor relations
- Peacebuilding paradigms and research methods
- Peacebuilding DM&E
Dr. McCandless has lived and worked in and on conflict and transitional settings for two decades, including ten years in Africa - Liberia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. She has professional experience in the following countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Croatia, Haiti, India, Israel, Liberia, Nigeria, Palestine, Pakistan, Romania, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Somalia, South Sudan, Yemen and Zimbabwe. Over ten years’ experience working in conflict, transitional and post-conflict recovery contexts, seven in Africa – in Zimbabwe and Liberia. She currently lives in South Africa.
Contact me for a copy of my cv at erin.mccandless@gmail.com
Full academic CV of Prof. McCandless
Short policy CV of Dr. McCandless
Picture credits
Home page/profile picture are taken by Karen Eichstadt-Coy: kecphoto.com
Other pictures on this website by Erin McCandless