Critical Insecurity Studies

Current Research

In research and teaching, the team pursues critical perspectives on various forms of physical and psychological insecurity and their consequences for politics and society during and after violent conflict. In particular, current research projects focus on the role of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, social media or space technologies in collective violence (riots, genocide), micro-level approaches in international relations and conflict studies (perpetrators, victims, upstanders), the (inter)national politics of memory, and discrimination and resilience amongst marginalised groups (particularly Roma refugees). We are interested both in the dynamics during the violent events themselves and in the consequences for societies once the violence has ended.

Our research projects are explicitly empirical and comparative in nature and draw on critical approaches that highlight the role of ideas and ideologies, language and identities, collective dynamics and individual agency, whilst considering the broader political and cultural contexts to be essential.

We are affiliated with the Institute for Cultural Studies and the Institute for Political Science, and are active in the interdisciplinary research centre RISK, where Timothy Williams has also been co-chairman since 2021.

Current research projects

“Transforming Intersectional Discrimination: Resilience and Agency of Displaced Roma” (TINDRA) – funded by Gerda Henkel Foundation (2026-2028); PI: Timothy Williams & Kirsty Campbell; implemented with Roma Council of North Rhine-Westphalia; project team: Timothy Williams, Kirsty Campbell & Jakub Haluška:
The aim of the project is to use qualitative research methods to analyse, from an intersectional perspective, the experiences of discrimination, resilience strategies and empowerment among Roma refugees. Particular emphasis is placed on intersectional perspectives – notably gender, religion and queerness – and how these identity markers influence experiences of discrimination, resilience and empowerment.

“Discrimination and Resilience. Memory and Continuities among Roma” (DiREKt-Roma) – funded by the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency (2023-2024); PI: Timothy Williams; implemented with the Roma Council of North Rhine-Westphalia; project team: Timothy Williams & Kirsty Campbell:
This is the predecessor to TINDRA and investigated the experiences of discrimination and resilience strategies of Roma migrants from Southeastern Europe to Germany. Building on life-history and thematic interviews, the project examined various forms of Anti-Roma discrimination and the affected individuals’ strategies for dealing with it. A special focus was placed on continuities and ruptures in the experience of this discrimination and the development of resilience.

“Supporting Arms Control in Space” (SACS) – funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (2025-2028); PI: Konstantinos Konstantinidis; project team: Konstantinos Konstantinidis, Antje Nötzold, Helena Althoff, Anto Francis & Milan Pathak.
We also host the junior research group of Konstantinos Konstantinidis that aims to support the development of a hypothetical arms control treaty for space-based weapons by identifying strategically stable conditions in space that reduce the likelihood of an unintended war, the consequences of a war, and the costs associated with maintaining one’s own security. The project draws on a range of technical methods from interdisciplinary fields (aerospace engineering, computer science, mathematics, etc.) as well as theories and methods from international relations and peace and conflict studies.

Team