University of Oxford

Brian McQuinn

Brian McQuinn

Email: brian.mcquinn@anthro.ox.ac.uk

Background

Brian is a Research Associate at the Centre on Conflict, Development and Peacebuilding in Geneva, Switzerland and is completing a doctorate at the University of Oxford’s Centre for Anthropology and Mind. His research investigates the social practices and organizational structures underpinning cohesion in civil war armed groups. He recently completed seven months of fieldwork in Misurata, Libya during the war and its aftermath funded by the Berghof Foundation.

Prior to resuming academics, Brian worked in conflict-affected countries as a dialogue specialist for twelve years with the United Nations and other international organizations. He specialized in designing and facilitating multi-stakeholder dialogues and conflict resolution training. He serves as a lead trainer for the UN System Staff College course on “Applied Conflict Analysis for Prevention and Peacebuilding.”

Current research

Mr. McQuinn’s research investigates the social practices and organizational structures shaping the cohesion of non-state armed groups in civil wars.  Of particular interest is the relationship between organizational rituals and social morphology. The goal of the research is to develop high-impact policy for international actors engaged with these organizations.

Mr. McQuinn is conducting field research in Misurata, Libya. He is studying the evolving structures and cohesive bonds of the fighting forces prosecuting the revolution and contributing to the Ritual, Community and Conflict project.

Selected Publications

McQuinn, Brian (with Peter Cole) (eds.)(under contract), The Libyan revolution and its aftermath (London: Hurst).

McQuinn, Brian (under contract), 'The emergence and evolution of revolutionary brigades in Misrata', in Peter Cole and Brian McQuinn (eds.), The Libyan revolution and its aftermath (London: Hurst).

McQuinn, Brian (with Peter Cole) (under contract), 'Introduction: the politics of revolutions and uprisings’, in Peter Cole and Brian McQuinn (eds.), The Libyan revolution and its aftermath (London: Hurst).

Whitehouse, Harvey and McQuinn, Brian (2012), 'Ritual and Violence: Divergent modes of religiosity and armed struggle', in Mark Juergensmeyer, Margo Kitts, and Michael Jerryson (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Religion and Violence (Oxford: Oxford University Press).

McQuinn, Brian (2012), 'After the Fall: Libya's Evolving Armed Groups', Working Paper (12; Geneva: Small Arms Survey).

McQuinn, Brian (2012), 'Armed Groups in Libya: Typology and Roles', Research Notes (18; Geneva: Small Arms Survey).

Sullivan, Richard, McQuinn, Brian, and Purushotham, Arnie (2011), 'How are we going to rebuild public health in Libya?', Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 104 (12), 490-92.

McQuinn, Brian (2011), 'Impact Assessment: Youth employment programmes in Sierra Leone (2007–2009)', (Freetown: United Nations Develop Programme).

McQuinn, Brian (2010), 'Modes of coalition formation: CPN-Maoists doctrinal cohesion regimes' in New Researchers' Perspectives on the Nepalese People's War (Centre for Himalayan Studies: Paris).

Beardsley, Kyle and McQuinn, Brian (2009), 'Rebel Groups as Predatory Organizations: The Political Effects of the 2004 Tsunami in Indonesia and Sri Lanka', Journal of Conflict Resolution, 53 (4), 624-45.

McQuinn, Brian (2003) “A typology of post-accord problems: Step 1 - A survey of post-accord problems since 1989”, paper presented at the ‘Peace- building after Peace Accords’ conference, University of Notre Dame, South Bend, September 11–13.

Darby, John and McQuinn, Brian (2003) ‘Contemporary peacemaking: a matrix’, paper presented at the ‘Peacebuilding after Peace Accords’ conference, University of Notre Dame, South Bend, September 11–13.