Curriculum vitae

William Plowright
Assistant Professor of International Security
Durham Global Security Institute
School of Government and International Affairs, Durham University
william.plowright@durham.ac.uk

Academic Research & Education

Assistant Professor in International Security (July 2022 to present): Durham University

Post-Doctoral Fellowship (June 2019 to June 2021): University of Amsterdam
Book (in progress): “The War on Rescue: Humanitarianism and the European Migration Crisis of 2015-2020.”

PhD in Political Science (Sept. 2011 to June 2018): University of British Columbia, Canada.Thesis Title: “Armed groups, child soldiers and legitimacy.” Primary research conducted in Myanmar and Syria, with supporting research in 7 additional conflict/post-conflict areas.

Masters of Science (with Distinction) in Conflict Studies (Oct. 2010 to Aug. 2011): London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), UK.
Dissertation Title: “Young Combatants and the Strategic Orientation of Rebellion.” Awarded with Distinction.

Bachelor of Arts (Sept. 2006 to April 2010): University of British Columbia, Canada.
Double Major Political Science & History. Awarded Dean’s List status with straight A’s.

Selected Publications

Books:

“The War on Rescue: The Obstruction of Humanitarian Assistance in the European Migration Crisis” (Cornell University Press, 2024)

 “Armed groups and International Legitimacy: Child Soldiers in Intra-state Conflict” (Routledge, 2021)

Book Chapters:

“Our Margins, Their Frontlines: Research with Child Soldiers in Armed Groups in Syrian, Myanmar & Uganda.” Pp 317-228 in S. Bastien & H.B. Holmarsdottir, Eds., Youth at the Margins: Experiences from Engaging Youth in Research Worldwide. Sense:  Amsterdam, 2015.

Peer-Reviewed Articles:

“The Securitization of Child Soldiers by Burmese Insurgents: Preliminary Conclusions from the Field.” Journal of Military and Strategic Studies. 15-1 (2013): 1-26.

 “Peoples of the River: A Comparative Analysis of the Yorta-Yorta and Sto:Lo, Canadian Journal of Native Studies. Fall, 2012.

“Smoothing the Contours of Violence: The failures of DDR in Sierra Leone.” Human Security Perspectives. Fall, 2011.

“’When it is my turn, there will be no one to bury me’: Ideology, social mobility, and individual agency in the Cambodian Genocide.” URJHS. Vol 8, No 1. 2009.

Other:

“A Canadian coordinator pays tribute to local MSF staff in Central African Republic — and to one particularly exceptional colleague.” Doctors Without Borders. May 18, 2017.

Awards:

  • SSHRC Post-Doctoral Fellowship (2019-2021)

  • Consular Corps of BC Graduate Scholarship (2017)

  • “Humanitarian High-Five” Award – Médecins Sans Frontières (2017)

  • Public Scholars Award (2015)

  • IDRC Doctoral Award (2014)

  • JH Stewart Reid Memorial Fellowship Trust (2014)

  • Rotary International Peace Fellowship (2014)

  • Michael Smith Foreign Study Award (2014)

  • Arts Graduate Research Award, UBC (2013)

  • SSHRC Doctoral Award (2013-15)

  • Research Mobility Award (2013)

  • Bottom Billion Award, Liu Institute for Global Issues (2013)

  • Endeavour Research Fellowship (Government of Australia) (2012)

  • Four Year Doctoral Fellowship (4YF) Award, UBC (2011-12 to 2014-15)

  • Canada Millennium Excellence Award, (2008-09; and again in 2009-10)

  • Walter H Gage and Elsie M Harvey Education Abroad Award, (2008-09)

  • Trek Excellence Award (2009-10)

 

Teaching Experience

Sessional Instructor,  Department of Political Science, University of British Columbia (Sept-Dec 2018).

  • POLI 370(B): The Politics of Humanitarianism. Third year undergraduate, 70 students.

  • POLI 460(A): Foreign Policy Analysis – the Syrian Conflict. Fourth year seminar course, 25 students, analysing the conflict and culminated in a simulated peacebuilding conference.

Instructor “Politics, Economics and Diplomacy in a Global Context” (July-August, 2018) University of British Columbia, Future Global Leaders Program

  • Taught course introducing key theoretical concepts of international relations and the international system, while also focussing on the role of armed conflict and dispute resolution.

Instructor & Simulation Director for “Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response” (May, 2017) – University of Laval,  Département de Management.

  • Taught intensive in-class course for 40 graduate students on Humanitarian Response, and led three-day disaster simulation, involving all students and 40 volunteers.

Instructor “Armed Conflict in the 21st Century”, University of British Columbia, “Ageless Pursuits” (May, 2017)

  • Taught course titled “Armed Conflict in the 21st Century” on trends in war for the Ageless Pursuits program at UBC.

Teaching Assistant – University of British Columbia, (January 2011 – April 2016.

  • POLI 101 – Intro to Poli Sci;

  • POLI 360 – Security Studies;

  • POLI 367: International Relations Theory;

  • POLI 369 – Issues in International Security; and

  • POLI 373 – Ethics in World Politics.

 

Instructor – Disaster and Humanitarian Response – York University (Summer 2013)

  • Co-taught the in class portions of this open course for graduate students and working professionals, and led three-day disaster simulation.

 

Visiting Research Fellow –University of Melbourne, (Sept. 2013 to Feb. 2014).

  • Awarded funding from Australian Government, through the Endeavour Awards.

  • Completed research and worked on various collaborative projects with students/faculty
     

Liu Scholar – Liu Institute for Global Issues (UBC), Sept 2010 – Present.

  • Awarded position of Liu Scholar, to pursue interdisciplinary research on conflict

Humanitarian Work Experience

Doctors without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières (2014-2020)

  • COVID-19 Emergency Coordinator (British Columbia), 2020.

  • Project Coordinator: Syria: July-Nov 2019.

  • Ebola Coordinator: DRC Bangladesh (Jan to April 2019).

  • Project Coordinator Tripoli, Libya (Sept to Dec 2017).

  • Project Coordinator Central African Republic (October 2016 to March 2017).

  • Learning & Development Officer, Helmand, Afghanistan (Nov.2014 to Aug. 2015).

SimEx Director – Humanitarian U, (May 2013 to June 2017)

  • Led and developed training courses (“simulation exercise” or SimEx) for humanitarians preparing to deploy to conflict/disaster zones. Included in-class instruction and disaster simulation to test core competencies.

  • Developed curricula as well as skill stations for the disaster simulation. Further, I co-wrote an online course to be launched in Winter 2014.

  • Contents included:: Project management; monitoring and evaluation; budgeting and finance; security; mediation & negotiation; child protection & child soldiers.

will-plowright-CAR3.JPG

Cameroonian Peacekeeper, MINUSCA. Bossangoa, Central African Republic (2013).