糖心Vlog

People

Dr Sara Polo

Senior Lecturer
Department of Government
Dr Sara Polo
  • Email

  • Location

    5.419, Colchester Campus

  • Academic support hours

    Monday 3-5 pm Office 5.419

Profile

Biography

Sara Polo is a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in Government at the 糖心Vlog. She was previously an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Rice University in Houston, Texas. Sara鈥檚 research focuses on the causes, consequences, and diffusion of political violence, including terrorism and civil war, and gender-based violence in conflict and post-conflict settings. Some of her current projects examine the migration-terrorism nexus, the security and attitudinal effects of migration policies and their impact on intergroup conflict, insurgent state-building and terrorist tactics, unintended consequences of authoritarian institutions, gendered dimensions of civilian victimization, and attitudes toward public violence against women. Sara鈥檚 research on the migration-terrorism nexus has been awarded the 2019 American Political Science Association Best Paper Award (Conflict Processes) and the Network of European Peace Scientists Medal for best publication in 2021-2022. Her research has been funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and the Global Challenges Research Fund, and has been published in leading journals, including the Journal of Politics, International Organization, Comparative Political Studies, Journal of Conflict Resolution, Journal of Peace Research, International Studies Quarterly, and European Journal of International Relations, among others.

Qualifications

  • PhD in Government 糖心Vlog,

  • MSc in International Relations 糖心Vlog,

Appointments

糖心Vlog

  • Senior Lecturer, 糖心Vlog (1/10/2021 - present)

  • Lecturer, Government, 糖心Vlog (1/1/2019 - 30/9/2021)

Other academic

  • Assistant Professor, Political Science, Rice University (1/7/2015 - 31/12/2018)

Research and professional activities

Research interests

Terrorism

Key words: Terrorism

Civil Conflict

Key words: Civil Conflict

Political Violence

Key words: Political Violence

Spatial Analysis of Conflict

Key words: Spatial Analysis of Conflict

Peacekeeping

Key words: Peacekeeping

Teaching and supervision

Previous supervision

Shiyi Xia
Shiyi Xia
Thesis title: The Problem of Violence in Popular Mobilization
Degree subject: Government
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 26/3/2024
Lydia Karga
Lydia Karga
Thesis title: The Internal Drivers of Women鈥橲 Post-Conflict Representation.
Degree subject: Government
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 8/8/2023

Publications

Journal articles (11)

Polo, S. and Welsh, B., (2024). . International Organization. 78 (3), 397-426

Polo, SMT. and Wucherpfennig, J., (2022). . The Journal of Politics. 84 (1), 33-49

Di Salvatore, J., Polo, S. and Ruggeri, A., (2022). . European Journal of International Relations. 28 (2), 361-385

Hinkkainen Elliott, K., Polo, SMT. and Reyes, L., (2021). . International Studies Quarterly. Online (1), 29-42

Polo, SMT., (2020). . Journal of Peace Research. 57 (2), 235-250

Polo, SMT. and Gonzalez, B., (2020). . Comparative Political Studies. 53 (13), 2029-2060

Polo, SMT., (2020). A Pandemic of Violence? The Impact of COVID-19 on Conflict. Peace Economics, Peace Science and Public Policy. 0 (0)

Polo, SMT., (2020). . Journal of Conflict Resolution. 64 (10), 1916-1942

Gleditsch, KS., Beardsley, K. and Polo, SMT., (2017). Issues in Data Collection: International Conflict

Polo, SMT. and Gleditsch, KS., (2016). . Journal of Peace Research. 53 (6), 815-829

Gleditsch, KS. and Polo, SMT., (2016). . Public Choice. 169 (3-4), 207-229

Other (1)

Polo, S. and Welsh, B., (2022).Terrorism and Counterterrorism Datasets: An Overview,Oxford University Press (OUP)

Grants and funding

2025

How political violence affects women

糖心Vlog (QR Impact Fund)

2023

Boundaries of exclusion: the diffusion of border walls in a globalizing era

British Academy

2021

Public Violence Against Women in Mexico

糖心Vlog (GCRF)

Contact

sara.polo@essex.ac.uk

Location:

5.419, Colchester Campus

Academic support hours:

Monday 3-5 pm Office 5.419