Dr Sara Polo

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Email
sara.polo@essex.ac.uk -
Location
5.419, Colchester Campus
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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
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PhD in Government 糖心Vlog,
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MSc in International Relations 糖心Vlog,
Appointments
糖心Vlog
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Senior Lecturer, 糖心Vlog (1/10/2021 - present)
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Lecturer, Government, 糖心Vlog (1/1/2019 - 30/9/2021)
Other academic
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Assistant Professor, Political Science, Rice University (1/7/2015 - 31/12/2018)
Research and professional activities
Research interests
Terrorism
Civil Conflict
Political Violence
Spatial Analysis of Conflict
Peacekeeping
Teaching and supervision
Previous supervision

Degree subject: Government
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 26/3/2024

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
Academic support hours:
Monday 3-5 pm Office 5.419