Kristina Roepstorff

Lecturer; PACS Study Programme Advisor

PD Dr. rer. pol. habil. Kristina Roepstorff

Faculty of Humanities, Social Science & Education
Institute II Political Science

Zschokkestr. 32, 39104 Magdeburg, G40-306

+49 391 67-56804

Education and Training

2023: Habilitation in political science, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, cumulative habilitation “Encounters of the Local and the International in the Governance of Peacebuilding and Humanitarian Action”
2018: Humanitarian Mediation Training, NOHA, Brussels
2015: Certificate Instructional Skills Online, Royal Roads University, Canada
2012-2014: Vocational training as Intercultural Mediator, Interculture, Berlin

2004-2009: PhD (Dr.rer.pol), Institute of Intercultural and International Studies, Bremen University
2003-2004: MA International and Comparative Legal Studies, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London

1997- 2003: M.A. in Philosophy, Sociocultural Anthropology and Comparative Religious Studies, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich
1985-1997: European Baccalaureate, European School Munich: focus on languages

Work Experience and other Activities

Since 05/2024: Scientific Associate, Chair of International Relations, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg
Since 01/2022: Senior Researcher und Deputy Research Lead, Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO)
Since 08/2021: Member of the editorial board, World Food, Welthungerhilfe specialist journal.
Since 04/2021: Senior Researcher, Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict (IFHV), Ruhr University Bochum

Since 09/2019: Research Fellow, Center for Humanitarian Action, Berlin: Research and advice for politics and humanitarian aid organizationsn

Since 05/2015: Associate Faculty, School of Humanitarian Studies, Royal Roads University, Canada
Since 09/2013: Freelance work as a mediator, trainer and consultant: political advice; Training in cultural and conflict sensitivity for NGOs and companies; International mediator in Nepal with the Center for Integrative Mediation (CSSP): mediation training and mediation interventions with local peace committees.

Since 2008: Lecturer in the NOHA master's program "International Humanitarian Action" at University College Dublin and at the Ruhr University Bochum (since 2016)
04/2021-12/2022: Research assistant, Institute for Peacekeeping Law and International Humanitarian Law (IFHV) at the Ruhr University Bochum

11/2017 - 03/2020: Speaker of the Working Group “Curriculum and Didactics” of the German Association of Peace and Conflict Studies
09/2016-02/2017: Representation of the W1 Professorship of Mediality and Intermediality in Asian and African Societies, Institute for Asian and African Studies, Humboldt University of Berlin

09/2015–05/2020: Lecturer in Peace and Conflict Studies, Department of Political Science, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg
04/2014–04/2015: Visiting Professor, Institute for Asian and African Studies, Humboldt University Berlin

11/2012–07/2013: Visiting Fellow, Research Division Asia, German Institute for International and Security Affairs, (SWP), Berlin

09/2011–09/2012: Government of Canada Postdoctoral Research Fellow, School of International Studies, Simon Fraser University, Canada

08/2009–08/2011: Assistant Professor, Willy Brandt School of Public Policy at Erfurt University
04/2007–03/2008: Marie Curie Fellow in Humanitarian Action and Conflict Studies, University College Dublin
09/2006-01/2007: South Asia Human Rights Documentation Center, India (New Delhi): Research and documentation of human rights violations in Kashmir and evaluation of the National Commission on the Rights of Women; Writing a textbook chapter on human rights
09/2004-05/2009: FIAN Deutschland e.V. (International human rights organization for the right to food): Board member, treasurer and international delegate (2005-2009); Fact-Finding Mission and Field Visits, India (2006); Campaign and public relations work
09/2004-09/2006: South Asia Information Network, Berlin: volunteer editorial board member; editing and writing texts; updating the website; Organization of meetings and workshops.
07/2004-09/2004: Human Rights Center, University of Potsdam: research and documentation; Creation of the bibliography for the research project “Social Human Rights and Social Justice”.
02/2002-03/2002: Gandhi Peace Foundation, India (New Delhi and Orissa): Project support in the areas of rural development and education

International relations and International Studies
Practices of Humanitarian Action
Peacebuilding
Forced Displacement and Migration
Decolonial and Postcolonial Theory
Qualitative and Participatory Research Methods

Monographs and Editorships

Radtke, K. and Roepstorff, K. (2025) An introduction to humanitarian action. Routledge. (Link)
forthcoming 2025: Local Humanitarian Action and Forced Migration: contested spaces of international aid, Routledge

2014: The Politics of Self-Determination: beyond the decolonisation process, London: Routledge (2014)

Journal Articles and Book Chapters

2025: Tacit engagement in humanitarian action: making sense of silence and secrecy in humanitarian negotiations, Journal of International Humanitarian Action
In progress: Special Collection, Agenda for Humanity Revisited, mit Clara Egger, Kristoffer Lidén (eds.), Journal of International Humanitarian Action

Under review: „Tacit Engagement as Humanitarian Practice“, mit Kristoffer Lidén und Ayse Akal
forthcoming 2024: “Decolonising Humanitarian Action”, with Sulagna Maitra, in: Roepstorff, Kristina and Radtke, Katrin (eds.), Introduction to International Humanitarian Action, London: Routledge
2023: “Mopping up, keeping down, and propping up: Ethical dilemmas in humanitarian negotiations with authoritarian regimes”, in: Cunningham, Andrew J., ed. Authoritarian Practices and Humanitarian Negotiations. London: Routledge (2023)
2022: Localization and the Politics of Humanitarian Action, Special Issue, Frontiers in Political Science, with Kilian Spandler and Sulagna Maitra

2022: “Localisation”, in: Matthew Clarke (ed.), Elgar Encyclopedia of Development

2021: Localisation requires Trust: An Interface Perspective on the Rohingya Response in Bangladesh", Disasters

2020: “Visualising Peace – the Stare of the Art”, Peace & Change, 45(1), with Stephan Engelkamp and Alexander Spencer

2020: “Moving images: visual metaphors of peace in the Movie Mango Dreams”, Peace & Change, 45(1), with Stephan Engelkamp and Alexander Spencer

2020: “Decentering Peace and Conflict Studies: Conceptualisations of Peace in India”, Zeitschrift für Friedens- und Konfliktforschung, 9(1): 1-21, mit Siddharth Tripathi (2020).

2019: “As Local as Possible, as International as Necessary? A Critical Assessment of the Localisation Agenda in Humanitarian Action”, Third World Quarterly, 41(2)

2019: “Chance für den Frieden? Die Lokalisierungsagenda im Humanitären System im Nexus von Humanitärer Hilfe und Friedensförderung”, Die Friedens-Warte. Journal of International Peace and Organization

2017: “Armed Conflicts and Humanitarian Crises: Insights from the Anthropology of War”, in: Heintze, Hans-Joachim and Thielbörger, Pierre (eds.), International Humanitarian Action: NOHA Textbook, Berlin: Springer

2016: “India and the DAC-donors: divergence or convergence principles and practices of humanitarian aid?”, in: Sezgin, Z. und Dijkzeul, D. (eds), The New Humanitarians in International Practice: Emerging actors and contested principles, Abingdon: Routledge

2013: “Insider Mediation in Peace Processes: an untapped resource?“, S+F, Security and Peace, Issue 3, with Anna Bernhard

2011: “Conflict Transformation and the European Experience: A Case Study of Institutional (Re-) Design in Bosnia Herzegovina”, in: Ahmar, Moonis (ed.), Conflict Transformation and the Challenge of Peace, Karachi: Royal Book Company

2011: “Self-Determination as Non-Domination. A shift from government to governance from a normative perspective”, in: Fisch, Jörg (ed.), Die Verteilung der Welt. Selbstbestimmung und das Selbstbestimmungsrecht der Völker. The World divided. Self-determination and the Right of Peoples to Self-determination, Munich: Oldenbourg Verlag

2009: “Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Question of Justiciability: International Legal Protection of the Right to Food”, in: Hoffmann-Holland, Klaus (ed.), Ethics and Human Rights in a Globalized World, Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck Verlag

2008: “Confronting the Past, Building the Future: The Role of Post-Conflict Justice in Africa”, in: Hans- Joachim Heintze and Robert C. Hudson (eds.), Different Approaches to Peace and Conflict Research, Bilbao: Universidad de Deusto Press, with Danja Blocher

Policy Papers and Other Publications

2023: Interview, E-International Relations, 4. Mai 2023: https://www.e-ir.info/2023/05/04/interview-kristina-roepstorff/
2023: Humanitarian Mediation: Conceptual and Ethical Explorations, NCHS Paper: 12. Bergen: Norwegian Centre for Humanitarian Studies, mit Kristoffer Lidén.
2020: „The ethics of humanitarian negotiations“, Humanitarian Views: the Humanitarian Blog, mit Kristoffer Lidén.
2020: „Red Lines and Grey Zones: Ethical dilemmas in humanitarian negotiations and the need for a research agenda“, PRIO Blog, mit Kristoffer Lidén.
2020: „Same same but different: Reflexion zur Online-Lehre vor und während Corona“, H-Soz-Kult, Forum: Digitales Lehren : https://www.hsozkult.de/debate/id/diskussionen-5034
2020: “Localisation and the Shrinking Civic Space: tying up the loose ends”, Berlin: Centre for Humanitarian Action.
2020: “Counterterrorism Measures and Sanction Regimes: Shrinking Space for Humanitarian Aid Organisations”, Berlin: Centre for Humanitarian Action, mit Charlotte Faltas and Sonja Hövelmann.
2019: “Migration and the Shrinking Humanitarian Space in Europe: From maritime search and rescue operations to contested humanitarian action in EU countries”, Berlin: Centre for Humanitarian Action.
2018: “Staatenlos: Der Konflikt in Rakhine und die Humanitäre Notlage der Rohingya”, Blogbeitrag, Friedensakademie Rheinland-Pfalz.
2013: “Myanmar’s Peace Process. The Importance of Federal Reforms and an Inclusive National Dialogue”, SWP Comments 2013/C 29, mit Jasmin Lorch.
2013: „Indien in Aufruhr. Die Braveheart-Debatte und die Folgen für die indische Demokratie“, SWP-Aktuell/18, mit Christian Wagner.
2013: „Demokratieförderung in Myanmar. Indien als Partner für die deutsche und europäische Außenpolitik?“, SWP-Aktuell/4.
2012: Die Assam-Unruhen 2012: Anatomie eines Konflikts, Heinrich Boell Foundation (online).
2007: „Auswahlbibliographie: Wirtschaftliche, soziale und kulturelle Menschenrechte“; MenschenRechtsMagazin, 2, pp. 156-172, mit Arnd Pollmann.
2005: Menschenrechte in Indien, Südasien-Informationen Nr. 8, mit Eric Töpfer and Subin Nijhawan (Hg.).

Conferences and Panels

02/2024: Lecture: „Global South to the Rescue?“, The Power and Politics of Localization research conference, Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University, Februar 2024
11/2023: Lecture: „Deadlocked at sea: How humanitarian Search and rescue operations negotiate to save and disembark migrant lives in the Mediterranean“, mit Maria Jumbert, IHSA Konferenz, Dhaka, Bangladesh, November 2023
11/2023: Lecture: “Negotiating cultures: local humanitarian negotiators in the Rohingya Response”, with Sulagna Maitra, IHSA Conference, Dhaka, Bangladesh, November 2023
11/2023: Panel: South-south cooperation as enabler of localization?, IHSA Conference, Dhaka, Bangladesh, November 2023
11/2023: Panel: “Humanitarian studies in turbulent times: taking stock of the Agenda for Humanity”, with Clara Egger and Kristoffer Lidén, IHSA Conference, Dhaka, Bangladesh, November 2023
11/2023: Panel: „Cultural and gendered contexts of the ethics of humanitarian negotiations“, mit Kristoffer Lidén, IHSA Konferenz, Dhaka, Bangladesh, November 2023
09/2021: Presentation (with Kristoffer Lidén): Red Lines and Grey Zones: Exploring the ethics of humanitarian negotiations, International Humanitarian Studies Conference
07/2021: Workshops: “Fundamentals of Peace and Conflict Studies”, as part of the DAAD project “Strengthening Peace Education Capacities (SPEC)”, Georgia, June and July 2021

05/2021: Presentation: Critical localism: reflections on the localisation of humanitarian action in theory and (research) practice, Oxford Refugee Studies Centre

07/2020 & 07/2021: Presentation: “Ethnographic Methods in Peace and Conflict Studies”, University of Magdeburg

01/2020: Input: “Peacebuilding”, Humanitarian Reflections, Centre for Humanitarian Action, Berlin

11/2019: Commentary, Shrinking Humanitarian Space in Europe: The Case of Maritime Search and Rescue, IOM Migration Tools

05/2019: Commentary, Shrinking Humanitarian Space in Europe: The Case of Maritime Search and Rescue, IOM Migration Tools

05/2019: Workshop: “Mediation”, NOHA Spring School of Humanitarian Action, Vilnius

03/2019: Presentation: “As local as possible, as international as necessary“? Localising humanitarian action in the context of the Rohingya Emergency Response in Bangladesh”, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh

02/2019: Workshop: “Ethics of Humanitarian Negotiations and Mediation”, PRIO, Oslo

01/2019: Presentation: “From maritime SAR to Safe Harbours: the human rights discourse in the context of maritime migration”, Arbeitsstelle Menschenrechte, University of Magdeburg

11/2018: Presentation: “Conflicts and Forced Migration in South Asia: the case of the Rohingya”, Ghent University

09/2018: Presentation: “As local as possible, as international as necessary: the localisation agenda in humanitarian action”, European International Studies Association Conference, Prague

09/2017: Presentation (with Alexander Spencer and Stephan Engelkamp): “Visualising peace: politics, policy and pedagogy”, European International Studies Association Conference, Barcelona

03/2016: Presentation: “What is the Local? Some Conceptual Considerations”, Panel: Locally-Led Humanitarian Action: The Future, or Folly?, World Conference on Humanitarian Studies, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

12/2014: Presentation: “Local Peace Committees as Infrastructures for Peace: an International Perspective”, Local Peace Committees Exchange Workshop, Bharatpur, Nepal

2012: Presentation: “Convergent or Divergent Narratives? The Securitisation of Internal Displacement among Displaced Persons and Civil Society Actors in Assam”, School for International Studies, SFU Vancouver

2009: Presentation: “Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Question of Justiciability: International Legal Protection of the Right to Food”, Ethics and Human Rights in a Globalized World, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
2009: Lecture: “Self-Determination as Non-Domination: a shift from government to governance from a normative perspective” at Colloquium: Self-Determination and the Right of Self-Determination: Achievement of Modernity or Collective Illusion, Historisches Kolleg München, 2009
2007: Lecture: “The Right of Self-Determination as a Right of Non-Domination”, at Conference: Beyond the Nation?: Critical Reflections on Nations and Nationalism in Uncertain Times, Queen’s University Belfast, Nordirland, 2007

Using E-learning:

https://elearning.ovgu.de/enrol/index.php?id=18359