Fola Aina BITSS CatalystInternational DevelopmentPolitical Science
Dr. Aina is a Political Scientist and international security analyst. He is currently a lecturer in the Political Economy of Violence, Conflict and Development, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, United Kingdom. He completed a second master’s degree in African Studies, at the University of Oxford, having earlier obtained a master’s degree in international development policy from Seoul National University, South Korea. Dr Aina holds a doctorate degree in Leadership Studies, with reference to security and development from King’s College London, United Kingdom. His research interests include peace, security and development; leadership in national security policy decision making, military operations, international security and technology nexus, special operations forces, grand strategy, terrorism, insurgency, and extremism, with a regional focus on West Africa’s Sahel and Lake Chad Basin regions and coastal West African states. A recipient of multiple awards, including the prestigious General Lamine Cissé Young Researcher Award by Partners West Africa/Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance, and the Hans. J Morgenthau Fellowship on Grand Strategy, awarded by the Notre Dame International Security Centre, University of Notre Dame. He is an alumnus of the Summer Workshop on the Analysis of Military Strategy and Operations (SWAMOS) organised by Columbia University, New York, U.S.A. Dr Aina was previously a Non Resident Fellow with the Joint Special Operations University and is currently a Non- Resident Fellow at West Point’s Irregular Warfare Center. His works have been published in several reputable international peer reviewed journals such as African Security, Armed Forces & Society, Applied Security Research, and Democracy and Security amongst others.