About me

I am currently an Associate Professor in the School of Political Studies at the University of Ottawa, Canada.

My current research is on the transnational governance of security in West Africa’s Sahel region, with a particular focus on irregular migration and border control. My most recent fieldwork has been in Burkina Faso, where I have been researching non-state security providers. Prior to that, I was working on the local effects of international efforts to curb migrant smuggling in Niger.

Previously, I worked on border policing practices in Senegal and Mauritania through police cooperation, the reinforcement of border infrastructure and the deployment of digital identification technologies.

My research interests are in borders and migration, critical security studies, and African politics. As part of a multi-faceted research trajectory, I have also come to research and write on issues related to the politics of surveillance and privacy for diverse audiences.

I obtained my PhD in Political Science from McMaster University in 2015, having completed my BSocSci (2008) and MA (2010) at the University of Ottawa. Prior to joining the University of Ottawa in 2018, I was a Lecturer in International Relations at the University of York and Research Fellow at the University of Sheffield.