Dr Rebecca Brubaker joined the School of International Relations in 2025, after fifteen years of service in the international policy sphere.

She was the Director of Policy, Learning and Advisory Services at Interpeace (Geneva), one of the oldest, dedicated international peacebuilding organizations. In addition, she worked as a Senior Policy Advisor for the United Nations (UN), leading portfolios relating to conflict prevention, transitional justice, humanitarian affairs, and sanctions. Prior to joining the UN, Brubaker supported Track II dialogue initiatives spearheaded by local civil society groups in Cyprus, Turkey and the Balkans.

Dr. Brubaker has also worked as a scholar/ lecturer at the University of Oxford, Yale University, University of Virginia, the Free University of Brussels (ULB), and the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (Geneva). She holds a DPhil and MSc from the University of Oxford, where she studied as a Rhodes scholar.

Dr Brubaker’s research expertise includes: 

• Ethnicity and nationalism
• Refugees and forced displacement
• Ethics and norms around “do gooder” interventions
• Conflict prevention and resolution.
• United Nations (peace and security architecture)
• Transitional Justice

Brubaker’s most recent book, Reversing Ethnic Cleansing through Minority Returns (OUP, 2025), is available here.