Curriculum vitae

Kasper Hoffmann

General Information

Background

Kasper Hoffmann is a PhD fellow at Roskilde University and the Danish Institute for International Studies. He has five years of experience as a researcher, lecturer and supervisor at the university level. He studies the relationship between conflict and development. Geographically his work is focussed on the conflicts of the Great Lakes Region, especially DR Congo. He uses a combination of sociological, anthropological and historical methods. Kasper Hoffmann has been the regional coordinator of an international NGO in Kosovo working to promote conflict resolution and improving the living conditions of local youths in the Balkans. He is often used as an expert commentator by the Danish media on issues related to the conflicts of the Great Lakes Region.

Education

Master of Social Science (cand.scient.soc.), International Development Studies and History, Roskilde University, Denmark, 2007.

Languages

• Danish – mother tongue

• English – fluent orally and in writing

• French – fluent orally and in writing

• Swedish and Norwegian – oral

• German – oral

PROJECTS

• Ph.D.-project, 2009 -. ”Governing the Congo: Contested Authority in South Kivu, DR Congo”.The project is an investigation of conflicts over authority in the territory of Kalehe in South Kivu, eastern Congo.

• Danish Institute for International Studies, 2008-2009. Civil-Military Relations in Iraq: The Danish Experience 2003-7. Evaluation of the civil-military cooperation in Iraq in the period between 2003-7. Commissioned by the Danish Government.

• Balkan Sunflowers, Kosovo, 2000. ”Drug Awareness Program”. Organized a drug awareness campaign in collaboration with local youths.

• Balkan Sunflowers, Kosovo, 2001, “Kampi Ereniku”. Organized an Inter-Ethnic Summer Camp. An eight-week summer camp on the River Eriniku. Funded by KFOR, GTZ, USAID/OTI/IOM, Stichting Limburgsch and private donor support. More than 350 children participated, 40% from minorities.

PROFFESSIONAL FIELD

• Qualitative methods.

• Cultural identity.

• Peace and conflict studies.

• Non-state violent actors.

• Authority and political processes in conflict-affected regions.

• Lecturing and supervision.

• Project management.

PROFFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

Ghent University, Conflict Research Group

2013- Scientific Researcher, Justice and Security Research Programme

Duties:

• Part of the Justice and Security Research Programme

• Authoring of scientific texts.

• Conceptualization of research agenda for DR Congo.

Roskilde University, Institute for Society and Globalisation 2009- PhD fellow – Part-time lecturer Duties:

• Research for PhD project including 3 months fieldwork in South Kivu, DR Congo, and archival studies in Belgium.

• Organisation of seminars and workshops for the Graduate School for International Development Studies.

• Supervisor of student projects.

• Lecturer (subjects: authority in fragile states in Africa, problem oriented project work, qualitative methods, field work in difficult settings, child-soldiers).

Danish Institute for International Studies 2006-2007, 2008-2009 Student assistant – Research Assistant,

Duties:

• Part of the core team of a DIIS report on civil-military collaboration in international operations.

• Produced a research report on Danish civil-military cooperation in Iraq in 2003-7 on the background of interviews, reports and secondary literature.

• Preparation of annotated bibliographies.

• Organization of seminars at DIIS.

Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe

2001 Voter’s List Verification Officer

• Team leader.

• Verification of registered voters for Kosovo’s first municipal elections.

VOLUNTEER WORK

Balkan Sunflowers 2000-2001 International volunteer – Regional Coordinator, Gjakova office, Kosovo. Duties:

• Management of BSFs Gjakova office

• Planned and implemented projects in collaboration with international partners.

• Responsible for hiring, training and management of local employees and international volunteers.

• Responsible for organizing and implementation of all BSF projects in Gjakova.

• Responsible for writing project proposals and fundraising for new projects for the Gjakova programme.

• Co-responsible for BSFs psychosocial work with children and youth.

INTERNSHIP

Centre d’étude et de formation sur la gestion et la prévention des conflits, Université Catholique de Bukavu 2005 Research Intern

Duties:

• Carried out a study of the motivation of youth in joining a local armed group.

• Fieldwork among active and demobilized combatants.

• Staff writer.

• Conflict resolution.

ARTICLES

Forthcoming:

• “Myths set in Motion: The Governance Practices of General Padiri’s Maï-Maï Group”, in Kasfir, N. et. al. (eds.) Rebel Governance, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.

2010:

• “The Ethics of Child-Soldiering in the Congo”, Young – Nordic Journal of Youth Research. 18 (3). 339-358.

• “The Charisma of Authenticity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo”, DIIS Working paper 2010: 32.

2009:

• ”Civil-Military Relations in Iraq 2003-7: The Danish Experience. Danish Institute for International Studies, DIIS Report 2009: 13.

• ”Hard Odds for UN Peacekeeping mission DR Congo”, DIIS yearbook, 2009.

2006

• “Governing the ‘Maquis’: A case study of General Padiri’s Maï-Maï movement”, Working Paper Nr. 6, Conflict Research Group. 2005

• ”Jeux de vérités: identité sociale, race, ethnie et pouvoir sur la vie et la mort au Rwanda”, Observatoire 7-8, CEGEC, Université Catholique de Bukavu, Bukavu, (with Dieudonné Bahati)

CONFERENCES AND SEMINARS

• Presented the paper: “’La Guerre Froide’: The Competition between Customary Authorities and Local State Authorities in South Kivu”, ASAUK 2012, Leeds University, Sep. 2012.

• Presented the paper: “The Charisma of Authenticity in DR Congo”, 20th Annual ASEN Conference - Nation and Charisma, May. 2010, London School of Economics, London.

• Speaker at the public event: “The Congo Today: How to Create Peace and Development in DR Congo”, organized by a group of Congolese refugees at Scandic Hotel, Copenhagen, Oct. 2009.

• Presented the paper: “Army of the People, Army of God – Armed Governmentalities in South Kivu, DR Congo: The Case of the Maï-Maï group of General Padiri” at the conference: “Rebel Governance”, Yale University, Oct. 2009.

• Presented DIIS Report: “Civil-Military Relations in Iraq 2003-7: The Danish Experience”, at the seminar: “Comprehensive Civil-Military Action: The Next Five Years?” DIIS, Copenhagen, Apr. 2009.

• Moderator at the seminar: “At Peace at Last? The Fragile and Interlinked Peace Processes in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda”, DIIS, Copenhagen, Dec. 2006.

• Presented the Paper: “The Passion for Race: The Eternal, This Country, My Origin – Governing Security and Development in the ‘Maquis’: A case study of General Padiri’s Maï-Maï group” at the Research Workshop “Memories of Violence, Societies at War: Social Crisis, Peacekeeping, and Humanitarian Intervention in the Congo”, Helsinki, Finland, May, 2006