Larissa Fast

Larissa Fast (PhD, George Mason University) is assistant professor of conflict resolution at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies and the Department of Sociology.  Looking for constructive, nonviolent ways to transform conflict, she focuses her research on the causes of violence against civilians, particularly aid workers, in addition to her work on development and peacebuilding more generally.

Having just completed a book project, “Aid in Danger,” Fast is building a global database of threats and incidents of violence against aid workers and aid delivery.

“Intentional violence is now a leading cause of death among humanitarian workers around the world,” she says. “Knowing more about the characteristics of this type of violence can help aid agencies better protect their staff and access those in need.”

Fast offers a course in the Kellogg International Development Studies minor and is looking forward to working more with the Ford Family Program in Human Development Studies and Solidarity.

“I appreciate the Ford Program’s combination of scholarly research and direct engagement with communities, which is something I do in my research and teaching as well,” she says.

Recently, Fast undertook research in South Sudan, Kenya, and Uganda for a collaborative USAID-funded project to identify innovative approaches to security management for relief and development workers. Products include a series of coauthored reports published by Save the Children and “In Acceptance We Trust,” forthcoming in Disasters, a leading journal in humanitarian studies.

Previously, Fast worked for international organizations, primarily in North America and Africa, as a project manager, consultant, and trainer.

Fall 2012