Steven H Leach, PhD
Selected Research and Writing
In addition to the publicly available products below, Steven has written executive briefs for agency principles, drafted policy and financial proposals, designed and conducted internal reviews, and conducted interviews with subject matter experts to inform written products.
Community-based early warning and early response (EWER) systems are locally-rooted initiatives designed to prevent violence and transform conflict through an inclusive, participatory process, built on a foundation of consensus. With chapters on structure, indicators, monitoring, and response, this publication offers an accessible overview of the current knowledge and learning about community-based EWER systems. It should be of interest to anyone interested in local approaches to violence prevention and conflict transformation.
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“If we wish to prevent future conflicts, we must strengthen the capacities of local communities to identify and respond to escalating tensions in their midst. This resource on community-based approaches to early warning and early response mechanisms is a constructive and significant contribution to such efforts – I highly commend it to anyone with an interest in preventing violence.”
- Archbishop Emeritus and Nobel Laureate, Father Desmond Tutu
New York State Domestic Terrorism "Best Practices" (Author/Project Lead), April 2023
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Targeted Violence Brief Series: Targeted Violence Against Racial/Ethnic Minoritis and National Origin (May 2023), LGBTQIA+ People and Communities (June 2023), Religious Communities (July 2023), Anti-Woman (February 2024)
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"The US Military Should Stay Out of Mozambique's Cabo Delgado; Send Diplomats" Just Security, 9 April 2021
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"Why Biden Needs to Scrap 'Countering Violent Extremism' Programs" Responsible Statecraft, 1 February 2021
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Having Their Say: Guidlines for Involving Local Civil Society in the Planning, Design, Implementation, and Evaluation of U.S. Security Assistance and Cooperation (Research Lead, Literature Review and Interviews) Center for Civilians in Conflict, 2020
"What's Next for Zanzibar After Flawed Polls and Repression?" Democracy in Africa, 3 November 2020
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"What Three African Nations Can Teach US About Holding a Legitimate Election." The Fulcrum, 21 September 2020
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"Death Pangs of Democracy in Zanzibar." International Policy Digest, 5 September 2020
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"GEO and ICE Could be Building Colorado's Most Dangerous COVID-19 Reservoir." with Dr. Kendyl Salcito Colorado Independent, 17 March 2020
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"DRC's Presidential Transition: Peaceful, Maybe, but Signs of Backsliding." Just Security, 14 March 2019
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"What Comes After the Africa Drawdown?" International Policy Digest, 5 March 2019
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"A Unity Government is Not the Answer in the DRC." International Policy Digest, 21 January 2019
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"The Dangers of DR-Congo's Election Dispute." Just Security, 17 January 2019
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"Separating children from their parents isn't just immoral. It also threatens our national security." with Dr. Kendyl Salcito Washington Post, 20 June 2018
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Peacebuilding and Violent Extremism (Cited) Peace Direct, May 2018
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Atrocity Prevention and Peacebuilding (Contributing Author) Peace Direct, April 2018
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Aid Exits and Locally-led Development (Author) Peace Direct, March 2018
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Using Religious Resources to Teach Negotiation and Mediation: Reframing (21 February 2018)
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Mediation Perspectives: Early Warning/Early Response: Top-Down or Bottom-Up? (16 May 2016)
Review: Peace on Earth: The Role of Religion in Peace and Conflict Studies (ed. Thomas Matyók, Maureen Flaherty, Hamdesa Tuso, Jessica Senehi and Sean Byrne) for Journal of Conflict Transformation and Security, Vol. 5, 2016, No. 1
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Review: Is Local Beautiful? Peacebuilding between International Interventions and Locally Led Initiatives (ed. Sara Hellmüller and Martina Santschi) for Peacebuilding, Vol. 2, 2014, Issue 3
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Technology, Communications and Conflict Prevention in Zanzibar Making All Voices Count International Consortium (7 January 2015)
Can ICT Innovation Adequately Support Conflict Prevention? Making All Voices Count International Consortium (14 January 2015)
Using ICTs to Support Local Responses to Conflict and Violence Making All Voices Count International Consortium (21 January 2015)
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"3 Roles Religion Plays in Conflict" ACTION Support Center, December 2014
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"Citizen and Government Engagement through Conflict Analysis" ACTION Support Center June 2014
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"On the Making All Voices Count Project" ACTION Support Center, April 2014