Susan Allen

Susan H. Allen is the Henry Hart Rice Chair of Conflict Analysis and Resolution, Professor of Conflict Analysis and Resolution, Director of Graduate Programs, and directs the Center for Peacemaking Practice at George Mason University's Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution. She is a scholar-practitioner of conflict resolution. Her main focus is on reflective practice, action research, and research that emerges from practice contexts. She has substantial expertise in interactive peacemaking, intermediary roles and coordination amongst intermediaries, evaluation of conflict resolution initiatives, and theories of change, indicators of change, and evaluation in conflict resolution practice. She has engaged long-term in conflict resolution in the South Caucasus, as well as contributing to a variety of conflict resolution initiatives in other regions of the world.

Susan Allen joined the Carter School core faculty in 2005 after two years teaching International Peace and Conflict Resolution as Assistant Professor at the School of International Service at American University. This was a return to the Carter School. Dr. Allen’s Ph.D. (2000) and M.S. (1995) degrees are from the Carter School. Between graduate school and joining the faculty at the Carter School, she co-founded and directed the Alliance for Conflict Transformation (ACT) and served as Senior Program Associate for the Conflict Resolution Program at the Carter Center in Atlanta, GA.

Susan Allen’s current research centers on interactive peacemaking. Her work has been supported by the US Institute of Peace (Peace Scholar award, Grant program), the One Foundation, USAID, the UK Conflict Pool, the US State Department, and the William and Flora I. Hewlett Foundation, Compton Foundation, Catalyst Fund (with ACT), and US State Dept (with ACT).

Susan Allen serves as Associate Editor of the journal International Negotiation, on the Editorial Board of Conflict Resolution Quarterly, and Advisory Board of Caucasus Edition. She is on the Board of Directors of the Alliance for Conflict Transformation (ACT). She previously served on the Board of Directors of the Alliance for Peacebuilding, including as Chair of the Board in 2005.

Honors and Awards

• Fulbright Scholar, Republic of Georgia, 2019-2020, 2022
• Mary Lynn Boland Award, George Mason University

Affiliations

• Alliance for Conflict Transformation (ACT) - Board of Directors

Media Appearances

• Live Now from Fox: Rosalynn Carter motorcade underway November 27, 2023
• Voice of America: U.S. Analysts Discuss the Future of the Karabakh Conflict
  October 3, 2016
• Eurasianet: Georgia: Tbilisi Trying New Way to Woo Abkhazia, South Ossetia
  March 16, 2010

In the News

• Politifact: Devin Nunes oversimplifies timeline of Obama 'reset' with Russia
  March 19, 2017
• Washington Post: Trump is ‘deprived of all knowledge’ about public schools
  January 23, 2017

Degrees

PhD, Conflict Analysis and Resolution, George Mason University
MS, Conflict Analysis and Resolution, George Mason University