Global Security. Illicit Economy. Conflict. Borders.

Publications

Cover for Borderland Battles

New York: Oxford University Press, 2019

Selected Reviews:

New York/London: Oxford University Press/Hurst Publishers, 2021). Co-edited with Juan Carlos Garzón Vergara

portada Fronteras Rojas
  • Read the prologue of the book by Íngrid Betancourt, published by Semana, here.
  • Read an extract of the book, published by El Espectador, here.

Embracing Diverse Narratives through Visual Thinking: Interactive Digital Maps and Spatial Conflict Dynamics
International Studies Perspectives, forthcoming in 2026. Idler, A., Samper, J, and Tkacova, K.


Explaining Conflict Violence in Terms of Conflict Actor Dynamics
Nature – Scientific Reports, 2023 (with K. Tkacova, N. Johnson, and E. López.)


Change in Armed Conflict – an Introduction
International Political Science Review, Special Issue edited by A. Idler, 2023.


Conflict Shapes in Flux: Explaining Spatial Shift in Conflict-related Violence
International Political Science Review, Special Issue edited by A. Idler, 2023 (with K. Tkacova).


From Vicious to Virtuous Cycles: A Conceptual Framework on (De-)Marginalisation and Citizen Security in Colombia
Bulletin of Latin American Research, March 2023 (with D. McGill, J. Boesten, and O. Palma).


Community Responses to a Changing Security Landscape in the Colombian Borderlands
Journal of Human Rights Practice, 13 (1), 2021(with J. Masullo and J. Zulver).


The Logic of Illicit Flows in Armed Conflict: Explaining Variation in Violent Non-state Group Interactions in Colombia
World Politics, 72 (3), 2020.


Gendering the Border Effect: the Double Impact of Colombian Insecurity and the Venezuelan Refugee Crisis
Third World Quarterly, 41 (7), 1122-1140. (with J. Zulver).


From the Margins of War to the Center of Peacebuilding: How Gendered Dynamics of Conflict Matter
Journal of Global Security Studies, 2019 4 (2): 279–285.


Preventing Conflict Upstream: Impunity and Illicit Governance across Colombia’s Borders
Defence Studies, 2018, 18 (1).


Jiu-Jitsu en Contexto de Conflicto Armado” (Translation: Jiu-Jitsu in the Context of Armed Conflict)
Ciudad Paz-Ando, 2016 (9), 2: 155-167 (with Belén Garrido and Cécile Mouly).


How Peace Takes Shape Locally: The Experience of Civil Resistance in Samaniego, Colombia
Peace and Change, 2016, 41 (2), 129-166 (with Cécile Mouly and Belén Garrido).


Peace Territories in Colombia: Comparing Civil Resistance in Two War-Torn Communities
Journal of Peacebuilding and Development, 2015, 10(3), 1-15 (with Cécile Mouly and Belén Garrido).


Behavioral Patterns among (Violent) Non-State Actors: A Study of Complementary Governance
Stability, 2015, 4(1):2, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5334/sta.er. (with James Forest)


Zones of Peace in Colombia’s Borderlands
International Journal of Peace Studies, Summer 2015, 20 (1), 51-63. (with Cécile Mouly and Belén Garrido)


Power Unpacked: Domination,Empowerment and Participation in Local Guatemalan Peace Forums
Journal of Peace, Conflict and Development, Issue 21, 2015. (with Lenin Miranda and Cécile Mouly)


Exploring Arrangements of Convenience made among Violent Non-state Actors
Perspectives on Terrorism, September 2012, 6 (4-5).


Arrangements of Convenience in Colombia’s Borderlands: An Invisible Threat to Citizen Security?
St. Antony’s International Review, 2012, 7 (2).


Porous Borders and the Emergence of Hybrid Sovereignties
Territory, Politics, Governance, 2025. Hochmüller, M., and Idler, A. (corresponding author), “


Rescaling Geoeconomics: The Role of Local Illicit Authority in Global Megaprojects
International Studies Quarterly, 69 (1), 2025. Idler, A., and Voyvodic, C.


Secession or Sense of Belonging? Marginalisation in the Context of Transnationality
International Political Sociology, 18 (4), 2024. Idler, A. and McGill, D.


JOURNAL ARTICLES, BOOK REVIEWS AND BOOK CHAPTERS


POLICY BRIEFS AND REPORTS

  • A borderland lens on hubs of protracted conflict, In Depth, Oxford Policy Management, May 2019. (with Natasha Leite and Yadaira Orsini)
  • Violent Non-state Groups in the Future, in Global Trends to 2030: Shaping the Future in a Fast-Changing World, European Strategy and Policy Analysis System, November 2018, p. 14.
  • Strategic Resources in 2030: Three Challenges for the Future of International Security. Background paper prepared for the World Economic Forum’s Geopolitics Series at Davos 2018, December 2017.
  • The Future of International Security: Challenges for Responses to the World’s Changing Security Landscape. Discussion paper prepared for the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on International Security, November 2017.
  • ‘Borders vulnerable as peace stalls in Colombia’, Jane’s Intelligence Review, November 2016.
  • ‘Criminal Groups Hinder International Peacebuilding’, Oxford Analytica, October 2016.
  • ‘Securing Peace in the Borderlands: A Post-Agreement Strategy for Colombia’, DPIR, University of Oxford, August 2016.
  • Poor Peacebuilding Risks Power Vacuums in Colombia’, Oxford Analytica, April 2016.
  • Stability Indexes can be Deceptive Tools‘, Oxford Analytica, October 2015.
  • State Neglect Fosters Global Illicitly-governed Spaces’, Oxford Analytica, July 2015.
  • Organised Crime and Fragility: The Role of the Broker. Report for the Sector Programme Peace and Security, GIZ, January 2015.
  • ‘Chávez’ Re-election: A Delusive Continuity?’, RUSI Newsbrief, November 2012, 32 (6).
  • ‘Post-Americas Summit Outlook: Walking the Walk?’, RUSI Newsbrief, May 2012, 32 (3).
  • ‘Citizen Security at the Summit of the Americas: Why Europe should Care.’, RUSI Newsbrief, March 2012, 32 (2).
  • “Summary Report – Capturing a decade of research”, CONPEACE, November 2025.
  • “Security Preferences in Contexts of Conflict and Crime”, CONPEACE, 2025.
  • “Armed Conflict and Organized Crime – A Literature Review” (with Frederik Florenz and Walter Kemp), Report, Global Security Programme, Pembroke College, and Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, forthcoming in 2025.
  • Global Security Roadmap: From Evidence-Based Research to Networked Impact, Global Security Programme, December 2023, also in Spanish.
  • “Comprehensive peace and security practices: territorial experiences and national articulations”, CONPEACE civil society toolkit, August 2023, also in Spanish (co-authored with CONPEACE team).
  • Mitigating the Impact of Conflict on Civilians by Understanding Changing Conflict Dynamics, Horn of Africa Cross-stakeholder Forum Report, Global Security Programme, June 2023.
  • Addressing Uncertainty in Changing Conflict Situations, Myanmar Cross-stakeholder Forum Report, Global Security Programme, Global Security Programme, June 2023.
  • Synthesis of Good Practices in the Context of Conflict Settings, Global Security Programme Good Practices, June 2023.
  • “Constructing a comprehensive security architecture: Pathways towards effective implementation of the new security policy in Colombia”, CONPEACE Policy Brief, June 2023, also in Spanish (co-authored with J. Delgado and M. Hochmuller).
  • “Armed Conflict and Organized Crime. The Case of Afghanistan” (with Frederik Florenz, Ajmal Burhanzoi, John Collins, Marcena Hunter, Antonio Sampaio), Report, Global Security Programme, Pembroke College, and Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, April 2023.
  • “Advancing Protection Mechanisms and Security Guarantees in Colombia’s Marginalised Territories”, CONPEACE Brief, September 2022, also in Spanish (co-authored with CONPEACE team).
  • “Towards Peaceful and Safe Futures: Overcoming Conflict and Crisis in Colombia and Beyond”, CONPEACE Brief, June 2021, also in Spanish (co-authored with CONPEACE team).
  • “Gendering the Border Effect: Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in the Midst of Insecurity and a Refugee Crisis”, CONPEACE Brief, August 2020, also in Spanish (co-authored with J. Zulver).
  • “The Double Crisis in the Colombian Borderlands: Addressing the Humanitarian-Security Nexus”, CONPEACE Brief, April 2020, also in Spanish (co-authored with CONPEACE team).
  • “Addressing Marginality: Towards Enhanced Participation and People-Centred Security”, CONPEACE Cross-Stakeholder Forum Report, Bogotá, July 2019, also in Spanish (co-authored with CONPEACE team).
  • “Ensuring People-Centred Security in Colombia’s Borderlands”, CONPEACE Brief, May 2019, also in Spanish (co-authored with CONPEACE team).
  • “Peace and Development along the Colombia-Venezuela Border: Strengthening Civil Society”, CONPEACE Brief, March 2019, also in Spanish (co-authored with CONPEACE team).
  • “Colombia’s Changing Security Landscape View from the Borderlands”, CONPEACE Brief, February 2019, also in Spanish (co-authored with CONPEACE team)

ANALYSIS, COMMENTARY, AND OPINION PIECES


INTERVIEWS, TALKS AND PODCAST AVAILABLE ONLINE


NON-TEXTUAL RESEARCH OUTPUTS

I am Associate Professor in Global Security at the University of Oxford’s  Blavatnik School of Government  and the Director of the Global Security Programme at Oxford’s Pembroke College.