ALEXANDER BETTS

Alexander Betts is Director of the Refugee Studies Centre, and Leopold Muller Associate Professor in Refugee Studies and
Forced Migration at the University of Oxford. His research and teaching focuses on the international politics of refugees and
humanitarianism, with a geographical focus on Sub-Saharan Africa.

CURRENT Director of the Refugee Studies Centre, Oxford University, 2014 -

POSITIONS
Leopold Muller Associate Professor in Refugee Studies and Forced Migration, Oxford University, Department
of International Development, Research Fellow of Green Templeton College, 2011 -

PREVIOUS Hedley Bull Research Fellow in International Relations, Oxford University, International Relations Department,
POSITIONS Fellow of Wadham College, 2007-10

Rose Junior Research Fellow in International Relations, Oxford University, Lady Margaret Hall, 2006-07

Post-doctoral Fellow, Stanford University, CISAC, 2010-11

EDUCATION D.Phil, Oxford University, International Relations, 2005-7

Pass with no corrections. Winchester Prize for best D.Phil in International Relations

M.Phil, Oxford University, Development Studies, 2003-5

Distinction, Eugene Havas Prize for best overall performance

MSc, Bristol University, International Relations, 2001-2

Distinction, highest average in history of the degree

BA, Durham University, Economics with French, 1997-2001

First Class, highest average in year group

BOOKS The Politics and Practice of Humanitarianism (with Emily Paddon), Oxford University Press, 2016 (under contract)

Implementation and World Politics: How International Norms Change Practice (edited with Phil Orchard), Oxford
University Press, 2014

Survival Migration: Failed Governance and the Crisis of Displacement, Cornell University Press, 2013

UNHCR: The Politics and Practice of Refugee Protection (with Gil Loescher and James Milner), Routledge, 2012

Global Migration Governance (edited), Oxford University Press, 2011

Refugees in International Relations (edited with Gil Loescher), Oxford University Press, 2010

Protection by Persuasion: International Cooperation in the Refugee Regime, Cornell University Press, 2009

BOOK Betts, A, 2014, International Relations and Forced Migration, in Fiddian-Qasmiyeh, E, Loescher, G, Long, K,
CHAPTERS and Sigona, N (eds), The Handbook of Refugee Studies and Forced Migration (Oxford University Press).

Betts, A, Bloom, L, and Omata, N, 2014, Humanitarian Innovation and Refugee Assistance, in Brennan, K (ed)
Making Global Institutions Work: Power, Accountability, and Change (Routledge).

Betts, A, 2014, Global Governance and Crisis Migration, in Martin, S et al (ed), Humanitarian Crisis and
Migration (Routledge).

Betts, A and Orchard, P, 2014, The Normative Institutionalization-Implementation Gap, in Betts, A and Orchard,

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 P (eds), Implementation in World Politics: How International Norms Change Practice (Oxford University Press).

Betts, A, 2014, From Persecution to Deprivation: How Refugee Norms Adapt at Implementation, in Betts, A and
Orchard, P. (eds), Implementation in World Politics: How International Norms Change Practice (Oxford
University Press).

Betts, A and Freeman, G, 2014, UK Immigration Policy Under New Labour: a Response to Randall Hansen in
Controlling Immigration (Stanford University Press).

Betts, A, 2013, Global Migration Governance and the Migration Industry in Gammeltoft-Hansen, T and Nyberg-
Sorensen, N (eds) The Migration Industry and the Commercialization of International Migration. (Routledge).

Betts, A, 2012, UNHCR, Autonomy and Mandate Change, in Oestreich, J (ed), International Organizations as
Self-Directed Actors (Routledge).

Betts, A, 2011, The Refugee Regime and Issue-Linkage, in Koslowski, R (ed) Global Mobility Regimes
(Palgrave MacMillan).

Betts, A, 2011, The Implications of Global Migration Governance for UNHCR, in Koser, K and Martin, S (eds),
The Migration-Displacement Nexus (Berghahn Books), forthcoming, Chapter 14.

Betts, A, 2011, Global Migration Governance in Betts, A (ed), Global Migration Governance (Oxford University
Press), Chapter 1.

Betts, A and Cerna, L, 2011, The Global Governance of High-Skilled Labour Migration in Betts, A (ed), Global
Migration Governance (Oxford University Press), Chapter 3.

Betts, A, 2011, Global Governance of Migration and the Role of Trans-regionalism in Kunz, R, Lavenex, S and
Panizzon, M (eds), Multilayered Migration Governance: Unveiling The Promise (Routledge), Chapter 1.

Betts, A, 2010, International Cooperation in the Refugee Regime, in Betts, A and Loescher, G (eds), Refugees in
International Relations (Oxford University Press), Chapter 3.

Betts, A and Loescher, G, 2010, Refugees in International Relations in Betts, A and Loescher, G (eds), Refugees
in International Relations (Oxford University Press), Chapter 1.

Betts, A, 2010, Substantive Issue-linkage and the International Politics of Migration in Bjola, C and Kornprobst,
M (eds), Arguing About Global Governance (Routledge), pp. 85-100.

Betts, A, 2008, Historical Lessons for Overcoming Protracted Refugee Situations in Loescher, G et al (eds), The
Politics, Human Rights, and Security Implications of Protracted Refugee Solutions, Chapter 9, (United Nations
University Press), pp. 162-186.

Betts, A, 2006, Rethinking Durable Solutions, in Merheb, N (ed), The State of the Worlds Refugees, (Oxford
University Press), Chapter 6, pp.128-144

ARTICLES Betts, A and Orchard, P (revise and resubmit), Implementation in World Politics: the Norm of Non-Refoulement
and the Zimbabwean Exodus, European Journal of International Relations

Betts, A (under review) Deportation and the Illiberal State: Angolas Expulsion of Congolese Migrant Workers
Journal of Modern African Studies

Betts, A and Jones, W (under review), Transnational Networks and Global Migration Governance: the Campaign
Against Cessation for Rwandan Refugees, African Affairs

Betts, A and Pilath, A (under review), Causal Claims in World Politics: the Case of Environmental Migration.
Journal of International Relations and Development

Betts, A and Loescher, G, 2014, Emerging Trends in Global Refugee Policy, Refugee Survey Quarterly, Vol.
33(1): pp. 1-7.
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 Betts, A, 2014, Refugees and Innovation, Forced Migration Review, Vol. 45, pp. 3-5

Betts, A, 2013, State Fragility, Refugee Status, and Survival Migration, Forced Migration Review, Vol. 43, pp. 4-6.

Betts, A, 2013, Regime Complexity and International Organizations: UNHCR as a Challenged Institution,
Global Governance, Vol. 19:1, pp. 69-81.

Betts, A, 2011, The International Politics of Migration, St Antonys International Review, Vol. 6:2, pp. 134-150.

Betts, A, 2011, Soft Law and Vulnerable Irregular Migrants, Georgetown Journal of Immigration Law, Vol.
24:4.

Betts, A, 2010, Survival Migration: A New Protection Framework, Global Governance, Vol. 16:3, pp. 361-382.

Betts, A, 2010, The Refugee Regime Complex, Refugee Survey Quarterly, Vol. 29:2, pp. 12-37.

Betts, A, 2010, Towards a Soft Law Framework for the Protection of Vulnerable Irregular Migrants,
International Journal of Refugee Law, Volume 22.2. pp. 209-236.

Betts, A, 2009, 'Institutional Proliferation and the Refugee Regime', Perspectives on Politics, March, Vol. 7.1, pp.
53-58.

Betts, A, 2008, North-South Cooperation in the Refugee Regime: The Role of Linkages, Global Governance,
April-June, Vol.14:2, pp. 157178.

Betts, A and Durieux J-F, 2007, Convention Plus as a Norm-Setting Exercise (With Jean-Francois Durieux),
Journal of Refugee Studies, Vol. 20:3.

Betts, A, 2006, Towards a Mediterranean Solution: Implications for the Region of Origin, International Journal
of Refugee Law, Vol.18:3, pp. 652-676.

Betts, A, 2006, What Does Efficiency Mean in the Context of the Global Refugee Regime?, British Journal of
Politics and International Relations, Vol. 8:2, pp. 148-173.

Betts, A, 2005, Should Approaches To Post-Conflict Justice and Reconciliation Be Determined Globally,
Nationally or Locally?, European Journal of Development Research, Vol. 7:4, pp. 735-752.

Betts, A, 2004, The International Relations of the New Extra-Territorial Approaches to Refugee Protection,
Refuge, Vol. 22:1, pp. 58-70.

Betts, A, 2003, Public Goods Theory and the Provision of Refugee Protection: The Role of the Joint-Product
Model in Burden-Sharing Theory, Journal of Refugee Studies, Vol. 16:3, pp. 274-296.

WORKING Betts, A and Bloom, L, 2014, Humanitarian Innovation: The State of the Art (New York: OCHA).
PAPERS
Betts, A, Bloom, L, Kaplan, J, and Omata, N, 2014, Refugee Economies: Rethinking Popular Assumptions
(Oxford: RSC),

Bloom, L and Betts, A, 2013, The Two Worlds of Humanitarian Innovation, Refugee Studies Centre Working
Paper (Oxford: RSC)

Betts, A, Bloom, L and Omata, N, 2012, Humanitarian Innovation and Refugee Protection, Refugee Studies
Centre Working Paper (Oxford: RSC)

Betts, A and Jones, W, 2012, The Transnational Exile Complex: How to Think About Africa Diaspora Politics,
Refugee Studies Centre Working Paper (Oxford: RSC)

Betts, A., Prantl, J., Sridhar, D., and Woods, N, 2012, Transforming Global Governance for the
Twenty-First Century. Background paper for the United Nations Human Development Report 2012.
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 (New York: UNDP).

Betts, A, 2010, Migration Governance: Alternative Futures, Background Paper for IOMs World Migration
Report, (Geneva: IOM).

Betts, A and Kaytaz, E, 2009, National and International Responses to the Zimbabwean Exodus: Implications for
the Refugee Protection Regime, New Issues in Refugee Research, Working Paper, (Geneva: UNHCR).

Betts, A, 2009, Refugees and Development Assistance: Towards a North-South Grand Bargain, Refugee Studies
Centre Policy Brief No. 2 (Oxford: RSC).

Betts, A, 2008, Towards a Soft Law Framework for the Protection of Vulnerable Migrants, New Issues in
Refugee Research, Working Paper No. 162, (Geneva: UNHCR).

Betts, A and Milner, J, 2006, The Externalisation of EU Asylum Policy: The Position of African States,
COMPAS Working Paper, WP-06-35 (Oxford: COMPAS).

Betts, A, 2006, Comprehensive Plans of Action: Insights from CIREFCA and the Indochinese CPA, New Issues
in Refugee Research, Working Paper no. 120, (Geneva: UNHCR).

Betts, A, 2005, International Cooperation Between North and South to Enhance Refugee Protection in Regions of
Origin, Refugee Studies Centre Working Paper No. 25, (Oxford: RSC).

Betts, A, 2004, International Cooperation and Targeting Development Assistance for Refugee Solutions: Lessons
From the 1980s, New Issues in Refugee Research, Working
Paper No.107, (Geneva: UNHCR).

WORK IN Betts, A and Jones, W, Nation Outside the State: Political Mobilisation in the African Diaspora, (manuscript
PROGRESS complete, under review, Cambridge University Press)

Betts, A, Bloom, L, Kaplan, J, and Omata, N, Refugee Economies: Forced Displacement and Development.
(manuscript in progress, to be submitted to Oxford University Press)

Betts, A, Bloom, L, Kaplan, J, and Omata, N, Humanitarian Innovation: A People-Centred Approach (manuscript in
progress, to be submitted to Stanford University Press)

Betts, A and Jones, W, The Animators: Explaining Diaspora Formation to Contest Authoritarianism, International
Organization (draft)

Abramitzky, R, Betts, A, and Ginn, T, Economics and Refugees: Selection, Assimilation, and Impact, Quarterly
Journal of Economics (draft)

RESEARCH Principal Investigator, Humanitarian Innovation Project, 2012-14

GRANTS Budget: $1,450,000 (Stephanie and Hunter Hunt; OUP John Fell Fund; Norwegian MFA)
Staff: 3 Post-Docs; 18 Research Assistants; 1 Administrator
Main focus: Uganda

Principal Investigator, African Diaspora Politics Project, 2012-14

Budget: $180,000 (Leverhulme Trust/OUP John Fell Fund)
Staff: 1 Post-Doc; 3 Research Assistants
Main focus: Zimbabwean and Rwandan diaspora

Principal Investigator, Global Migration Governance Project, 2008-12

Budget: $500,000 (MacArthur Foundation)
Staff: 1 Research Officer; 2 Research Assistants
Main focus: Africa and Europe

Co-Principal Investigator, Implementation in World Politics, 2010-13

Grant: $8,000 (International Studies Association)
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 Main focus: norm implementation in world politics

Co-Applicant, Commercialization of International Migration, 2010-12

Grant: $300,000 (Danish Council for Independent Research)
Main focus: role of the private sector in migration governance

ADMIN Director, Refugee Studies Centre, 2014-17

POSITIONS Chair of Admissions, MSc in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies, 2013-14
Chair of Examiners, MSc in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies, 2014-15
Member of ODID Affiliations Committee, 2011-13
Member of ODID Oppenheimer Committee, 2011-13
University Congregation, 2007-
Wadham College Governing Body, 2007-10
Undergraduate College Admissions, 2006-09
Coordinator of Oxford-Sciences Po Doctoral Student Joint Seminar, 2007-09

POLICY World Humanitarian Summit, Transformation Through Innovation Thematic Working Group, 2014-16.
POSITIONS
UNHCRs innovation council, the i Circle, 2013-

Chair of the Research, Data, and Performance Management Working Group of the Solutions Alliance initiative on forced
displacement and development, 2014-

UNICEFs The State of the Worlds Children report, advisor, 2013-15

UNDP, co-author of background paper for Human Development Report, 2012

IOM, author of background paper for World Migration Report, 2010

Commonwealth Secretariat, preparation of paper on survival migration, 2010

Council of Europe, report on the viability of regional protection proposals, 2006

UNHCR, main contributing author to the State of the Worlds Refugees, 2005

UNDER- Teaching for Lady Margaret Hall, Wadham College, St Johns College, Hertford College in Philosophy, Politics and
GRADUATE Economics, and Politics and History degrees:
TEACHING
Core Paper in International Relations, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009

International Relations of the Cold War, 2007, 2008, 2009

International Relations of the Inter-War Years, 2007

Dissertation in International Relations, 2012

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 GRADUATE Teaching and designing a range of courses in Department of Politics and International Relations, Department of
TEACHING International Development, and the Blavatnik School of Government:

Introduction to Forced Migration, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, MSc in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies

Refugees and International Relations, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, MSc in Refugee and Forced Migration
Studies

The Politics and Practice of Humanitarianism, 2013, 2014, MPP in Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of
Government

Contemporary Theories of International Relations, 2008, 2009, 2010, MPhil in International Relations

International Relations of the Developing World, 2010, MPhil in International

SUPERVISION Erin Court, DPhil in Politics 2008-11

Power and Migration: How India Influences its Diaspora

Clara Weinhardt, DPhil in International Relations 2009-13

Playing Different Games: West African and European Perspectives on Negotiating Economic Partnership
Agreements,

Nina Hall, DPhil in International Relations 2009-2013

Greening International Organizations: Climate Change and International Organizational Change in UNHCR,
IOM, and UNDP

Francesca Giovannini, DPhil in International Relations 2009-2013

Cooperating to Compete: the Role of Regional Powers in Global Nuclear Governance

Sarah Deardorff Miller, DPhil in International Relations 2011-2014

The Trojan Horse of Domestic Politics? The Role of UNHCR in Shaping Policies of Local Integration in Refugee-
Hosting Countries

Henning Tamm, DPhil in International Relations 2010-2014

The Transnational Dynamics of the Congo Wars: Governments, Rebels, and Delegation in Central Africa

Rebecca Brubaker, DPhil in Development Studies 2011-2014

From the Un-mixing to the Re-Mixing of Populations: the Impact of Evolving Norms on Post-Conflict Population
Management in Bosnia

Annette Idler, DPhil in Development Studies 2013-

Alliance Formation Among Violent Non-State Actors in Colombia's Borderlands

Angela Pilath, DPhil in Development Studies 2012-

The Role of Epistemic Communities in the Politics of Environmental Migration

Georgia Cole, DPhil in Development Studies 2012-

The Politics of Refugee Cessation in Eritrea and Rwanda

Muireann Speed, DPhil in Development Studies 2013-

Rights-Based Discourses within Global Migration Governance

Nehal Pancharia, MPhil in IR 2010-12

Caught Between Norms: The Refugee in Post-Conflict Bosnia and Rwanda

Ryan Lang, MPhil in IR 2008-10

State Socialization and Human Trafficking Norms in India

Zoe McCallum, MPhil in IR, 2008-10

The Role of International Law in Norm Contestation: Framing the Bush Administrations Detainee Interrogation

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Techniques After 9/11

Frederic Kalinke, MPhil in IR, 2008-10

Learning the Hard Way: India and the Development of a Lockean Security Culture (1947-2009)

Clara Weinhardt, MPhil in IR, 2007-9

Trusting the Other: The EPA Negotiations and ACP Perceptions on Cooperation with Europe

Dace Schlentz, MSc in Forced Migration, 2009-10

The Securitization of Asylum and Migration in Europe, 1999-2008

Matthew Albert, MSc Forced Migration, 2009-10

Prima Facie Refugee Status Determination as a Legal Concept: The Case of Kenya

Jessie Crawford, MSc, Forced Migration, 2009-10

The US Response to the Iraqi Refugee Crisis, 2003-9

Angela Pilath, MSc in Forced Migration, 2011-12

The Politics of Environmental Displacement: The Role of UNU-EHS as an Epistemic Organization

Georgia Cole, MSc in Forced Migration, 2011-12

The Politics of Refugee Cessation in Rwanda

Janosch Kullenberg, MSc in Forced Migration, 2011-12

Peacekeeping and IDP Protection: Complementary and Contradictory Institutional Overlaps at the Global and
Local Levels

Kristina Sandesjo, MSc in Forced Migration, 2011-12

Seeking Refuge in the City: A Case Study of Urban Refugee Women in Nairobi, Kenya

Jeanine Sawatzky, MSc in Forced Migration, 2011-12

Interdependence and Exploitation: The Impact of Burmese-Thai Bilateral Power Asymmetries on Refugee
Protection

Jeannine Hollaus, MSc in Forced Migration, 2012-13

Historical Narratives of Forced Migration and Displacement in Southern Africa During the Mfecane

Annelisa Lindsay, MSc in Forced Migration, 2012-13

Theorizing the Humanitarian Marketplace: UNHCR Before and After the Cluster Approach

Evan Easton-Calabria, MSc in Forced Migration, 2012-13

The Myth of the Gift? A Critical History of UNHCR Discourse on Refugee Self-Reliance

Colin Williamson, MSc in Forced Migration, 2012-13

The Politics of Columbias Victims Law: Internal Displacement, the State and Resistance

Isabelle Glimcher, MSc in Forced Migration, 2013-14

Beyond Legal Pluralism: Refugees Selection of Jurisdiction in Buduburam Camp in Ghana

Tiennhan Phan, MSc in Forced Migration, 2013-14

The Biopolitics of UNHCR Innovation

Mikhail Graham, MSc in Forced Migration, 2013-14

Refugees and the UN Security Council: The Use of Threat and Victim Narratives in Chapter VII Resolutions

Kate Schofield, MSc in Forced Migration, 2013-14

The Construction of the Inkotanyi: Portrayals of the Rwandan Patriotic Front in Exile, 1990-94

Iona Mylek, MPhil, Development Studies 2011-13

The Political Contestation of Rwanda Climate Change and Low Carbon Development Strategy

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 Kashif Mumtaz, MPhil, Development Studies, 2011-13
Humanitarian-Military Interaction in the Protection of Internally Displaced Persons in Pakistan

Meredith Byrne, MPhil, Development Studies, 2013-15

What Difference Does it Make to Be a Refugee? A Randomised Control Trial of Refugee Economic Decision-
Making in Uganda

SELECTED Humanitarian Innovation: Refugees, Technology, and the Private Sector, Stanford University, 21 September 2014.
TALKS
Refugee Economies: Forced Displacement and Development, UNHCR Annual NGO Consultations, UNHCR, 17
June 2014.

Refugees and Humanitarian Innovation, DFID, London, 9 March 2014.

Humanitarian Innovation: The State of the Art, UN Headquarters, New York, 9 December 2013.

Humanitarian Innovation: Refugees, Innovation and the Private Sector, Povolny Public Lecture in International
Studies, Lawrence University, Wisconsin, 1 October 2013.

Survival Migration: Failed Governance and the Crisis of Displacement, Stanford University, 26 September 2013.

Refugee Livelihoods Innovation and the Role of the Private Sector, UN ECOSOC, Geneva, 18 June 2013.

Human Rights and Global Migration Governance, Expert Meeting on Human Rights and Global Migration
Governance, OHCHR, Geneva, 19 July 2013.

The Future of Migration, European Day for Border Guards, Opening Lecture, Frontex. Warsaw, 26 May 2013.

The Global Refugee Regime: Evolution and Challenges, Opening Lecture, Canadian Forced Migration Summer
School, York University, Canada, 13 May 2013.

Self-Constitution in World Politics: State Identity and Refugee Protection, Princeton University, Workshop on the
Ethics and Politics of the Global Refugee Regime, 17 March, 2013.

Humanitarian Innovation: Refugees, Technology and the Private Sector, Imperial College, London, 23 February
2013.

The Private Sector and Global Migration Governance, Danish Institute for International Studies, Copenhagen, 21
February 2013.

Global Migration Governance, Opening Lecture of Governance of Migration in Europe Lecture Series, VUB,
Brussels, 20 February 2013.

Survival migration: Failed States and Displacement in Africa. Lecture at the Department of Foreign Affairs and
International Trade (DFAIT), Ottawa, 4 May 2012.

International Cooperation on Mass Influx Situations. UNHCR Expert Meeting on International Cooperation and
Burden-Sharing, Amman, Jordan, 30 June 2011.

The Migration Industry in Global Migration Governance. Workshop on the Migration Industry and Markets for
Migration, UCLA, Los Angeles 13 April 2011.

Refugees in International Relations, Book Launch. Columbia University, New York, 9 March 2011.

Survival Migration, World Bank, Washington DC, 15 September 2010.

Survival Migration, US State Department, Washington DC, 15 September 2010.

PRIZES AND 2014 Final Shortlisted for the Grawemeyer Prize in Political Science for Ideas Contributing to the Improvement of
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 AWARDS World Order (for Survival Migration)

2013 Final Shortlisted for the TED Prize (for the Humanitarian Innovation Project)

2010 ISA Venture Grant Award for Innovative Research Project, International Studies Association (for
Implementation in World Politics)

2007 Winchester Prize for Best Doctoral Thesis in International Relations, University of Oxford

2005 European Association of Development and Training Institutes (EADI)

Prize for Excellence in Postgraduate Development Studies Research

2005 Eugene Havas Prize for Best Performance on the MPhil in Development Studies, University of Oxford

2002 Prize for Best Performance on the MSc in International Relations, Bristol University

PROFESSIONAL International Studies Association, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014
ASSOCIATIONS International Association for the Study of Forced Migration, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2011
American Political Science Association, 2009, 2013

REVIEW Founding Associate Editor, Migration Studies (OUP), 2011-13

International Advisory Board, Forced Migration Review, 2014-
Founding Co-Editor, St Antonys International Review, 2004-06

Peer review for: Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, Stanford University Press, International
Organization, International Theory, Global Governance, Journal of International Relations and Development,
European Journal of International Relations, Journal of Refugee Studies, International Journal of Refugee Law,
Global Governance.

OTHER European Universities Debating Champion, 2006

World Masters Debating Champion, 2003
Adlai Stephenson North American Debating Champion, 2004
British National Debate Squad, 2003, 2006
Captain, Oxford University Varsity Marathon Team, 2014

REFEREES Professor Nandini Gooptu, Head of Department, Department of International Development, University of Oxford
(nandini.gooptu@qeh.ox.ac.uk)

Professor Matthew Gibney, Professor of Politics and Forced Migration, Department of International Development,
University of Oxford (matthew.gibney@qeh.ox.ac.uk)

Professor Ngaire Woods, Dean, Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford (dean@bsg.ox.ac.uk)