Terrence Lyons

Terrence Lyons focuses his research on comparative peace processes and post-conflict politics, with a regional emphasis on Africa. His most recent scholarship asks how the nature of war termination shapes post-war politics and how some insurgent groups transform into political parties. He has written or co-written five books and co-edited a further four. His most recent book, The Puzzle of Ethiopian Politics (2019) focuses on how the war-to-peace transition following a protracted civil war explains conflicts in Ethiopia today. His scholarship has appeared in such journals as Comparative Politics and International Political Sociology, as well as more policy-oriented publications such as the Journal of Democracy and the Washington Post.

Lyons maintains interests in policy relevant discussions. He has consulted with the Department of State, United States Agency for International Development, the United Nations, and key think tanks such as the Brookings Institution, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and the Council on Foreign Relations. He has also served as an election observer in Ethiopia, Eritrea, Ghana, Benin, and Bangladesh and was the Senior Advisor to the Carter Center in Liberia and Ethiopia. In March 2017, he testified before the House Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health on the crisis in Ethiopia.

Lyons teaches classes such as the Introduction to Conflict Analysis, globalization and conflict, and specialized seminars on contentious politics and civil wars.

Honors and Awards

• Fulbright Senior Specialist, Bahir Dar University

Media Appearances

• United States Institute of Peace A Changing Ethiopia: The Puzzle of Ethiopian Politics, September 16, 2019.
• Kojo Nnamdi Show Elections in Ethiopia
  May 26, 2015
• Center for Strategic and International Studies Islam in Africa: Trends and Policy Implications
  March 24, 2013

In the News

• How Will the Taliban Govern? A History of Rebel Rule Offers Clues
  September 2, 2021
• Will Abiy Ahmed’s Bet on Ethiopia’s Political Future Pay Off?
  January 21, 2021

Presentations and Performances

• “Violence and the Contradictions of Ethiopian Politics.”, January 13, 2021, Edinburgh, Scotland.
• “Organizing for Long-Term Rule: How Intra-Party Leadership Competition Explains Authoritarian Party Durability in Ethiopia.” September 2019, Washington DC.
• “Independence Movements and Their Aftermath: Self-Determination and the Struggle for Success.” April 5, 2019, Washington DC.

Degrees

• PhD, International Relations, Johns Hopkins University
• MA, History, Michigan State University
• BA, History, University of Virginia