Severine Autesserre is an award-winning researcher and author on war and peace, as well as a professor of political science at Barnard College, Columbia University (USA). She is an expert in peacebuilding, peacekeeping, international aid and African civil wars, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

She is the author of the books Peaceland and The Trouble with the Congo, as well as numerous scientific, political and press articles.

Before becoming an academic, Dr. Autesserre worked for humanitarian and development agencies in Afghanistan, Kosovo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nicaragua and India.