Manussos Marangudakis

Associate Professor of Comparative Sociology, University of the Aegean, Greece. m.marangudakis@soc.aegean.gr

Manussos Marangudakis is Associate Professor of Comparative Sociology at the University of the Aegean. Previously he has held posts at Queen's University in Belfast and at the University of Ulster. As a Fulbright scholar, he has been Visiting Professor at the Center of Cultural Sociology at Yale. He has published extensively on comparative civilizational analysis, multiple modernities, protestant and islamic fundamentalism, and the cultural analysis of the Greek self. His work in progress concerns the cultural foundations and cultural aspects of the Greek crisis.

John O’Brien

Lecturer in Sociology, Waterford Institute of Technology, Ireland. JFOBRIEN@wit.ie

John O'Brien holds a PhD in Sociology from University College Cork, Ireland, and studied social science in University College Dublin. He is a Lecturer in Sociology in Waterford Institute of Technology. His current research focuses on collective memory and commemoration, examining how the centenaries of the revolutionary period of modern Irish history (1912-22) are being commemorated. Alcohol consumption, intoxication and the night-time economy are also research interests. Recent publications deal with Plato’s dialogue Statesman, city planning and the development of the night-time economy in Dublin, alcohol-related public order offences, and unemployment. 

Aleksandra Nesic

Senior Social Scientist & Applied Linguist, US Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School (USAJFKSWCS), Visiting Professor, aleks.nesic@gmail.com

Aleksandra Nesic holds a PhD in International Conflict Analysis and Resolution, Masters in Intercultural Communication and a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology. Aleksandra is currently a Senior Social Scientist and a Professor of Cultural-Conflict Psychology at the US Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School (USASOC/SOCOM). She is also a Visiting Faculty at the Joint Special Operations University (USSOCOM) in Tampa, Florida and a Senior Faculty of Human Security at the School for International Training, Graduate Institute of World Learning, Washington DC. Her ongoing research and teaching centers on socio-cultural and psychological aspects of irregular and unconventional warfare, ethic and civil wars, specific to the Balkans, Middle East and North Africa. Currently, Dr. Nesic is examining the formation and spread of violent extremist ideologies employed by groups such as Daesh and their recruitment strategies, as well as developing resilience methods for individuals and communities vulnerable to extremist recruitment, specifically among the war-traumatized refugee populations. 

Julianne Funk

Lecturer, Institute of Political Science, University of Zurich, Switzerland. juliannefunk5@gmail.com

Julianne Funk is a peace scholar-practitioner, combining scientific research and teaching with grassroots activism. Currently she is based in Switzerland where she teaches peace and conflict studies at the intersection of religion/faith at the University of Zurich (Institute of Political Science and Religious Studies Seminar). Simultaneously, she works for local NGOs in the Western Balkans, especially Bosnia and Herzegovina. Julianne’s MA and PhD in social sciences come from the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium and her BA in theology is from Wheaton College in the USA. She has published about peacebuilding and conflict transformation, faith-based peacebuilding, (ethno-religious) identity, lived religion, Bosnian Islam, trauma and healing, women’s spirituality and on a particular Yugoslav idea of coexistence (suživot). Her current research focusses on trauma, memory and healing as an essential component of peacebuilding practice and she is co-editing a book provisionally entitled Unhealed Trauma: Engaging Healing and Peacebuilding in Bosnia & Herzegovina.

Sotiris Chtouris

Professor of Urban Sociology, University of the Aegean, Greece. htouris@aegean.gr

Sotiris Chtouris is a Professor at the Department of Sociology at the University of the Aegean and the Director of the Laboratory of Social and Cultural Digital Documentation and scientific director at research programs listed in Culture and Technology Sociology cities and Sociology of Networks. He has a Diploma of Sociology from the University of Frankfurt and a PhD from the same University. He was the scientific director in plenty research projects embedded in the activity of Aegean University.  Sotiris Chtouris has long-term research experience (since 1990)  in the fields of poverty, social exclusion, and  youth research. He is conducting since 2012 and till Jan.2015  the In4Youth research in the Framework of Research  Excellence with the support of the Greek  Ministry of Education and the European Union.  He is author and co-author of  fifteen books in Greek, German and English. 

Christina Papadopoulou

Consultant of International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims. Representative of the National Commission for Human Rights. Consultant of CMF-MENA (Centre for Media Freedom, Middle East & North Africa). chrispy1@otenet.gr

Christina PAPADOPOULOU: Political/Social Scientist. With an academic background in International Relations (Panteion and Paris I-Sorbonne), Political Sociology and Analysis of the Arab World (IEP de Paris), and Penitentiary Policy at Oxford University, Ms Papadopoulou has conducted research with the Athens University and Cairo University (1991-1996); as Head of Mission in Palestine, with Médecins du Monde (1997-1998); Coordinator for the Middle East & North Africa with the IRCT (International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims) in Copenhagen (1999-2003), Senior Human Rights Officer with the NCHR (National Commission for Human Rights, 2004-2013); MENA Manager with the IRCT, based in Jordan (2013-2016). Since October 2016, she acts as Senior Advisor with the same organization and the NGO CMF-MENA (Centre for Media Freedom). She has published articles, essays and studies in newspapers and journals on Mediterranean Affairs (Al Ahram Weekly, Confluences Méditerranée, Forced Migration Review) and in the publications of the NCHR on human rights protection, refugees and migrants, religious freedom, trafficking, detention conditions, mental health and protection of minorities. She has also contributed in the Women’s Counseling volume: "Breaking Barriers" (ed. Ellinika Grammata, 2008), and in the book of Libby Arcel: “The trauma of the Asia Minor Catastrophe in three generations" (ed. Kedros, 2014).

Nikos Nagopoulos

Associate Professor of Sociology of Knowledge, University of the Aegean, Greece. n.nagopoulos@soc.aegea.gr

Nikos Nagopoulos completed studies in Sociology and Sociolinguistics in Heidelberg University. Currently, he is teaching as an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of the Aegean. Scientific subject :  Sociology of Knowledge. During the period 2014-15 he teaches “New forms of Sociology of Knowledge ”  at the Vienna University (Austria)  He is Director of the post-graduate program “Research in local social development and cohesion”, in the University of the Aegean. He also teaches the course "European policies for employment and social protection" in the post-graduate program “European societies - European integration” in the same Department.

Stella Nanou

Assistant Communication Public Information Office, United Nations High Commission for Refugees. nanou@unhcr.org

Stella Nanou studied translation and foreign languages in the University of Ionian and has a European Master's Degree in Human Rights and Democratization. Since 2004, she has worked for the UNHCR Office in Greece, in the department of Communications and Public Information, which handles media relations, coordinates public awareness campaigns and implements educational programmes, with a view to raise awareness, create empathy and provide accurate and comprehensive information about the refugee situation in Greece and in the world.  

Martina Čurdová

Theatre of the Oppressed, Social Circus, Documentary and Devising Theatre workshops in the Czech Republic and abroad Trauma Recovery through Collective. martina.curdova@gmail.com

Martina Čurdová is a theatre director, performer and lecturer. She studied Creative Drama and Alternative Theatre at Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, Czech Republic. After she explored Theatre of the Oppressed studying at CTO in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and working with excluded communities in Latin America and Spain. She now directs various projects in Czech Republic and abroad, applying theatre as a tool of personal liberation and social transformation. Martina works mainly with marginalized communities, using diverse techniques ranging from documentary devised theatre to new circus.