Andrew Linke
Department of Geography
Associate Professor
University of Utah
Abstract
Political instability and social conflicts vary geographically and in severity. Intense violence – leading to many civilian casualties – engulfs some regions of the world. Simmering economic instability and political tensions exist in other countries that are conventionally viewed as relatively stable. This research is an investigation of experiences with social instability along this continuum, across continents, and among countries. First, I present novel population level estimates of the global burden of armed conflict; the findings are the result of a novel interdisciplinary collaboration between geographers, epidemiologists, and GIScientists. Second, the focus of our collective research studies the adverse effects of climate change, which have harmed livelihoods among communities worldwide and have often led to volatile political and economic outcomes.
Bio
Andrew is an Associate Professor in the University of Utah Department of Geography. He earned his Geography PhD at CU-Boulder in 2013, funded by the National Science Foundation and Social Science Research Council. His research spans topics in political geography, conflict, and human-environment interactions. He previously held a position at the International Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) and in the last year has published in Lancet Planetary Health, Scientific Reports, American Sociological Review, Population and Environment, and other journals.