Our work
Selected projects
Over two decades of impact evaluations, conflict analyses, field research and governance assessments across Afghanistan, Pakistan, Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Balkans and beyond.
2025 – ongoing
GIZ / Sector Networks SENECA & SNGA
Shrinking Civic Spaces – Analysis & Orientation Paper
Background study on the implications of shrinking civic spaces for development cooperation programmes in civil society, democracy and rule of law.
2024
DAAD via Syspons GmbH
Afghan Online University – Feasibility Study
Feasibility study for online higher education benefiting eligible Afghan women and men, focusing on refugees and migrants in Germany and Afghans inside Afghanistan.
2024
GIZ
Peace and Conflict Assessment Update – Afghanistan (GIZ)
Update of ARC's Afghanistan Peace and Conflict Assessment for GIZ, under contract VN81303444, drawing on two decades of field experience and current remote research capacity.
2024
GIZ / Knowledge Centre Civil Society & Participation
Working Without a Government Partner (Regierungsfern) – GIZ Background Study
Background study on GIZ programming in contexts where the government is not a viable partner, including concept development, five-country interview programme and synthesis report.
2023 – 2024
BMZ via BICC
Mapping Afghan Civil Society Organisations Under Taliban Rule
Explorative mapping of organisation types still operating and eligible for BMZ funding under Taliban rule, with a focus on women-led and women-serving organisations.
2023 – 2024
GIZ / German Evaluation Programme (GEP)
Think Tank Analysis Ukraine – Medium-term Prospects for GIZ Portfolio
Analysis of key European and US think-tanks on Ukraine, covering medium-term conflict and reconstruction scenarios and implications for the GIZ Ukraine portfolio and the Berlin Ukraine Conference 2024.
2022
GIZ / ProGERIM
DNH-Analysis – GIZ ProGERIM (Democratic Republic of Congo)
Do No Harm (DNH) analysis for the GIZ ProGERIM programme in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
2021 – 2025
PATRIP Foundation / KfW
Accompanying Research & M&E Integration – SLRAfg
Scientific accompaniment for the Strengthening Local Resilience for Sustainable Peace programme across six northern Afghan provinces, including Theory of Change development, baseline surveys and process tracing.
2021 – 2022
GIZ
KOMPASS Evaluation – GIZ Local Government Reform Programme II (Palestinian Territories)
Direction of a KOMPASS evaluation of the GIZ Local Government Reform Programme II (LGRP II), leading a team of two local researchers covering both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
2021
DFID / Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI)
DFID / ICAI – Afghanistan Country Portfolio Review
Expert contribution to the ICAI country portfolio review of UK aid to Afghanistan, including fieldwork design and review of the final report. The fieldwork component was ultimately cancelled due to the security situation.
2021 – 2024
GIZ / ECOWAS Regional Security and Development Fund (RSDF/FRSD)
ECOWAS RSDF / FRSD – West Africa RBM&E System (Two-Phase Project)
Two-phase project developing and implementing a results-based M&E system for the ECOWAS Regional Security and Development Fund, piloted in The Gambia with focus on youth employment and income generation.
2020 – 2023
SOAS University of London, Development Studies (GCRF)
Drugs & (Dis)Order in Borderlands – Research Coordination
Research associate and supervisor for a UKRI/GCRF-funded mixed-method study on the political economy of drug-related issues in the Afghanistan-Pakistan-Iran borderlands.
2020 – 2023
University of Osnabrück
Militia Performance and Impact – Afghanistan & Mexico Comparison
Senior researcher and Afghanistan lead for a comparative study on the predictors of militia performance and impact in counter-insurgency and counter-crime contexts.
2020 – 2021
Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU) / SOAS University of London (GCRF)
AREU / GCRF – Research Support: Drugs & (Dis)Order Accompanying Component
Consultancy agreement supporting the GCRF-funded Drugs & (Dis)Order research project, providing field research coordination and analysis for the Afghanistan component via AREU.
2019 – 2020
DAAD via Syspons GmbH
DAAD Afghanistan Country Evaluation
Field research subcontractor for the DAAD Afghanistan country evaluation, including secondary data analysis of 178 DAAD projects and qualitative interviews.
2019 – 2021
KfW Entwicklungsbank (via SWECO International)
RIDF Phase III – Impact Evaluation Regional Infrastructure Development Fund
Team leadership for the impact evaluation of KfW-funded Regional Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) Phase III, covering roads, canals and irrigation projects across Afghan provinces.
2019 – 2023
KfW Entwicklungsbank via SiCon Development
District Development Fund (DDF) – Impact Evaluation North Afghanistan
Team leadership for the multi-year impact evaluation of the KfW-funded District Development Fund (DDF), the direct successor to the nine-year SPNA research programme with the Aga Khan Foundation.
2019
GIZ
Governance Case Study Afghanistan – GIZ Strategic Company Evaluation (USE)
Afghanistan case study for the GIZ corporate strategic evaluation of the governance sector (Unternehmensstrategische Evaluierung, USE), including case selection, field research and report.
2018
GIZ / Regional Capacity Development (RCD)
Ex-Post Impact Evaluation – GIZ/RCD Public Hearings & Trust in Government
Statistical desk study on the impact of public hearings on trust in government, drawing on ARC survey data from North Afghanistan 2010–2017.
2018 – 2019
GIZ / BMZ
Governance Endline Evaluation – FATA / Merged Areas Pakistan
Concept development and evaluation design for the governance endline in the newly merged FATA districts of Pakistan, including a logframe visualisation and terms of reference for local field partners.
2017 – 2018
GIZ
Final Evaluation – GIZ Regional Capacity Development (RCD) Programme Afghanistan
Team leadership for the final (Wirkungsschlussevaluierung) evaluation of the GIZ Regional Capacity Development programme in North Afghanistan, including statistical analysis of public hearing effects on trust in government.
2016 – 2017
Max-Planck Foundation / ICOIC
Organisational Development & Indicator-Based Monitoring System – ICOIC
Expert consultancy supporting the ICOIC in organisational development and establishing an indicator-based monitoring system for constitutional compliance.
2016 – 2017 / 2021
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) / Agulhas Applied Knowledge
ICRC – Expert Consultancy on Armed Groups Behaviour
Expert consultancy for the ICRC on armed group behaviour and compliance with international humanitarian law, drawing on ARC's extensive research on militia structures and local security architectures in Afghanistan.
2016 – 2018
GIZ & SDC (Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation)
Impact Evaluation LOGO / SDP & Governance Baseline SDC/BMZ – Pakistan
Co-team leadership for the impact evaluation of the GIZ LOGO / Support for Development Planning programme and the SDC/BMZ subnational governance baseline across KP, Punjab and FATA.
2016 – 2017
GIZ / BMZ
Support for Good Governance Programme (SGGP) Evaluation – Pakistan
Member of the evaluation team for the GIZ Support for Good Governance Programme (SGGP) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
2016
GIZ
Project Evaluation SDP / PFV – Pakistan (GIZ)
Project evaluation (Projektevaluierung, PEV) of the GIZ Support for Development Planning (SDP/PFV) programme in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
2016
German Federal Foreign Office (AA)
Migration Study North Afghanistan – Push-Pull Factors (Federal Foreign Office)
Rapid qualitative study on the drivers of Afghan migration to Germany and Europe 2014–2016, based on 195 structured interviews in four cities of North Afghanistan.
2016
GIZ / Sector Programme Peace and Security
Peace Building Needs Update – GIZ Afghanistan Portfolio Review
Update of the 2013 Peace Building Needs analysis, producing an impulse paper reviewing the current GIZ Afghanistan portfolio against evolving peace and conflict dynamics.
2015 – 2016
International Nuremberg Principles Academy
Field Research Concept & Mixed-Method Case Studies – Nuremberg Principles Academy
Concept development for field research and mixed-method case studies on acceptance of international criminal justice in nine countries, including researcher training and methodology publication.
2015 – 2016
German Federal Foreign Office (AA) / GOFA
Subnational Governance Review Afghanistan – GOFA / German Foreign Office
Review and analytical paper on subnational governance in Afghanistan, including stakeholder dialogue event, for the German Federal Foreign Office.
2015 – 2016
GIZ / BMZ
Shura-Complex & Infrastructure – Governance Effects of GIZ/BMZ Programmes
Research study on the governance effects of infrastructure measures and the shura-complex in North Afghanistan, covering patronage, corruption, political trust and violence dynamics.
2014 – 2016
KfW / GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies
Basic Service Delivery & Political Trust – From Civil War to Social Contract
Conceptual, methodological and field support for a KfW-funded GIGA research project on associations between basic service delivery and political trust in conflict-affected states.
2014 – 2016
GIZ via AMBERO Consulting / IP Consult ARGE
Peace Fund East Timor – Training Module Peace Building/Crisis Prevention (AMBERO/GIZ)
Subcontractor backstopping for the development of the didactic training module 'Peace Building/Crisis Prevention' under the GIZ-funded Peace Fund programme in East Timor, including post-conflict coaching of trainees.
2014
GIZ / Water Sector Infrastructure Programme (WSIP)
Context Analysis – GIZ Water Sector Infrastructure Programme (WSIP) Afghanistan
Conflict and security context analysis for the GIZ Water Sector Infrastructure Programme (WSIP) in North Afghanistan, including a subcontract to local analyst Basir Feda.
2013 – 2014
GIZ / Sector Programme Peace and Security (SP FuS)
Peace Building Needs Afghanistan – GIZ Sector Programme Peace & Security
Expert consultancy analysing peace building needs in Afghanistan and developing the analytical basis for BMZ's post-2014 Afghanistan strategy, including two field missions and stakeholder workshops.
2012 – 2014
KfW Entwicklungsbank
Conflict-Sensitive Impact Monitoring for KfW Financial Cooperation
Development of a conflict-sensitive impact monitoring framework for KfW financial cooperation in fragile states, operationalising impact chains and conflict-related indicators for the KfW portfolio.
2012
GIZ / NAWI Programme (Natural Resources & Rural Development)
Peace and Conflict Assessment – GIZ NAWI Programme Afghanistan
Peace and Conflict Assessment (PCA) for the GIZ NAWI Natural Resources and Rural Development programme in Afghanistan, identifying conflict risks and integration points for conflict-sensitive programming.
2011 – 2012
Stanford University / Berghof Foundation (via ARC)
Local Conflict Dynamics & Criminal Governance – Field Research Mexico
Qualitative field research on local conflict dynamics and criminal governance in southern Mexico, including case studies on organised crime, communal policing and violence.
2011
Habitat for Humanity (HiH) / SIDA (Swedish International Development Agency)
Conflict Impact Analysis – Habitat for Humanity / SIDA, Mazar-e Sharif
Conflict impact analysis for the HiH/SIDA shelter and reconstruction programme in Mazar-e Sharif and surrounding districts, including field interviews, focus groups and a conflict-sensitive programming framework.
2010 – 2019
Aga Khan Foundation / KfW Entwicklungsbank
SPNA – Stabilisation Impact Assessment North-East Afghanistan
Nine-year accompanying research programme with biennial household surveys across five stability dimensions, providing the longitudinal evidence base for subsequent DDF and RIDF evaluations.
2010 – 2019
Volkswagen Foundation
Conflict & Development / ICCS – Knowledge Transfer Caucasus & Central Asia
Leadership of two successive VW Foundation research programmes on conflict and development, including establishing a Graduate School of Conflict Studies at a partner university in Kabardino-Balkaria.
2006 – 2014
BMZ Evaluation Department
Longitudinal Impact Analysis of German Interventions in Afghanistan
Project manager and lead consultant for the setup and implementation of the first longitudinal impact assessment of German development cooperation in Afghanistan, reporting to BMZ and the Bundestag.
2006 – 2017
DFG / SFB700, Freie Universität Berlin
Governance in Areas of Limited Statehood – SFB700 C1/C9
Senior researcher in two successive DFG Special Research Area projects on transnational cooperation and longitudinal governance interventions in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Tajikistan.
2005
GTZ / ANDS Working Group, Kabul
Afghanistan PRSP / I-ANDS – Support to National Development Strategy Process
Expert support to the Interim Afghanistan National Development Strategy (I-ANDS) process, co-authoring strategy summaries for rule of law, anti-corruption and counter-narcotics pillars, and preparing BMZ recommendations.
2005 – 2006
GTZ
Drugs and Conflict in Afghanistan – GTZ Analysis
Analysis of the nexus between the drug economy and armed conflict in Afghanistan, covering livelihoods, district profiles and the political economy of the opium trade.
2003 – 2007
Volkswagen Foundation
CSCCA – Accounting for State-Building, Stability & Violent Conflict in Central Asia and the Caucasus
Project manager and field research supervisor for the first VW Foundation-funded research programme on state-building, stability and violent conflict in transitional societies of the Caucasus and Central Asia (CSCCA).
2003 – 2004
GTZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit)
Conflict Analysis Central Asia – GTZ Batken / Tajikistan / Afghanistan
Team leadership for a multi-country conflict analysis covering Kyrgyzstan (Batken), Tajikistan and Afghanistan, including field research, local researcher training and methodology development for GTZ programmes.
2002 – 2003
GTZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit)
GTZ Tajikistan – Community-Level Tolerance Promotion (Concept Development)
Development of a concept for community-level tolerance promotion in post-Soviet Tajikistan, including field consultations, stakeholder workshop and identification of relevant local institutions.
2002 – 2003
GTZ / FRCS
FRCS South Caucasus – Local Conflict Mapping & Peace and Conflict Impact Assessment
Local conflict mapping and Peace and Conflict Impact Assessment (PCIA) for GTZ and the FRCS in the South Caucasus, covering Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, including stakeholder analysis and conflict monitoring framework.
2000 – 2001
UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees)
UNHCR Sri Lanka – Associate Field Officer
Pre-ARC position: Associate Field Officer with UNHCR in Sri Lanka, working on refugee and displacement issues during the civil conflict.
1999 – 2001
Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
OSCE Minsk Process – Assistant to Personal Representative (Nagorno-Karabakh)
Pre-ARC position: Assistant to the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the Minsk Process on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, plus electoral supervision in Kosovo.
1997 – 2000 / 2002
Office of the High Representative (OHR), Bosnia and Herzegovina
OHR Bosnia & Herzegovina – Return & Reconstruction Task Force
Pre-ARC position: Officer in the Return & Reconstruction Task Force of the Office of the High Representative (OHR) in Bosnia and Herzegovina, working on post-war return and reconstruction processes.
For a full project list or to discuss a specific assignment please contact us.