States of Emergency and the Rise of Militias: New Research Project at the University of Mannheim
Emine Ari, Ph.D., will spend two years investigating how states of emergency shape the way governments respond to political resistance. In particular, she examines why some governments rely on militias to suppress opposition and how this strategy changes when a state of emergency is declared. The political scientist from the University of Idaho, USA, is the third Humboldt Fellow to come to the chair of Prof. Sabine Carey, Ph.D., for a research stay.
Press release from 5 October 2026
Print version (PDF)
Whether in civil wars, during political unrest, or in the fight against opposition groups, governments are repeatedly faced with the question of which actors to rely on to control political violence and resistance. In addition to regular security forces, militias or other non-state armed groups may also be deployed. But how do governments decide which actors to use to suppress political resistance? And does declaring a state of emergency change these decisions? Emine Ari will address these questions during her two-year research stay at the University of Mannheim.
Her project focuses on the role of states of emergency. To this end, she analyzes extensive data on political conflicts in countries such as Turkey, Colombia, and Peru, and uses statistical models to investigate systematic changes in the deployment of militias before and after the declaration of states of emergency.
Her research stay in Mannheim is made possible by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation’s Henriette Herz Scouting Program. In 2023, Carey, a political scientist at the University of Mannheim, was awarded the opportunity to select up to three researchers from abroad for a fellowship, thereby strengthening her team. Following Elena Barham, Ph.D., and Meridith LaVelle, Ph.D., the third postdoctoral fellow is now joining the chair. With her research project, Ari complements the profile of Carey’s chair, which focuses, among other things, on political violence, conflicts, and the role of non-state actors.
“For me, professor Carey’s team combines academic excellence with a supportive and encouraging atmosphere, which allows me to further develop my research project and gain new perspectives,” says Ari.
About the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation’s Henriette Herz Scouting Program
Each year, approximately 40 outstanding researchers are selected as scouts for the Foundation’s Henriette Herz Scouting Program. Thanks to this grant, they can select young researchers for a research fellowship over a period of three years.
Further information on the Henriette Herz Scouting Program is available here.
The University of Mannheim’s press release announcing Carey’s grant award in 2023 can be found here (in German).
This text was translated from German by DeepL.
Contact:
Emine Ari, Ph.D. (available for interviews in English)
Postdoctoral researcher at the Chair of of Political Science, International Relations
University of Mannheim
E-mail: emine.ari.erol.gast@uni-mannheim.de
Yvonne Kaul
Research Communication
University of Mannheim
E-mail: kauluni-mannheim.de