In the Aftermath of Mass Violence:

Conflict Transition in Bosnia-Herzegovina


30 March 2009 presentation by Vanessa Noël Brown

Vanessa Noël Brown is focusing her career on countries transitioning from periods of protracted conflict toward reconciliation and peacebuilding. Her international experience includes leading educational programs in Bosnia-Herzegovina (2003 and 2007) and Rwanda (2008). Her interest in working with societies touched by mass violence led Vanessa to her current position working populations touched by mass violence. As a refugee officer for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Vanessa interviews refugees from violent conflicts in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. In 2007-2008, Vanessa was a David L. Boren Fellow and a Visiting Scholar at the NGO Search for Common Ground in Morocco, researching local approaches to conflict mitigation. Vanessa led an assortment of international exchange programs focused on human rights for the NGO Freedom House, served as a managing editor at the Center for Global Studies at George Mason University, and designed and taught conflict management classes for at-risk youth and adult inmates in the Washington, DC area.

Vanessa first gained interest in protracted conflicts while taking Austin College courses on the history of the Holocaust and the Balkans. In recent years, her research and analyses have focused on cross-cultural approaches to conflict prevention and post-conflict reconciliation. Vanessa co-authored a research study which focused on the youth identity in Bosnia-Herzegovina along with related education policy reforms which resulted in the creation of a 2007-08 project sponsored by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Sarajevo. Her 2008 article “Reconciliation in Rwanda: Building Peace through Dialogue” was published in Conflict Trends magazine. She is the co-author of a forthcoming book chapter “After the Genocide: Social-cultural Changes Amongst Rwandan Women.” Vanessa holds a M.S. from the Institute of Conflict Analysis and Resolution (ICAR) at George Mason University and a B.A. in International Studies from Austin College.