Erwin van Veen is a senior researcher at Clingendael’s Conflict Research Unit (CRU). As head of Clingendael’s Middle East programme, Erwin leads a diverse team of five experts that researches conflict dynamics and prospects for political reform in this region. Such analyses aim to support clients like ministries of foreign affairs, international organisations and NGOs. By blending research with op-eds, timely events, media appearances, workshop facilitation and occasional trainings, the team takes pride in helping clients develop innovative, evidence-based and humane policy responses to contemporary conflicts. Erwin’s own area of expertise are the relationships between violence, protest and political order in countries like Iraq, Israel/Palestine, Syria, Iran and Turkey. His personal strengths include a broad curiosity, a quick grasp of complexity and the ability to combine the conceptual with the practical.
Past achievements include the co-creation of major policy innovations such as the International Security Sector Advisory Team (an international expert team on security sector reform), the New Deal for Engagement in Fragile States (an agreement between 40+ states and international organisations to improve aid provision to fragile states) and the Knowledge Platform Security and Rule of Law (a mechanism for knowledge brokerage and uptake among policymakers and practitioners engaged in conflict-affected countries).
Erwin is also a member of the United Nations Security Sector Reform Advisory Network, the advisory group to the NATO mission in Iraq (NMI) and a fellow at the Center for Syria Studies at the University of St. Andrews. He is a regular media commentator and speaker at events in various parliaments, international fora, as well as at diplomatic and military academies.
His previous experiences include roles as peacebuilding and conflict specialist at the OECD (2010-2013), security and development advisor at the Dutch ministry of Foreign Affairs (2006-2010) and human resource business advisor at Shell (2003-2005). Erwin obtained university degrees in public administration, security sector management and EU politics, all with distinction. He is on twitter @ErwinVeen.
Recent publications:
Al-Sudani’s first 100 days – Or how to keep everyone happy (together with Hamzeh Hadad and Folkert Woudstra) (2023) at https://www.clingendael.org/publication/al-sudanis-first-100-days
The 2022 Israeli elections: Change, but no change (together with Folkert Woudstra) (2023) at https://www.clingendael.org/publication/2022-israeli-elections-change-no-change
Tooth and nail: Elite resistance against reform in Iraq (2022) at: https://1001iraqithoughts.com/2022/05/19/tooth-and-nail-elite-resistance-against-reform-in-iraq/
Cassandra calling? Development, governance and conflict trends in the Middle East (together with Nancy Ezzeddine, Rex Langenberg and Engin Yüksel) (2022) at https://www.clingendael.org/publication/development-governance-and-conflict-trends-middle-east
Henchman, Rebel, Democrat, Terrorist: The YPG/PYD during the Syrian conflict (together with Rena Netjes) (2021) at https://www.clingendael.org/pub/2021/the-ypgpyd-during-the-syrian-conflict/
Warning signs: Qassem musleh and Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (together with Nancy Ezzeddine) (2021) at https://warontherocks.com/2021/08/warning-signs-qassem-musleh-and-iraqs-popular-mobilization-forces/
Waiting for blowback: The Kurdish question and Turkey’s new regional militarism (together with Engin Yüksel and Hashim Tekines) (2020) at https://orient-online.com/syria-dynamics-of-war-and-issues-of-reconstruction/
Hope springs eternal: EU options for dealing with the Assad regime (2020) at https://www.clingendael.org/publication/eu-options-dealing-assad-regime
Coming out and breaking out: The US, Iran and Europe go nuclear (2020) at https://www.clingendael.org/pub/2020/coming-out-and-breaking-out/
A house divided: Political relations and coalition-building between Iraq’s Shi’a (together with Floor El Kamouni-Janssen and Nick Grinstead) (2018) at https://www.clingendael.org/publication/iraqs-shia-house-divided