Dr Johanna Amaya-Panche

Dr Johanna Amaya-Panche is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Edinburgh. She has been a Lecturer in Latin American Politics at the Institute of the Americas and served as the Director of the Master’s Program in Latin American Studies at University College London. Additionally, she is a Conflict & Change Cluster member within the Department of Political Science. In 2023, she earned her PhD in Government from the University of Essex. She holds a Master of Research in Latin American Studies and a Bachelor of Honours in Political Science and International Relations from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Colombia.

Dr Amaya-Panche’s research interests are deeply rooted in the fields of International Relations, Political Behaviour, and Political Science. Her work focuses on the influence of international actors on the complex local dynamics of collective action strategies initiated by civil society agents. She aims to promote peace, resilience, and reconciliation in the midst of armed conflicts, with a keen eye on gender and ethnic issues. Her research is primarily centred around Latin America and the Global South, which are integral to her work.

In addition, her academic curiosity extends to interlinked subjects, including transitional justice, multiculturalism, ethnicity, equality, diversity, and the inclusion of diverse populations. She also explores research methodologies that underpin our comprehension of intertwined global and local phenomena.

Dr Johanna Amaya-Panche has made significant contributions as a researcher and policy analyst for renowned international organizations, including the European Union, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Global Survivors Fund, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Fund. Her projects have secured funding from diverse sources, such as USAID, the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF), and the European Union. Her research has been recognized and featured on esteemed media platforms such as France 24, The Dialogue, The Canning House, and the Interethnic Committee for implementing the Peace Agreement in Colombia.

She is a proud first-generation, mixed-race female scholar from the Global South with a working-class family background.

Before starting her PhD, she was an Associate Professor at different Universities and a consultant for International Organisations and governments in Colombia, focusing on diversity, inclusion, peace-building, and community resilience.