Erwin van Veen

Erwin van Veen is a senior research fellow at Clingendael’s Conflict Research Unit (CRU). He is an experienced professional who delivers high quality and insightful strategic advice that helps mitigate violent conflict. His direct area of expertise are the relationships between political order, protest and violence in countries like Iraq, Israel/Palestine, Syria and Turkey. He is the author of the book ‘Armed organizations and political elites in civil wars: Pathways to power in Syria and Iraq’ (Routledge, 2024).

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 analysis aims to help 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, Erwin and his team take pride in helping clients develop innovative, evidence-based and humane policy responses to contemporary conflicts.