Staff

Fiona Wilshusen

Fiona Wilshusen

Researcher


contact by phone

+49 228 91196-0

contact by e-mail

fiona.wilshusen(at)bicc.de

Expertise

Research Profile


At BICC, I work in the project Security, Arms and Development in Recipient Countries of German Arms Exports. My current research endeavours therefore lie primarily in exploring the interlinkages between these three dimensions. Equally, I am concerned with understanding the impact of the different - but especially the societal - dimensions of militarisation. My academic work has always been accompanied by a keen interest in analysing and making visible inequalities and problems that arise from patriarchal structures and the gender attributions associated with them - especially in the context of peace and conflict. In this field, I am particularly interested in the (potential) impact of gender-transformative impulses on the hegemony of patriarchal-masculine structures, within security, foreign and defence policies as well as their actors. To this end, I integrate intersectional perspectives into my work and strive for a feminist and gender-transformative research.

Research Topics / Key Expertise


Interlinkages of security, armament and development

(Societal) effects of militarisation, civil-military relations

Gender and militarisation

Gender and (non-)state armed actors

Feminist security studies

Countries Of Expertise


  • Sierra Leone,
  • Liberia

Professional Career

Already during my studies, my research interest was in the field of security, militarisation and development. In my Master's thesis, I focused on the relationship between society and armed actors and the gender implications of this relationship – and thus examined the media framing of (fighting) women in conflicts using the example of the depiction of Kurdish female fighters in British media. Internships with the German Armed Forces and the Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in Ethiopia further deepened my understanding of security policy and development policy in practice.

Important Publications

Wilshusen, F.

Today’s solution, tomorrow’s problem? An analysis of West African practices in the use of pro-government militias.

BICC , Bonn (2022)

Open

Wilshusen, F., & Saleh, L.

Militarisierung und geschlechtsspezifische Gewalt. Wir haben ein (Daten-) Problem!

(2023)

Open

Hauk, S., & Wilshusen, F.

We need to Break with Gender Binarism and Cisnormativity: Towards an Inclusive Feminist Peace and Conflict Research!

BICC , Bonn (2023)

Open

Wilshusen, F.

When the 'War Attitude' persists: How Pro-Government Militias affect Society in the Long Run

BICC , Bonn (2023)

Open

Publications

Schetter, C., & Bayer, M., & Wilshusen, F., & von Boemcken, M., & Heinemann-Grüder, A., & Haidara, B.

Bewaffnete Konflikte: Milizen und Militärfirmen: Milizen und Militärfirmen: Gegner oder Instrumente staatlicher Gewalt?

transcript , Bielefeld (2023)

Open

Wilshusen, F., & Bayer, M.

Upcoming elections in Sierra Leone – a relapse to violence?

(2023)

Open

Wilshusen, F.

When the 'War Attitude' persists: How Pro-Government Militias affect Society in the Long Run

BICC , Bonn (2023)

Open

Wilshusen, F., & Saleh, L.

Gender-Balance, Militarisierung und Gewalt gegen Frauen: Wir benötigen dringend mehr Daten und Forschung!

, 17 Ziele Blog (2023)

Open

Hauk, S., & Wilshusen, F.

We need to Break with Gender Binarism and Cisnormativity: Towards an Inclusive Feminist Peace and Conflict Research!

BICC , Bonn (2023)

Open

Wilshusen, F., & Saleh, L.

Militarisierung und geschlechtsspezifische Gewalt. Wir haben ein (Daten-) Problem!

(2023)

Open

Wilshusen, F., & Saleh, L.

Gender-Balance, Militarisierung und Gewalt gegen Frauen: Wir haben ein (Daten-)Problem!

BICC , Bonn (2022)

Open

Wilshusen, F.

Today’s solution, tomorrow’s problem? An analysis of West African practices in the use of pro-government militias.

BICC , Bonn (2022)

Open