
- Location
- Burg. Oudlaan 50, Rotterdam
- mena@iss.nl
More information
Profile
I am an academic and researcher with more than fifteen years of international experience working on and studying humanitarian aid and disaster governance, particularly in conflict-affected settings. I lecture in humanitarian action, disaster risk reduction, methodology, and safety and security aspects of (fieldwork) research. At the moment, I have a particular interest in researching current changes that the humanitarian aid and disaster sectors are undergoing, particularly considering the compound effects and challenges of climate change, protracted crises, and displacement. Also, in the ethical, safety, and security aspect of research.
I serve as a Board Member of the International Humanitarian Studies Association (IHSA) and convener of the Peace and Ecology in the Anthropocene commission at the International Peace Research Association (IPRA). Also, as a reviewer in leading journals like the Journal of International Humanitarian Action, Disaster Prevention and Management, Disasters Journal, Journal of Political Ecology, or Revista Perfiles Latinoamericanos. Besides, I often take research, monitoring and evaluation, and advisory consultancy work, which allows me to develop action research on a regular base and stay close to the experiences and processes taking place in my fields of study.
Before my current position at ISS, I have worked as a researcher, project and programme manager, and consultant with local and international NGOs, the United Nations, private and governmental sectors. The previous with CINDA, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Deutsche Welthungerhilfe, Save the Children, Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW), NGO-Ambientarte, ARC (Afghanistan Resilience Consortium), Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU), and the Oversee Development Institute (ODI), among others. With them, I have led humanitarian aid groups and researched the occurrence of several conflicts, crises, and disasters, including earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides, floods, and droughts. In terms of academic experience, I have been a professor, lecturer, and visiting professor at various universities in the UK, Brazil, Chile, Afghanistan, Argentina, and the Netherlands.
As a researcher and practitioner, my work has taken me to Latin America, Europe, Oceania, and Asia, particularly to complex and disaster-prone places, such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Chile, Jordan, Peru, South Sudan, Uganda, and Yemen.
I hold a PhD in Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Governance from the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) of Erasmus University Rotterdam, an MA in Environmental Studies from the University of Melbourne, and a BA in Sociology and BA in Political Science from the UAH. Also diplomas in Quantitative Multivariable Analysis, Environmental Impact Assessment, Public Policy, and Sustainable Development. Regarding applied research, I have experience and training in the development of fieldwork in hostile, complex and remote areas, being certified by the United Nations, Red Cross, Centre for Safety and Development, GCORE, and RedR.
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- R. Mena & D. Hilhorst (2020). The (im)possibilities of disaster risk reduction in the context of high-intensity conflict: the case of Afghanistan. Environmental Hazards. doi: 10.1080/17477891.2020.1771250
- R. Mena, D.J.M. Hilhorst & K. Peters (2019). Disaster risk reduction and protracted violent conflict: the case of Afghanistan. (Extern rapport). : Overseas Development Institute (ODI), International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) [go to publisher's site]
- R. Mena (2018). Responding to Socio-environmental Disasters in High-Intensity Conflict Scenarios: Challenges and Legitimation Strategie. In HG Brauch, U Oswald Spring, A Collins & SE Serrano Oswald (Eds.), Climate Change, Disasters, Sustainability Transition and Peace in the Anthropocene (The Anthropocene: Politik, Economics, Society, Science) (pp. 27-66). Switzerland: Springer doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-97562-7
- D. Hilhorst, L. Hodgson, B. Jansen & R. Mena (2016). Security guidelines for field research in complex, remote and hazardous places. The Hague: ISS-EUR [go to publisher's site]
- R. Mena & D. Hilhorst (2020). The (im)possibilities of disaster risk reduction in the context of high-intensity conflict: the case of Afghanistan. Environmental Hazards. doi: 10.1080/17477891.2020.1771250
- R. Mena, D.J.M. Hilhorst & K. Peters (2019). Disaster risk reduction and protracted violent conflict: the case of Afghanistan. (Extern rapport). : Overseas Development Institute (ODI), International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) [go to publisher's site]
- R. Mena (2018). Responding to Socio-environmental Disasters in High-Intensity Conflict Scenarios: Challenges and Legitimation Strategie. In HG Brauch, U Oswald Spring, A Collins & SE Serrano Oswald (Eds.), Climate Change, Disasters, Sustainability Transition and Peace in the Anthropocene (The Anthropocene: Politik, Economics, Society, Science) (pp. 27-66). Switzerland: Springer doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-97562-7
- D. Hilhorst, L. Hodgson, B. Jansen & R. Mena (2016). Security guidelines for field research in complex, remote and hazardous places. The Hague: ISS-EUR [go to publisher's site]
- R. Mena & D. Hilhorst (2020). The (im)possibilities of disaster risk reduction in the context of high-intensity conflict: the case of Afghanistan. Environmental Hazards. doi: 10.1080/17477891.2020.1771250
- F. Carcamo & R. Mena (2017). Conflictos socio-ambientales en la sociedad moderna: aportes de la ecología política Latinoamericana y la teoría de la acción comunicativa. Journal of Political Ecology, 24, 1077-1093.
- A. Pelfini & R. Mena (2016). Oligarquización y extractivismo. Cerrojos a la democratización de la política ambiental en Chile. Revista Perfiles Latinoamericanos (FLACSO), 49 (1), 251-276.
- R. Mena & F. Gonzalez (2009). Lo rural como construcción sociopolítica. Revista Latinoamericana de Desarrollo Humano, 2 (57).
- R. Mena, F. Gonzalez & C. Concha (2008). Ruralidad y Medioambiente. Revista de Antropología Rural, 3 (3):2.
- D.J.M. Hilhorst, R.A. Mena Fluhmann, R.S. van Voorst, I. Desportes & S. Melis (2019). Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Response in Different Conflict Scenarios. In Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction (GAR) 2019. Geneva: United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR)
- R. Mena (2018). Responding to Socio-environmental Disasters in High-Intensity Conflict Scenarios: Challenges and Legitimation Strategie. In HG Brauch, U Oswald Spring, A Collins & SE Serrano Oswald (Eds.), Climate Change, Disasters, Sustainability Transition and Peace in the Anthropocene (The Anthropocene: Politik, Economics, Society, Science) (pp. 27-66). Switzerland: Springer doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-97562-7
- R. Mena (2015). Agricultura Urbana, reducción de la pobreza y seguridad alimentaria: Una relación compleja. In Tierra: Paisajes, suelos y biodiversidad: Desafíos para un buen vivir. Santiago, Chile: IPTCentral
- R. Mena (2012). From Rural to Ruralities: A transformation to a Territorial and Sustainable Development. In M.F. Meyer & J. Lüder (Eds.), Políticas Públicas y Economía Social de Mercado (pp. 52-65). Chile: Ed. Fundación Konrad Adenauer
- M.J. Lemaitre & R. Mena (2012). Aseguramiento de la calidad en América Latina: tendencias y desafíos. In Educación Superior en Iberoamérica: Informe 2012 (pp. 21-72). Chile: CINDA; Universia
- R. Márquez, D. Flores, P. Güell, P. González, S. Godoy, R. Mena & F. Gonzalez (2008). Informe sobre Desarrollo Humano Rural en Chile. In UNDP Rural Development Report. Chile: United Nations Development Programe (UNDP)
- D.J.M. Hilhorst, I. Desportes, S. Melis, R.A. Mena Fluhmann & R.S. van Voorst (2020). When Disaster Meets Conflict: A scenario-based approach to the politics of disaster governance in conflict settings. : VICI-ISS
- D.J.M. Hilhorst, M.J. Vervest, I. Desportes, S. Melis, R.A. Mena Fluhmann & R. Van Voorst (2020). Strengthening community resilience in conflict: learnings from the Partners for Resilience programme. (Preprints, ISS Working Papers - General Series, no 666). The Hague: International Institute of Social Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam
- R. Mena (2020). Disaster response and DRR in high-intensity conflict settings. (Preprints, Research Brief). The Hague: International Institute of Social Studies
- R. Mena (2019). Prioritizing disaster response in a context of high-intensity conflict: the case of South Sudan. (Intern rapport, Research Brief #3). : International Institute of Social Studies (ISS)
- R. Mena, D.J.M. Hilhorst & K. Peters (2019). Disaster risk reduction and protracted violent conflict: the case of Afghanistan. (Extern rapport). : Overseas Development Institute (ODI), International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) [go to publisher's site]
- R. Mena (2018). Manual on Conflict Analysis Tools: Preventing, mitigating and reducing the risk of social conflict in Civil DRR Projects. (Extern rapport). Kabul, Afghanistan: Afghanistan Resilience Consortium (ARC)
- R. Mena (2018). Disaster Risk Reduction in Afghanistan. (Intern rapport, Research Brief, no 6). The Hague: International Institute of Social Studies (ISS)
- R. Mena (2018). Understanding and Preventing Social Conflict while Implementing Community-Based Disaster Risk Reduction in Afghanistan. (Extern rapport). Kabul, Afghanistan: Afghanistan Resilience Consortium (ARC)
- R. Mena (2014). Heritage, Youth and sustainability. (Preprints). : ONG Ambientarte
- R. Mena (2013). Urban Agriculture and Australian Food Supply Scenarios (Working Paper). (Preprints). : Victorian Eco-Innovation Lab (VEIL)
- R. Mena & J. Carbonell (2013). Estudio de Satiafaccion Usuaria. (Preprints). Santiago de Chile: Corporacion de Asistencia Judicial; Ministerio de Justicia
- R. Mena (2011). Estudio Perfil Postulantes y Sistema Judicial. (Preprints). Chile: Corporacion de Asistencia Judicial; Ministerio de Justicia
- R. Mena (2018, november 27). Disaster Risk Reduction under high levels of conflict: The case of Afghanistan. Ahmedabad, India, International Peace Research Association (IPRA) Conference.
- R. Mena (2018, november 26). Security and Safety for field research in complex, remote and hazardous places. Ahmedabad, India, International Peace Research Association (IPRA).
- R. Mena (2018, april 7). Disaster response and emergency aid in high-intensity conflict scenarios. The cases of South Sudan and Afghanistan. San Francisco, United States, ISA 59th Annual Convention.
- R. Mena (2018, april 3). Disaster response and emergency aid in high-intensity conflict scenarios. The cases of South Sudan and Afghanistan. San Francisco, United States, ISA 59th Annual Convention.
- R. Mena (2016, november 29). Disaster response in high-intensity conflict scenarios: Aid-Society relations, challenges and legitimacy. Freetown, Sierra Leone, IPRA 2016 General Conference on Agenda for Peace and Development.
- R. Mena (2017, augustus 22). The Triage of Aid: Prioritizing who to help in High-Intensity Conflict Scenarios. The case of South Sudan. Bergen, Norway, EADI Nordic Conference.
- R. Mena (2016, maart 7). Micro Social Conflict and Silent Disasters: two cases of community conflict during times of drought. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, World Conference on Humanitarian Studies.
- R. Mena (2015, december 30). Crisis como oportunidad para la resiliencia social. Costa Rica, Latin American Congress of Sociology.
- R. Mena (2015, december 3). Cambio climático como problema social: Un problema ambiental socialmente construido. Costa Rica, Latin American Congress of Sociology.
- R. Mena (2015, oktober 27). Perspectivas socioecológicas del Agua. Chile, Seminar Cambio Climático, Recursos Hídricos Y Desarrollo.
- R. Mena (2015, november 20). Urban Agriculture, Poverty Alleviation and Food Security: A complex relationship. Chile, Conferencia Internacional de la Tierra.
- R. Mena (2014, oktober 15). Socio-Natural Disasters and Resilience: The case study of Valparaiso's fires in Chile, a Political Ecology review. Chile, Latin American Congress of Political Ecology.
- R. Mena (2020). Rethinking how to respond to COVID-19 in places where humanitarian crises intersect. (blog). Bliss, the blog of ISS (International Institute of Social Studies). (available: 7 Apr 2020).
- R. Mena & D. Hilhorst (2020). Remote research in times of COVID-19: considerations, techniques, and risks. (blog). Bliss, the blog of ISS (International Institute of Social Studies). (available: 20 May 2020).
- R. Mena (2019). Are you oversimplifying? Research dilemmas, honesty and epistemological reductionism. (blog). Bliss, the blog of ISS (International Institute of Social Studies). (available: 21 Jan 2019).
- R. Mena (2019). Humanitarian technological solutions for socio-political problems. (blog). Bliss, the blog of ISS (International Institute of Social Studies). (available: 29 Jun 2019).
- R. Mena (2018). Technological solutions for socio-political problems: revisiting an open humanitarian debate. (blog). Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU). (available: 27 May 2018).
- D. Hilhorst & R. Mena (2017). A double message about safety and security for field research: "Protection is crucial” and “Don’t overdo it”. (blog). Norwegian Centre for Humanitarian Studies. (available: 2 May 2017).
- R. Mena, D. Hilhorst & S. Melis (2017). Conflicts and disasters: an integrated debate for peacebuilding and development. (nieuwsbrief). IPRA (International Peace Research Association). (available: 30 Jan 2017).
- R. Mena & K. Biekart (2017). Scholars at Risk: precarity in the Academe and Possible Solutions. (blog). Bliss, the blog of ISS (International Institute of Social Studies ). (available: 15 Dec 2017).
- R. Mena (2015). Reflexiones sobre el temporal: Aprendiendo de desastres socionaturales. (nieuwsbrief). Universidad Central de Chile. (available: 15 Aug 2015).
- R. Mena (2012). Naran-zanas y consecuencias socio-económicas. (blog). VerDeseo. (available: 15 Jul 2012).
- R. Mena (2012). CENSO 2012: Preguntas medioambientales y la pregunta que falta. (blog). VerDeseo. (available: 22 Apr 2012).
- R. Mena (2011). Análisis resultados Encuesta Ipsos, Abril 2011: Medioambiente y Energía. (blog). VerDeseo. (available: 15 Apr 2011).
- R. Mena (2010). El olvido y los problemas medioambientales. (blog). VerDeseo. (available: 11 Dec 2010).
- D. Hilhorst, L. Hodgson, B. Jansen & R. Mena (2016). Security guidelines for field research in complex, remote and hazardous places. The Hague: ISS-EUR [go to publisher's site]
- R.A. Mena Fluhmann (2020, november 25). Disasters in Conflict: Understanding disaster governance, response, and risk reduction during high-intensity conflict in South Sudan, Afghanistan, and Yemen. EUR Prom./coprom.: prof.dr.ir. D.J.M. Hilhorst & R.S. van Voorst.
Safety and Security for Fieldwork Resear
- Title
- Safety and Security for Fieldwork Resear
- Year
- 2020
(external) researcher
- University
- Erasmus University Rotterdam
- School
- International Institute of Social Studies (ISS)
- Department
- Academic staff unit
- Country
- The Netherlands
IPRA Ecology and Peace Commission
- Additional Information
- The Ecology and Peace Commission (EPC) of the International Peace Research Association (IPRA) addresses the relationship between the Earth and Human systems, and their impacts on peace.
- Role
- Chair and Managing Coordinator
- Start date approval
- Jan/2017
International Humanitarian Studies Association (IHSA)
- Additional Information
- The International Humanitarian Studies Association engaged with the study of humanitarian crises caused by disasters, conflict or political instability.
- Role
- Board Member
- Start date approval
- Nov/2018
Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU)
- Additional Information
- AREU is an independent research institute based in Kabul. It's mission is to inform and influence policy and practice by conducting high-quality, policy-relevant, and evidence- based research.
- Role
- Visiting Scholar
- Start date approval
- Dec/2017
- End date approval
- Dec/2018
University for Peace
- Additional Information
- Course: Introduction to Humanitarian Action. Department of Peace and Conflict Studies and the Department of International Law.
- Role
- Visiting Professor