Anne Hammerstad, PhD

Anne is part of Agulhas’ leadership team. She leads Agulhas’ work on migration and displacement and is an accomplished quality assurance specialist and editor. Anne brings over 20 years’ experience in research and evaluation, specialising in migration and displacement, humanitarian emergencies, conflict and fragility. With her background in Academia and as a published author, Anne is highly adept at overseeing and providing quality assurance support at all research and evaluation stages, including ensuring adherence to research ethics standards and the application of cross-cutting issues and an inclusive lens throughout a project cycle. 

Anne has a strong track-record in academic publishing and delivering high quality reports for clients in government departments, NGOs, research institutes and multilateral organisations, including UN agencies, MOPAN, FCDO and the African Development Bank. Anne has extensive experience in managing large, complex research and evaluation projects, leading the technical aspects of producing rigorous evaluations and engaging with high-level clients and stakeholders. She has overseen the technical delivery of 25 evaluation reports on behalf of the Independent Commission for Aid Impact, as well as a range of other products for ICAI, ensuring that the design, evidence gathering, analysis and presentation of all ICAI’s publications are of the highest standard. As a Quality Assurance (QA) Expert, Anne has overseen a variety of evaluations, applying her highly valued writing and editorial skills.  

Anne is the author of, and contributor to, numerous articles, policy briefs, op-eds and books on global refugee politics, humanitarian and development aid, and conflict and security in sub-Saharan Africa and India. She published the book ‘The Rise and Decline of a Global Security Actor: UNHCR, Refugee Protection and Security’ with Oxford University Press, and is a contributor to the Oxford Handbook on Refugee and Forced Migration Studies. Anne came to academic research and policy evaluation via journalism and editorial writing in her native Norway. She has lived and worked in the UK, Norway, South Africa, India and France.

Anne has a DPhil in International Relations from Oxford University, an MSc in International Relations from the London School of Economics, and a BA in Humanities and Politics from the University of Oslo. She is an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the Conflict Analysis Research Centre (CARC) at the University of Kent, and a Senior Research Associate at the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA). She was previously a lecturer and ESRC Fellow at the University of Kent; a fellow at Royal Holloway, University of London; and Senior Researcher at SAIIA. Her DPhil thesis on the UN High Commissioner for Refugees at Oxford University won the 2003 British International Studies Association (BISA) Thesis Prize.