Mikel Johannes Hubertus Venhovens is a multidisciplinary researcher focusing on conflict studies and ethnographic research. His research interests center on conflict dynamics, particularly in de-facto states. He explores the uncertain geopolitical status of these entities and how they affect populations and their everyday environments. His current work investigates the tangible impacts of prolonged crises and territorial loss in post-conflict settings, with a specific emphasis on the Republic of Georgia and the de-facto Republic of Abkhazia. Venhovens has held positions as a Fulbright fellow at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and he is currently a member of the Eur-Asian Borderlab group at Tallinn University and the Asian Borderland Research Network. He has published extensively and is actively involved in teaching conflict dynamics and management in the Human Security MA program at Aarhus University. His methodological interests also include issues of wellbeing in challenging environments, assessing how emotional dynamics influence research interactions. Venhovens' ongoing research projects aim to deepen the understanding of the humanitarian consequences of protracted conflicts, enhancing the discourse on 'frozen conflicts' and their sociopolitical landscapes.
Aarhus University • Højbjerg, Denmark
Lead researcher on a project funded by the Independent Research Fund Denmark examining the socio-political impacts of territorial loss in post-conflict environments.