Dr. Dominik Balthasar
(né Helling)
Sector Economist Peace & Fragility, KfW Development Bank
Dr. Dominik Balthasar
About
Against the backdrop of my work experience on issues pertaining to peace, conflict, and fragility in diverse industries (research, policy, practice), I currently seek novel opportunities to pair this expertise with approaches of strategic foresight so as to anticipate risks, leverage opportunities, and enhance the resilience of international aid interventions. Having been passionate about enhancing the evidence-base of policies and programming in international development, I am increasingly eager to embrace the uncertainties surrounding development assistance in contexts of fragility. As a creative individual with an entrepreneurial attitude, I come with a faible for design, quality, and the ability to inspire and help others. Exhibiting strong analytical and methodological skills, and coming with much experience in knowledge exchange, I seek to invest myself for a better future with a positive, problem-solving, and good-humored attitude.
Work Experience
KfW Development Bank, Frankfurt a.M., DE (2019-present)
Sector Economist Peace & Fragility
- Co-authoring internal strategic roadmap on KfW’s engagement in contexts of fragility
- Mainstreaming peace & conflict analysis and conflict sensitivity into operational units
- Developing indicators to assess the effectiveness of peace- and state-building interventions
- Operationalizing i.a. private sector dev’t, crisis prevention, and the climate-conflict nexus
- Advising on project development and enhancing operational effectiveness and impact of projects in diverse geographic locations (with a particular emphasis on sub-Sahara Africa)
- Conducting portfolio analyses and ensuring continuous knowledge transfer across teams
- Member of the Evaluation Reference Group for a KfW-UN WASH program in East Africa
- Preparing management briefings and conducting internal trainings on fragility & resilience
swisspeace/ Swiss Peace Foundation, Bern, CH (2015-2019)
Senior Researcher
- Conducting policy mandates, amongst others assuming the role of project manager of a GIZ-funded project in support of the Syrian Local Administration Councils Unit (LACU)
- Developing, conducting, and coordinating research on peace- and state-building, including the acquisition of two research mandates of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF)
- Editing swisspeace’s working papers series and organizing diverse events
- Lecturing at the University of Basel & designing and conducting executive training programs
Institute for Peace and Security Studies (IPSS), Addis Ababa, ET (2015)
Consultant
- Supporting action-oriented research and policy dialogue projects on Somalia
- Enhancing IPSS policy analysis capacity within the Africa Peace and Security Program
- Advising on the development and management of policy-oriented publication strands
- Assisting the advancement of the institute’s policy-oriented research strategy
European Union Institute for Security Studies (EU-ISS), Paris, FR (2014-2015)
Assiciate Analyst
- Conducting policy-oriented analysis on EU security and development approaches to Africa, and researching security and development challenges in the Sahel, Libya, and Somalia
United States Institute of Peace (USIP), Washington DC, US (2013-2014)
Research Fellow
- Developing USIP Academy’s training material on Somalia, and conducting mediation, facilitation, and negotiation trainings for AMISOM troops in Burundi, Uganda, Djibouti
Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House), London, UK (2012-2013)
Research Fellow
- Translating doctoral research findings into policy advice, authoring publications and client reports, and supporting the organization and hosting of Chatham House events
Post-Graduate Program for International Affairs (2006-2007)
Fellow
Highly competitive fellowship of the Robert Bosch Foundation, the German Federal Foreign Office, and the German National Academic Foundation. Conducting the project ‘Post-War State-Building between Relief and Development’ in the context of the following postings:
- DfID, Kathmandu, NP. Focus: political inclusion of lower cast groups
- World Bank, Dili, TL. Focus: youth (un)employment
- UNDP, Kinshasa, CD. Focus: DDR of former rebels in Ituri region
- UNHCR, Geneva, CH. Focus: role of refugees and migrants in state-building
Part-time positions
University of Basel, Dpt. of Political Science, CH, Lecturer (2016-2018)
Law & Development Partnership, PEA Somaliland, UK/SO, Consultant(2014-2015)
Saferworld, Research Support Committee Somalia, KE/SO, Consultant(2014-2015)
World Bank, Public expenditure review Somaliland, KE/SO, Consultant (2012-2013)
Oxford Analytica, Political-economy analysis Somaliland, UK, Consultant (2013)
Small Arms Survey, Community Policing in Somaliland, CH/SO, Researcher (2011-2012)
London School of Economics, UK, Teaching fellow (2011-2012)
School of Oriental and African Studies, UK, Teaching fellow(2009-2010)
Stanhope Centre, LSE & Oxford University, UK/SO, Research coordinator(2008-2009)
Publications
Academic Articles
- Balthasar, D. (2018): “State Making in Somalia under Siyad Barre: Scrutinizing Historical Amnesia and Normative Bias.” International Journal of African Historical Studies, 51(1), 141-62.
- Balthasar, D. (2018): “On the (In)Compatibility of Peace-Building and State-Making: Evidence from Somaliland.” The Journal of Development Studies, 1-16.
- Balthasar, D. (2017): “‘Peace-building as state-building’? Rethinking liberal interventionism in contexts of emerging states.” Conflict, Security & Development, 17(6), 473-91.
- Balthasar, D. (2017): “State-making at Gunpoint: The Role of Violent Conflict in Somaliland’s March to Statehood”; In: Civil Wars, 19(1): 65-86.
- Balthasar, D. (2016): “In search of more than a state: Trajectories of political ordering and identity plurality in Somalia”; In: African Identities, pp. 1-21.
- Balthasar, D. (2015): “From Hybridity to Standardization: Rethinking State-Making in Contexts of Fragility”; In: Journal of Intervention and Statebuilding, Vol. 9, No. 1, pp. 26-47.
- Balthasar, D. (2014): “Somalia: Unable to Escape Its Past? Revisiting the Roots of a Fractured State and Elusive Nation”; Critical African Studies, Vol. 6, No. 2-3, pp. 223-239.
- Balthasar, D. (2013): "Somaliland’s Best Kept Secret: Shrewd Politics and War Projects as Means of State-Making"; In: Journal of Eastern African Studies, 7(2): 218-238.
- Balthasar, D., & Grzybowski, J. (2012): "Between State and Non-State: Somaliland's Emerging Security Order"; In: Small Arms Survey Yearbook 2012, Cambridge University Press: Cambridge; 147-173. [Summary]
- Helling, D. (2010): “Tillyan Footprints Beyond Europe: War-making and State-making in the Horn of Africa - The Case of Somaliland”; In: St. Antony’s International Review 6(1): 103-123.
- Helling, D. (2009): “Anatomy of a ‘Political Chameleon’: Re-Examining Fluid Shapes and Solid Constants of Nationalism and Nation-Building”; Crisis States Research Centre (CSRC) Discussion Paper No. 17 (series 2); LSE: London.
- Helling, D. (2008): “Wunderwaffe Entwaffnung“; In: Afrika Süd, 36(3): 13-14; Informationstelle südliches Afrika (issa): Bonn.
- Helling, D. (2007): “DDR in Ost und West“; In: Ad Hoc International, 1(5): 10, Netzwerk des Stiftungskollegs für internationale Aufgaben: Berlin.
- Helling, D. (2007): “State of the Displaced: The Role of Returning Displaced Persons in Post-Conflict State Reconstruction”; Working Paper No. 07/80 of the Working Paper Series of the Development Studies Institute (DESTIN) of the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE); ISSN: 1470-2320..
Book Chapters
- Balthasar, D. (forthcoming): “State-building off the beaten track: Insights from Somaliland’s experience.” Brüne, S. and Justenhoven, H.-G. (eds.), African Conflicts: Root Causas, Way Out; Nomos: Baden-Baden.
- Balthasar, D., & Osei, A. (2018): “Collaborating for Peace - An Analysis of Networks of Cooperation in Somalia.” In United Nations Mission in Somalia (Ed.), War and Peace in Somalia – National Grievances, Local Conflict and Al-Shabaab. New York: Oxford University Press.
- Balthasar, D. with Druey, C. (2017): “Governance as Context: Are Conflicts Part of the System?” Bellak, B., Devdariani, J., Harzl, B. and Spieker, L. (eds.), Governance in Conflict: Selected Cases in Europe and Beyond; LIT Verlag: Wien und Zürich, pp. 13-36.
- Balthasar, D. with Scherer, C. (2016): “Conflict Sensitivity and the New Deal: A Conflict of Interest?”; In Handschin, S., Abitbol, E. and Alluri, R. (eds.), Conflict Sensitivity: Taking it to the next Level; swisspeace working paper no. 2/2016; Bern: swisspeace, pp. 31-35.
- Balthasar, D. with Grzybowski, J. (2012): “Between State and Non-State – Somaliland's Emerging Security Order.”; Small Arms Survey Yearbook 2012; Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, pp. 146-173.
Policy Papers & OP-Eds
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Balthasar, D. (2014): “Thinking Beyond Roadmaps in Somalia - Expanding Policy Options for State Building”; Center for International and Strategic Studies: Washington, DC.
- Balthasar, D. (2014): “Oil in Somalia: Adding fuel to the fire?” Heritage Institute for Policy Studies: Mogadishu.
- Balthasar, D. (2014): “Somalia’s federal Agenda: From fragility to fragmentation?” EU Institute for Security Studies: Paris.
- Balthasar, D., Bowen, H., Brandi, C. et al. (2013): “Envisioning New Partnerships for Africa’s Future: Making Global Governance Work in a Post-2015 World.” Global Public Policy Institute: Berlin.
- Balthasar, D. (09.06.2014): “What can we learn from state-making in Somaliland?”; FragileStates Blog: Washington, DC.
- Balthasar, D. (17.01.2014): "Somalia's Federal Agenda May Get Boost with New Federal President"; The Olive Branch, United States Institute of Peace: Washington, DC.
- Balthasar, D. (29.10.2013): "Al-Shabab's Kenya Attack - Avoiding the Pitfalls of a Military Response"; The Olive Branch, United States Institute of Peace: Washington, DC.
- Balthasar, D. (29.05.2013): "Somalia 2013: 'New Deal', Old Principles"; African Arguments; Royal African Society: London.
- Balthasar, D. (07.05.2013): “A ‚New Deal‘ for Somalia”; Expert Comment, The Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House): London.
- Balthasar, D. (29.01.2013): “'Fragile States' and 'Failed Policies': Two Global Public Policy Challenges at Eye Level”; Global Policy Journal: London.
Academic Posters
- Balthasar, D. (2013): “Templates, Tales and Shrapnel of Truth? Puzzling State-Making and the Case of Somaliland”; Poster presented at the London School of Economic and Political Science’s Research Festival Exhibition, London, 1 March.
- Helling, D. (2011): “Kalashnikovs & Calculators – Warfare, Administration and State-Making: A Case Study of Somalia and Somaliland”; Poster presented at the London School of Economics and Political Science’s Research Day, London, 26 March.
