Mark Millar
Mark Peter Millar is a PhD researcher in the Department of Politics and International Studies at SOAS, University of London. His research examines how government and international organizations analyze and understand war. It explores the interaction between different intellectual traditions in conflict analysis and how organizational structures, political pressures, and cognitive processes shape analytical judgement.
Mark’s work is particularly concerned with the limits of prediction in violent conflict and the role of how conflict is framed through institutional norms and behaviours. Drawing on both qualitative and quantitative methods, he engages closely with practitioner communities and reflects his professional background in policy-facing environments.
Prior to his doctoral studies, Mark worked extensively in conflict and humanitarian analysis roles, including as an adviser on conflict analysis to the British Government, and with organizations such as the UN, the Norwegian Refugee Council, NATO, and the International Organization for Migration. He has worked at headquarters in Brussels, London, and New York as well as almost a decade in field-based roles in South Sudan and Afghanistan, supporting both operational decision-making and high-level policy processes.
Mark is also the author of journals and books on peacekeeping and conflict analysis, a selection of which can be found below.
Article
Millar, M. (2026). Organising judgement: knowledge, noise, bureaucracy and bias in the practice of conflict analysis in the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Peacebuilding, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1080/21647259.2026.2646087
Policy Brief
Millar, Mark. 2024. Who Killed UN Peacekeeping?, HCRI Policy Brief Series 01/24, pp. 1-6 https://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=72216
Book
Millar, Mark (2022). The Peacekeeping Failure in South Sudan. Bloomsbury Academic https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/peacekeeping-failure-in-south-sudan-9781350273856/
Quoted in media
Don’t apply here: Why NGO hiring practices are sparking protests in South Sudan https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/analysis/2021/12/07/dont-apply-here-why-ngo-hiring-practices-are-sparking-protests-south-sudan 7 December 2021
South Sudan celebrates 10 years of independence – but few rejoice https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/7/8/south-sudan-celebrates-10-years-of-independence-but-few-rejoice 8 July 2021
UN pullout triggers safety concerns in South Sudan displacement camps https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/news-feature/2021/05/18/un-pullout-triggers-safety-concerns-south-sudan-displacement-camps 18 May 2021
Fresh violence worsens famine threat in South Sudan https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/fresh-violence-worsens-famine-threat-in-south-sudan/2221248 4 May 2021