Dr Govinda Clayton
About
Dr. Govinda Clayton is a senior researcher in peace processes within the Center for Security Studies at ETH Zurich. Dr Clayton combines research, teaching and practice to transform communication and conflictual dialogue between individuals and groups, to help bridge differences and heal political divides.
Dr Clayton’s research focuses on negotiation; mediation; dialogue; communication; conflict management and conflict resolution. He has published work in all of the leading international peer-reviewed peace and conflict journals, including: Journal of Peace Research; Journal of Conflict Resolution; International Studies Quarterly; Comparative Political Studies; Conflict Management and Peace Science; Cooperation and Conflict; International Interactions; and Studies of Conflict and Terrorism, as well as mainstream media outlets, such as the Conversation, and the Washington Post.
Dr Clayton currently leads the Ceasefires Project. This project seeks to generate knowledge and practical guidance on how to negotiate and implement ceasefires during civil war. This project involves close collaboration the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), and Uppsala University, as well as policymakers and practitioners from the Swiss and Norwegian Federal Departments of Foreign Affairs, international and non-governmental organisations.
Beyond academia, Dr Clayton is actively involved in the development and practical use of communication and conflict resolution tools. He is the executive director of the Conflict Research Society (CRS) and a member of the Folke Bernadotte Academy conflict prevention working group. He has worked with leading international organizations including the United Nations, World Bank and, African Union. He has taught negotiation, or been involved in peacebuilding projects, in locations including: Lebanon, Myanmar, South Korea, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Armenia, Bulgaria and Turkey
Dr Clayton also develops, tools and trainings, informed by peace-building research, but tailored to everyday communication challenges. He regularly consults with businesses and international organizations on conflict resolution methods. For example he provided a discovery workshop on “difficult conversations” at the 2019 TED summit, helped develop the Heineken Worlds apart advertisement, and wrote and presented the better conversations series.