Edward Lemon

Focus Areas: Security, terrorism, Central Asia, migration, human rights, political violence.

Edward Lemon is a Postdoctoral Research Scholar at the Harriman Institute. In his research, Dr. Lemon examines counter-extremism in the post-Soviet republic of Tajikistan. He is particularly interested in how counter-extremism has become transnational, targeting opponents living outside of the country. Opposition activists living outside of Tajikistan has been subjected to intimidation, been kidnapped, physically attacked and assassinated. Dr. Lemon is currently working on a monograph examining how these measures affect the lives of those targeted and how these practices shape our understanding of international security.

Edward has spent almost three years living and working in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan. During this time, he worked as supported a local nonprofit develop new programs in the fields of civic education, poverty alleviation and local governance. He also worked as a journalist and blogger reporting on local issues.

His research has appeared or is forthcoming in Central Asian Affairs, Review of Middle East Studies, Foreign Affairs, Central Asian Survey, First World War Studies, Central Asian Survey and The RUSI Journal. Dr. Lemon wrote the Tajikistan chapter for Freedom House’s “Nations in Transit” report in 2016 and 2017, and will write the Tajikistan and Uzbekistan chapters for Freedom of the Press 2017.

Dr. Lemon received a PhD in political science from the University of Exeter in 2016. He holds an MLitt from the University of St Andrews and a bachelor''s degree from Kings College London. 

Education

• PhD in Political Science, University of Exeter
• MLitt, University of St Andrews
• BA, Kings College London