Alexander M. Ward holds an MA in International Conflict from King's College London and a BA from the University of Nottingham in History and Politics.  After finishing university study he worked on EU integration for Analytica think tank in Skopje, Macedonia before coming to GFSIS to research the embargo against Abkhazia. His research interests include conflict issues in the former Soviet Union, Islamism in Central Asia and the post-conflict situation in South Eastern Europe.