The International Risk Podcast

Episode 208: Honduras: Women, Gangs, and Migration with Ellen van Damme

Dominic Bowen Season 5 Episode 208

This week Dominic is joined by Ellen van Damme. They dive into the multifaceted complexities of gang violence in Honduras. Hear Ellen discuss her PhD research on gangs, violence and women, as well as her thoughts on how women and girls fall into gangs. They discuss the difference between narcos and gangs, as well as the dehumanisation the Western world undergoes. Listen now!

Ellen Van Damme, PhD, is a criminologist specialising in ethnographic research on women, gangs, and migration. From 2016 to 2020, she was a PhD fellow of the Research Foundation-Flanders (FWO) at the Leuven Institute of Criminology(LINC), KU Leuven. Her doctoral research focused on the role of women in and around gangs in Honduras. In 2021-2022, she was a Fulbright scholar at the Center for the Study of International Migration at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where she examined female migration from Honduras to the United States. Since 2022, she has been a postdoctoral researcher at the Université libre de Bruxelles and a consultant for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). In 2023, she founded Field Research Coaching, a consultancy that trains and coaches academics and professionals working on sensitive topics in challenging environments.

The book she mentioned was 'Tierra de Narcos', by Oscar Estrada.

The International Risk Podcast is a must-listen podcast for senior executives, board members, and risk advisors. This weekly podcast explores current affairs, international relations, emerging risks, and strategic opportunities. Hosted by Dominic Bowen, Head of Strategic Advisory at one of Europe's top risk consulting firms, the podcast brings together global experts to share insights and actionable strategies.

Dominic's 20+ years of experience managing complex operations in high-risk environments, combined with his role as a public speaker and university lecturer, make him uniquely positioned to guide these conversations. From conflict zones to corporate boardrooms, he explores the risks shaping our world and how organisations can navigate them.

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