Chrissie conducts research in the broad area of Peace and Conflict Studies, with an emphasis on intrastate violent conflict and its resolution. She is particularly interested in the study of violence and organised crime in the context of peacebuilding.
She has carried out extensive fieldwork in Northern Ireland, Jordan and South Africa on issues related to post-conflict violence, organised crime and its relationship to violent conflict. She has written two books on violence and crime during war and peace, and has published several journal articles on these and related topics. Dr Steenkamp is currently working on several projects, including investigating the use of tunnels in conflicts in the Middle East, and the impact of the illegal amphetamine Captagon on Jordan. She has started writing a new book about the relationship between peacebuilding and organised crime in the Middle East.
Her research has been funded by the GCRF, the Quaker Foundation and the National Research Foundation (South Africa).
Dr Steenkamp has acted as a reviewer for various peer reviewed journals and academic publishers, and has externally examined PhD theses at universities in South Africa, England and Australia.
She is the co-ordinator of the Critical Security Studies research group within the Department and is a member of the Board of the Centre for Global Politics, Economy and Society.
Research group membership
Critical Security Studies research group
State and Society research group
Research grants and awards
Current funding:
£10 137 from GCRF Global Challenges Collaborative Research Awards 2019-22. Project title: The impact of the amphetamine Captagon on Jordan.
Research projects
Current projects include:
- 2020: The role of tunnels in conflict in the Middle East (journal article)
- 2021-22: The impact of the amphetamine Captagon on Jordan (funded research project)
- 2020-2022: Conflict, organised crime and peacebuidling in the Middle East (book project)
Research impact
Dr Steenkamp has extensive experience in engaging with non-academic user groups to disseminate research findings, with audiences including representatives from NATO; the UN; NGO’s and national level policy makers.