Prof. Aleksi Ylönen holds a Doctorate in International Relations and African Studies (Summa cum Laude) from the Autonomous University of Madrid (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid), Spain; an International Master in Peace, Conflict, and Development Studies from UNESCO Chair of Philosophy for Peace, Jaume I University (Universitat Jaume I), Castellón (Spain); and Bachelor of Arts in History with Minor in Economics (Highly Distinguished) from the College of Charleston (USA).

He has conducted research and taught Politics and International Relations extensively in Europe and Africa. Prof. Aleksi Ylönen has collaborated with various higher education and research institutions, including University Institute of Lisbon (Portugal), Jaume I University (Spain), European University of Valencia (Spain), University of Valencia (Spain), University of Hargeisa, United States International University – Africa (Kenya), Marmara University (Turkey), University of Turku (Finland), Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (Germany), University of Frankfurt (Germany), University of Bayreuth (Germany), and the School of Oriental and African Studies (the UK).

Prof. Aleksi Ylönen specializes in Politics and International Affairs in the greater Horn of Africa. His work has been published in various scholarly and non-academic outlets. Among Prof. Ylönen’s salient publications are The Horn of Africa since the 1960s (Abingdon: Routledge, 2017), edited with Dr. Jan Záhořík; On state, marginalization, and origins of rebellion (Trenton: Africa World Press, 2016); and various scholarly articles in respected Politics and International Relations, Political History, and Area Studies journals. Prof. Aleksi Ylönen engages in frequent expert commentary for research institutions and conventional and online media.