Markus Michael Geray

Markus Geray is a Senior Researcher in the Mediation and Peace Team at the Center for Security Studies (CSS) at ETH Zurich. He works on the Ceasefire Project, a joint initiative with the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD), supported by the European Union.

His research focuses on political violence, civilian–armed group relations, and civilian attitudes in armed conflict. Drawing on scholarship in conflict studies, political communication, political behaviour, and political psychology, his doctoral research examined how civilians form attitudes towards armed groups, particularly how experiences of violence and protection shape these evaluations. He combines qualitative and quantitative methods, including interviews and survey experiments, and has conducted extensive field research in South Kivu, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Markus holds a PhD in Political Science from ETH Zurich. He also holds a Master's and a Bachelor's degree in Politics and Public Administration from the University of Konstanz, where he specialised in research methods and international conflict management. During his studies, he spent time at Northwestern University, Uppsala University, and Sciences Po Bordeaux. Previously, he worked with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Peace Information Service (IPIS), and the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).