Academic biography

Dr. Eleanor Leah Williams specialises in intelligence and security studies, currently serving as an Assistant Professor in Security at Dublin City University. 

Dr. Williams completed her PhD at Queen’s University Belfast, where she conducted a groundbreaking study titled “Were the state’s intelligence activities during the conflicts in Northern Ireland and Colombia ethical?” Supported by a £60,000 grant from the Department for the Economy, her thesis critically examined intelligence ethics in conflict settings, utilizing Omand and Phythian’s Just Intelligence framework. Her research incorporated interviews with a range of key figures, from former intelligence personnel to members of the IRA and FARC, to explore state power, intelligence ethics, and peace agreements. She has published in journals such as Critical Studies on Terrorism and Intelligence and National Security.

From 2023-24, Dr. Williams also held a Junior Research Fellowship at the University of Oxford, where she advanced research on the covert role of civil servants during the Northern Irish peace process, publishing multiple articles stemming from this project. She has presented this work widely including at University of Oxford, Cambridge University, Warwick University, King's College London, Queen Mary University, and Queen's University Belfast.

Beyond academia, Dr. Williams is committed to public engagement and policy impact. Her research has been showcased on the SpyCast podcast, reaching tens of thousands of listeners, and she has presented her findings on S4C’s national news and BBC Radio Cymru. Her educational outreach includes a project for the UK National Archives, developing an educational package on the Good Friday Agreement for distribution to thousands of schools across the UK and Ireland.

In addition to her research and teaching, Dr. Williams actively contributes to the academic community. Eleanor is a board member for the Women’s Intelligence Network and the ECPR’s Standing Group for Political Violence. Dr Williams also runs the Society for Intelligence History's PhD Writing Program.