Brian Brivati

Visiting Professor of Human Rights and Life writing, Kingston University
Professor Brivati is a writer, project design and delivery expert and adviser and mentor to hundreds of graduates of his university and international development courses and fellowships. He has helped multiple partners advance their missions and achieve their objectives, working with clients across civil society organisations, research councils, trusts and foundations, government and international organisations, high net worth individuals and corporates.

He is currently running the Ukraine programme for Optio Venture Partners, acting as a Senior Adviser on Ukraine for at Folke Bernadotte Academy – Swedish agency for peace, security and development, an Adviser at the Ukraine Strategic Initiatives at National University Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, Kyiv, and an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for the Public Understanding of Security and Defence at Exeter University which he founded with Professor Paul Cornish.

As a Visiting Professor at Kingston University, he is running the Unsettlement Project which sets out to suggest "unsettlement" as an organizing idea for humanities research, addressing contemporary crises like war, climate change, and digital disruption that produce various forms of human and intellectual displacement. It emphasizes the need for the humanities to respond practically and meaningfully to these interconnected challenges of physical, digital and information insecurity. The project is UK based with partners in Ukraine, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen.

Current and Previous Roles:
• 2021 to Present, Associate, Optio Venture Partners, Ukraine Programme
• 2022 to present, Senior Consultant at Folke Bernadotte Academy – Swedish agency for peace, security, and development
• 2021 to present, Visiting Professor, Kingston School of Art, Kingston University
• 2016 to 2020, Co-Director, The Stabilisation and Recovery Network (TSRN)
• 2008-2014, Director and Academic Director, The John Smith Memorial Trust
• 1994 to 2008, Professor of Contemporary History, Life Writing and Human Rights, Kingston University
• 1992 to 1994, Deputy Director, The Institute of Contemporary British History

Academic Appointments 1994-2008
Kingston University
• Appointed Lecturer in British History at Kingston in 1994
• Reader in Contemporary History 1997
• Professor of Contemporary History and Director of Graduate Studies in 2001
• Professor of Human Rights in 2004
• Course Designer and Director: BA Human Rights, MA Human Rights, MA Political Communication, Advocacy, and Campaigning.
• Course Designer (including): BA Journalism, MA/MFA Classical Acting (With Sir Peter Hall)
• Awarded Leverhulme Trust Major Grant Award

Other Academic Appointments and Qualifications
• Deputy Director, Institute of Contemporary British History, 1992-94
• Visiting Lecturer at Birkbeck College, University of London, 1992-3 and Westminster University, 1992-94
• BA and PhD at Queen Mary College, University of London, 1984-1991