Antônio Sampaio

The Global Initiative Network

GI-TOC Staff Member, GIN Member

Thematic Lead on Cities & Illicit Economies, Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime

Antônio leads a research stream on Cities and Illicit Economies at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime. He examines urban armed violence, non-state armed groups and their impact on governance and security. Antônio also studies conflict economies and the roles of cities in wars. His research has been focused on cities in Latin America (particularly Brazil and Colombia), as well as Somalia, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Antônio worked for nine years at The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) – more recently as Research Fellow, working on armed violence in cities. Prior to that, Antônio worked as a journalist at Globo News TV in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

He has conducted field research on various aspects of urban violence in Colombia, Brazil, Kenya, Somalia, Afghanistan and Pakistan. He has also advised NATO on the development of a capstone doctrine on urban warfare. Antônio has published in both peer-reviewed journals and news outlets on organised crime, urban conflicts and Brazilian politics.

Photo Credit: I Ana Branco, Agência O Globo.

Publications

Antônio Sampaio, ‘Urban resources and their linkage to political agendas for armed groups in cities’, Journal of Illicit Economies and Development, Vol. 2, Issue 2, 2021.

Antônio Sampaio, ‘The role of power for non-state armed groups in cities: marginalised spaces and transitions from armed conflict’, Third World Thematics, 4 (2-3), 2019.

Antonio Sampaio, ‘Before and after Urban Warfare: Conflict Prevention and Transitions in Cities’, International Review of the Red Cross 98 (1), 2016, pp. 71–95.

Antônio Sampaio, ‘Conflict economies and urban systems in the Lake Chad Region’, Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, November 2022.

Antônio Sampaio, ‘Criminal governance during the pandemic’, Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, December 2021.

Ashley Jackson and Antônio Sampaio, ‘Afghan cities become key battlegrounds’, War on the Rocks, 09 April 2021.

Antônio Sampaio, ‘The militia challenge in cities’, Urban Violence Research Network, 19 January 2021.

Antônio Sampaio and Renato Sérgio de Lima, ‘As violence rises in Brazil, the state is repeating the same failed formula’, The Washington Post, 20 November 2020.

Ryan Berg and Antônio Sampaio, ‘Brazilian organized crime is all grown up’, Foreign Policy, 08 August 2019.

Antônio Sampaio, ‘The new frontlines are in the slums’, Foreign Policy, 03 July 2018.

Antonio Sampaio, ‘Our fast-growing cities are becoming hotbeds of unrest. It doesn’t have to be that way’, World Economic Forum Agenda, 10 November 2016.

Antonio Sampaio, ‘Aggressive Takeover: Shifts in Brazil Underworld Augur Rising Violence’, Jane’s Intelligence Review, March 2017, pp. 44-49.

Antonio Sampaio, ‘The utility of Force in Cities: Future Challenges of US Army Urban Stabilization Efforts’, in Scott N. Romaniuk and Francis Grice (eds.), The Future of US Warfare (London: Routledge, 2017).

Antonio Sampaio, ‘Concrete Crimes: Cities Adopt Local Initiatives to Tackle Criminality’, Jane’s Intelligence Review, June 2016, pp. 38-43.

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The Global Initiative Network

GI-TOC Staff Member, GIN Member