Hi! I’m Dr. Karena Avedissian, political analyst and independent researcher.
I have been researching disinformation, security, and social movements in Eurasia, focusing on human rights for 15 years. I translate complex political phenomena into clear insights and bridge academic rigor with practical policy analysis to advocate for justice and accountability.
About me
My career includes roles at Harvard University, The University of Birmingham, USC, and the International Institute for Strategic Studies, where I focused on projects on internet censorship, disinformation campaigns, state-building, and conflict analysis. My work has consistently aimed to expose violations and advocate for impacted communities in regions like Eurasia and the Middle East.
My background spans academia, lecturing, consulting, and policy analysis, equipping me with deep insights into complex geopolitical issues, always with a human-centric focus. I have also advised local and Western governments on policies to uphold human rights in regional developments, and provided geopolitical intelligence to private companies to ensure ethical decision-making.
Freedom House - Armenia’s Fight Against Disinformation
The COVID-19 pandemic and the 44-Day War in Nagorno-Karabakh in 2020 have exacerbated the country's vulnerability to disinformation. This policy brief reviews international best practices and offers recommendations to enhance Armenia’s efforts in combating disinformation.
Selected Projects
CREST - Russia and Disinformation: The Case of the Caucasus
That the North Caucasus and Georgia are seen by the Kremlin as areas where it can use, and has used, aggressive military force makes the disinformation deployed there important to understand. This report illustrates how Russia sees the use of strategic influence in its own neighbourhood.
Heinrich Böll Stiftung - Russian Leverage in Armenia
This research report explores Armenia's key dependencies on Russia in trade, energy, and security, evaluating threats to Armenian sovereignty and foreign policy autonomy. The project aims to provide actionable recommendations for mitigating and addressing these dependencies.