Rhiannon Neilsen

Education

Ph.D., International Relations, University of New South Wales Canberra Australia

M.Phil., Politics, University of New South Wales Canberra Australia

B.A., International Relations, German Language, University of Queensland Australia

Books

Neilsen, R. Algorithms and Atrocities: Cyber Humanitarian Interventions in Genocides, War Crimes, and Crimes Against Humanity (forthcoming) . Oxford University Press.

Journal Articles

Neilsen, R., & Pontbriand, K. (2025). "Hands Off the Keyboard”: Civil-Military Relations & NATO’s Cyber-Defense of Civilian Critical Infrastructure’. Defense Studies , 1-24.

(2025). Artificial intelligence as perpetrator or protector? Unpacking the paradox of AI in atrocity crimes. 2025, In Progress.

Neilsen, R., & Agha, S. (2025). AI-Assisted Genocides, Digital Early Warning Signs: (Unfolding) Lessons from Gaza. Journal of Genocide Research ,

Neilsen, R. (2024). Cyberspace and the Responsibility to Protect Populations from Atrocity Crimes. Global Responsibility to Protect, 16(4). 333-362.

(2023). Reluctant to Protect? The role of moral reputation in joining “coalitions of the willing". Journal of Intervention and Statebuilding, 17(4). 477 – 496.

(2023). Cyber Intelligence and Influence: In defence of “cyber manipulation operations” to parry atrocities. Ethics & International Affairs, 37(2). 161 – 176.

(2023). Coding Protection: “Cyber humanitarian interventions” for atrocity prevention. International Affairs, 99(1). 299 – 319.

Neilsen, R., & Heinze, E. A. (2020). Limited force and the return of reprisals in the law of armed conflict. Ethics & International Affairs, 34(2). 175 – 188.

Neilsen, R., & Williams, T. (2019). "They will rot the society, rot the Party and rot the army.” Toxification as perpetrator motivation in the Khmer Rouge genocide. Terrorism & Political Violence, 31(2). 494 – 515.

(2015). Toxification as a more precise early warning sign for genocide than dehumanization? An emerging research agenda. Genocide Studies & Prevention, 9(1). 83 – 95.

Reassessing Reasonable Prospect of Success Criterion in Just War . 2025, In Progress.

Children of Genocide in Bosnia & Herzegovina: The (Em)bodied/Spectral Politics of the Playground . In Progress.

Book Chapters

Neilsen, R., & Campbell, T. (2017). An overview of political approaches to human rights. Political Approaches to Human Rights (pp. 229-239). New York. Routledge.

(2015). Perfidy and means mala in se. Key Issues in Military Ethics (pp. 167-173). UNSW Press.

(2015). Dents in the Soul?. Moral Injury: Unseen Wounds in an Age of Barbarism (pp. 135-147). UNSW Press.

Presentations

Neilsen, R. Atrocity Prevention in the Digital Age. Blavatnik School of Government (University of Oxford). : University of Oxford.

Neilsen, R. Toxification as an early warning sign for genocide . City College of New York (CCNY). : City College of New York (CCNY).

Neilsen, R. Algorithms & Atrocities. New York University, School of Law. : New York University, School of Law.

Neilsen, R. Distinguished Scholars Panel - International Ethics Section. International Studies Association Annual Convention (Chicago).

Neilsen, R. Frontiers of Prevention. Institute of Genocide and Mass Atrocity Prevention (Binghamton University). : Institute of Genocide and Mass Atrocity Prevention (Binghamton University).

Neilsen, R. Cyber Humanitarian Interventions. Center for International Security and Cooperation (Stanford University). : Stanford University.

Neilsen, R. Cyber and the Responsibility to Protect. International Studies Association (ISA) Annual Conference (San Francisco). : International Studies Association.

Neilsen, R. Responsibility to Deceive? Deploying online disinformation campaigns to prevent genocide. Center for International Security and Cooperation (Stanford University). : Center for International Security and Cooperation, Stanford University.

Neilsen, R. Whose duty to discharge cyber humanitarian interventions?. International Studies Association (ISA) Annual Convention (Montreal). Montreal: International Studies Association.

Neilsen, R. Defending disinformation for genocide prevention . International Studies Association (ISA) Annual Convention (Montreal).

Neilsen, R. The Case for Deploying Offensive Cyber-Interventions for Atrocity Prevention. US State Department, USAID, US Holocaust Memorial Museum (Bridging the Gap). Washington DC: US State Department, USAID, US Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Neilsen, R. Artificial Intelligence and Geopolitics. (Multilateralism Conference) Chatham House. London: Chatham House.

Neilsen, R. Responsibility to Protect and Humanitarian Interventions - Role of Cybersapce. University of Marburg. : University of Marburg.

Neilsen, R. New Directions in Genocide Research (with Prof. Scott Straus and Prof. Norman Naimark). Center for Human Rights and International Justice (Stanford University). : Center for Human Rights and International Justice, Stanford University.

Neilsen PhD, R. Reciprocal Rescue Duties. International Studies Association (ISA) Annual Convention (Montreal).

Neilsen, R. Acting Responsibly in Cyberspace. Wilton Park (UK Foreign, Commonwealth, & Development Office). Wilton Park, UK: UK Foreign, Commonwealth, & Development Office.

Neilsen, R. Prevention of Genocide in the Era of New Technologies. Forum on Genocide Prevention (United Nations). Yerevan, Armenia: United Nations.

Neilsen, R. Coding Protection, Genocide, and R2P. Women in Security & Defence Studies Program (Australian Strategic Policy Institute). : Australian Strategic Policy Institute.

Neilsen, R. Digital Atrocity Prevention. UK Atrocity Prevention Working Group. : Protection Approaches.

Neilsen, R. The Responsibility to Deceive? . : International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) Bi-Annual Convention.

Neilsen, R. The Enemy Within. How the Nazis Lost the War Documentary (The History Channel). : The History Channel.

Other Scholarly Works

College

Professional