Erik Durneika is a Ph.D. student specializing in comparative politics and international relations. His research interests include ethnic conflict, authoritarian regimes, and transnational repression, with a focus on China and Central Asia. His works have analyzed the internationalization of ethnic conflict—how domestic crises extend beyond state boundaries. Some internationalization mechanisms his scholarship discusses are refugee movements, separatism/irredentism, third-party intervention, terrorism, and disinformation campaigns. More recently, his research has focused on dissidents in exile.