Dr. Juste Codjo is an assistant professor of security studies and director of a doctoral program in civil security at the New Jersey City University. His research relies on quantitative and qualitative methods to examine the direct and indirect causes of political violence, especially in the African context. Prior to joining academia, Dr. Codjo served as an army officer for more than 20 years in the Benin Armed Forces, from which he retired at the rank of Major. He is the founding President of Echelle-Benin, a non-profit organization aimed at empowering young students in underserved communities in Benin.